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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 19 of 19. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by julieandcolton on December 26, 2007, at 15:56:25
Hello all i am on emsam and pdoc just started me on topamax and didnt express what time to take it which is best morning or night? thanks julie
Posted by Phoenix1 on December 26, 2007, at 17:14:42
In reply to When is the best time to take topamax pdoc didnt s, posted by julieandcolton on December 26, 2007, at 15:56:25
I found night time was best at the start. It really knocked me out. But you should ask your doctor as he may want you to split the dose AM & PM?
Phoenix
> Hello all i am on emsam and pdoc just started me on topamax and didnt express what time to take it which is best morning or night? thanks julie
Posted by julieandcolton on December 26, 2007, at 17:26:43
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did » julieandcolton, posted by Phoenix1 on December 26, 2007, at 17:14:42
THANK YOU VERY MUCH......Julie
Posted by Phoenix1 on December 28, 2007, at 8:40:54
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did, posted by julieandcolton on December 26, 2007, at 17:26:43
Julie,
How is the Topamax going? Do you mind me asking what symptoms you are taking it for?
Phoenix1
> THANK YOU VERY MUCH......Julie
Posted by julieandcolton on December 30, 2007, at 18:57:26
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did » julieandcolton, posted by Phoenix1 on December 28, 2007, at 8:40:54
Going great i am taking it for my bipolar.
Posted by Phoenix1 on December 30, 2007, at 19:14:49
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did, posted by julieandcolton on December 30, 2007, at 18:57:26
> Going great i am taking it for my bipolar.
Glad to hear it's working well. It can take a while to get used to. Hey, one of the cool things about Topomax is that it's one of the very few bipolar meds that is known to cause weight loss. (In some people).Phoenix1
Posted by trx resistant on January 2, 2008, at 0:47:57
In reply to When is the best time to take topamax pdoc didnt s, posted by julieandcolton on December 26, 2007, at 15:56:25
my pdoc said at bedtime. I did a week at half of 25mg. Going to full 25mg tomorrow. Can make you tired and weight loss afterwhile. Haven't noticed anything at this dose. He doesn't think I will at 25mg. Huge issue for me is potential condition where you can't quite find the right word in conversation. It drives me nuts because my Mom had Alzheimer's and if it happens (everyone has those moments normally) I get scared I'm getting early alzheimer's. Also problems with memory. I'm now taking it for severe back pain and to protect against seizures.
Posted by Phoenix1 on January 2, 2008, at 8:36:53
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc didnt s, posted by trx resistant on January 2, 2008, at 0:47:57
> my pdoc said at bedtime. I did a week at half of 25mg. Going to full 25mg tomorrow. Can make you tired and weight loss afterwhile. Haven't noticed anything at this dose. He doesn't think I will at 25mg. Huge issue for me is potential condition where you can't quite find the right word in conversation. It drives me nuts because my Mom had Alzheimer's and if it happens (everyone has those moments normally) I get scared I'm getting early alzheimer's. Also problems with memory. I'm now taking it for severe back pain and to protect against seizures.
I had that loss of words thing for sure. I also got lost driving to work one morning ( I had driven the same route at least 600 times before)... It had some negative cognitive effects on me for sure. It wasn't a very long trial thankfully. But for some, it works wonders.
Phoenix1
Posted by trx resistant on January 2, 2008, at 13:14:41
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did » trx resistant, posted by Phoenix1 on January 2, 2008, at 8:36:53
Yikes. what dosage were you taking?
Posted by Phoenix1 on January 2, 2008, at 13:34:06
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did, posted by trx resistant on January 2, 2008, at 13:14:41
> Yikes. what dosage were you taking?
Somewhere just past the minimum. It was on step 2 or 3 of the titration. I really didn't react well to it, and had to just give up. Others seem to do tremendously on it though.
Posted by trx resistant on January 7, 2008, at 13:02:12
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did » trx resistant, posted by Phoenix1 on January 2, 2008, at 13:34:06
I tried 25 mg at bedtime as instructed but got really loopy, slurred speech, balanced challenged. Dr. found possible benign tumor on brain scan. Until we figure out, he's insisting on 50mg twice a day. I said no way. I can't stay in bed for the rest of my life. He's suggesting pediatric dose of phenobarbitol. Have heard or tried?. I like topomax at the 12.5 dose. do you think if I take the 25mg my body will adjust with time and side effects will wear off?
Posted by Phoenix1 on January 7, 2008, at 13:32:23
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did, posted by trx resistant on January 7, 2008, at 13:02:12
> I tried 25 mg at bedtime as instructed but got really loopy, slurred speech, balanced challenged. Dr. found possible benign tumor on brain scan. Until we figure out, he's insisting on 50mg twice a day. I said no way. I can't stay in bed for the rest of my life. He's suggesting pediatric dose of phenobarbitol. Have heard or tried?. I like topomax at the 12.5 dose. do you think if I take the 25mg my body will adjust with time and side effects will wear off?
Hi trx resistant,
I've heard that people adapt to the cognitive side effects of Topamax. I found them to be too severe to continue. In any event 12.5, 25, 50, are fairly low doses.
Phenobarbital is just a barbiturate sedative, with a similar side effect profile to a long acting benzo like diazepam or clonazepam. It will make you a little sleepy, and fuzzy, but PROBABLY not as cognitively challenged as Topamax.
I haven't taken phenobarbital personally but have heard that it feels a little like Valium (diazepam).
Phoenix1
Posted by rskontos on January 8, 2008, at 18:28:21
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc didnt s, posted by trx resistant on January 2, 2008, at 0:47:57
I have been on topamax for almost 4 years and I half the dosage but I am almost at 200 mg. I taper up though at 50 mg. at a time and it takes me about 4-5 days to adjust. Now my neuro did it in 25 increments and it took about 3 weeks to be at my set level then of 100 mg. I noticed few side effects now at 200 mgs I notice more. My daughter has been at 200 longer and she notices no side effects and maintains a 3.8 - 4.0 grade point at college with 2 majors and one minor with 18 hours at a time. She has been on AC since the age of 6. Depakote first, the lamictal and now topamax. We notice less cognitive side effects with top than the rest in her. I couldn't handle depakote. Now she and I were both on 750 mg. of dep and whew I couldn't handle it. Both of them the dep and lamictal made her like a zombie. Top has never done that to either of us. But we are not taking them for mood stabliziers. You don't mention why you are taking it. Top doesn't make me sleepy or tired even at 200 mg.
Posted by trx resistant on January 9, 2008, at 0:09:59
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did » trx resistant, posted by Phoenix1 on January 7, 2008, at 13:32:23
thanks for the info. pheno doesn't sound as bad.
Posted by trx resistant on January 9, 2008, at 0:16:53
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did » trx resistant, posted by rskontos on January 8, 2008, at 18:28:21
Wow, you are very lucky to take at such high level without being "TopaDope". That's what my dr. calls it. I need to take because I had 11 seizures in five hours at age 48 as side efect from Wellbutrin. Had recent brain scan and may have lesion. So for protection, dr. insists on seizure drug. Once you have had seizure you are always considered at risk. Although mine are entirely drug related, I'm still considered "tainted".
Posted by rskontos on January 10, 2008, at 10:57:18
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did, posted by trx resistant on January 9, 2008, at 0:16:53
Yeah, my daughter has had them since age 6 but her neuro is allowing her to taper off completely this year and she is in college. She believe the brain can heal itself but not if it is always on meds. And my daughter is of a size and has a metabolic rate that has her never in therapeutic levels anyway. She has not had a seizure in over a year....
Now don't get me right sometimes I have a brain fog. If you go into the archives there is someone else that posts here on much more topa than I and she is a brain whiz.
Now you said you were on 25 mg. Is that what a p-doc or neuro has you on. Because I could have swore my neuro said the protocol for seizure control was 200 mg. but I could have heard her wrong. And the truth is anyone's seizure threshold can be lowered for a variety of reasons so I would not consider you "tainted" just maybe more "at risk". Just like me and my family we are "at risk" due to familial history.
I have been on topa for almost 4 years so my body has adjusted but coke is still flat so I know it is working. But you if you are at 25 mg. may not have that yet. I think I didn't notice soft drinks being flat until 50 mg or 75mg. and that is when the appetite went south too.
rkontos
Posted by trx resistant on January 12, 2008, at 16:50:39
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did, posted by rskontos on January 10, 2008, at 10:57:18
Thanks for the info about the topa archives i will try and find. Maybe she's reading. My neuro put me on it. He wants me on 50mg twice a day. I'm still doing 12.5mg at bedtime. Have to find out more about whether I now have some sort of tumor (most likely benign type) which just showed up on 12/31/07 brain scan. I know I'm at risk now for a lot of reasons, age, menopause, prior meningitis history twice, Guillian-Barre, but life's a risk and I can't do these drugs at "theraputic" levels and get out of bed.
Funny about the coke issue. I didn't know that.
Posted by rskontos on January 13, 2008, at 14:15:06
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did, posted by trx resistant on January 12, 2008, at 16:50:39
Yeah my doctor forgot to tell me and I went to a restaurant and sent the diet coke back 4 times. Next time I went to the doctor she and I laughed about it....I said maybe I will go back and apologized to that poor waiter.......rsk
Posted by rskontos on January 13, 2008, at 16:38:31
In reply to Re: When is the best time to take topamax pdoc did, posted by trx resistant on January 12, 2008, at 16:50:39
**find out more about whether I now have some sort of tumor (most likely benign type) which just showed up on 12/31/07 brain scan. I know I'm at risk now for a lot of reasons, age, menopause, prior meningitis history twice, Guillian-Barre, but life's a risk and I can't do these drugs at "theraputic" levels and get out of bed.**
Now I hope that tumor is benign and the risk stuff sucks, I am so sorry! Yeah alot of people cannot tolerate topa at any levels so glad at least so far you are managing with it.. Good luck with the rest of it....rsk
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