Posted by katekite on May 28, 2002, at 7:13:40
In reply to Re: Just been Px klonopin, have questions, posted by SoS on May 27, 2002, at 1:54:30
Well there are a couple reasons why he might not have wanted to try topomax first. The more common explanation would be he just doesn't have much experience with it. The second reason is that a study showed that topomax caused cognitive slowing in patients who took it: the longer they were on it the more 'stupid' they became. If they stopped it they went back to normal. The drug is affectionately known as "Stupimax". While depakote is often called "Depabloat". So he at least didn't choose that. Now of course for some people topomax does not cause cognitive problems, just as some people who take depakote do not gain weight. Trileptal is a new version of tegretol and that is not as known for cognitive problems. Trileptal is supposed to have few side effects compared to tegretol and work just as well -- probably one of the more reliable mood stabilizers. Sedation may pass as you get used to it.
Now if you really can not lose the weight, but you can get stable on trileptal, at some point you might go on topomax temporarily just to try to take the weight off, with the idea that you would trade 6 months of being stupid for the 45 pounds, then go back on trileptal again for maintenance.
If you find the trileptal really sedating then you might see if you can take a dose before bed and not have to be on klonopin.
For weight loss and for getting in shape, they say 30 minutes or more is ideal... consider slowing the pace a little or taking a few minutes break in the middle so that your heart rate (and thus your metabolic rate) can be up for longer. I find that even if I stop and just walk slowly for 5 minutes in the middle my heart rate stays up high and then I can go a lot longer than if I try to do it in one stretch.
kate
ps I'm glad you are logical about the weight loss.
pps.... consider too that losing one pound is way better than neutral, but fantastically better than gaining a pound (which is the direction you were going before). Good for you! Don't try to overdo it, stay healthy.
poster:katekite
thread:107630
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020525/msgs/107811.html