Posted by headachequeen on January 22, 2004, at 20:51:58
In reply to Re: topomax » headachequeen, posted by Karen_kay on January 22, 2004, at 17:43:41
> Right, my Pdoc said the risk is about 1:1000. But he's not always correct. And he also said that the risk is usually in the elderly or people who have kidney or lung (or liver, can't remember) disease. He told me not to worry. He said that the thign that is the most disstressing is the fact that there will now be regular blood tests, as with most mood stabilizers and anti-convulsants. I'm still worried though. How could I not be? I'm a walking Topamax commercial!
>
> And what about:
>
> (Here goes my rant!!!!)
> Those people who think that you don't need meds for Bipolar diorder. My friend and I were talking today and she said that the ultimate goal should be to "OVERCOME" (HUH???) it and get off meds completely.... HUH???? Like I can just fix things with the power of thought! Yeah, right. Kiss My Butt! I tried to explain, but we just agreed to disagree, this time. Oh, because she understands. She's been sad before and overcome it without medication and it's the same thing, according to her. Well, what do you say? I just said, "Well, I'll look into that one." And took my evening dose of Topamax. People sometimes, I just want to choke em! Or hug them. Whatever will get through to them!
Karen_kay, I can relate on so many levels...
because the seizures would not stop at the former level of tegretol, the neuro said he was not going to worry about the blood work and increased the level of Tegretol... it had to be done and I accept that... I cannot go on with the constant seizures and the disruption to my life. They are not the horrid frothing at the mouth Stephen King seizures, but they do disrupt things; they happenw hen I am asleep and do not disturb other people but they can be unsettling and at times embarrassing and at times confusing when I do not know what day it is and the post-episodic period is a time of extreme fatigue... it has to stop especially when there are two or three in a night. I accept reality when it stares me in the face. The blood tests are a part of my reality. Now I guess I must ask the doctor about this blood test too.. I accept that...
What I cannot and WILL NOT accept are the people who look at one and tell one to get a grip... when one is depressed they tell one that they have been unhappy too...
oh yes, they have been sad... sad is shedding a few tears because one doesn't win a place on the cheerleading team...
unhappy is not being first in line when the store opens the day of the big sale...
depressed is spending days in a black hole that is your life... depressed is so much more than unhappy or sad...
sad is forgotten when something else comes along and makes one forget the thing that makes one sad... depressed? that takes a lot more to forget; I know I have been there -- a lot.
Oh the ultimate goal IS to overcome and to be off the meds completely... where is this person? not on this planet obviously; but it does not just happen overnight or on a whim. It requires a lot of counselling and psychotherapy and time and motivation and help and understanding and some times with some people the meds are a permanent part of living... that is reality...
it is like being an epileptic or having asthma or diabetes or a broken leg... one cannot just decide this moment to will it away...
these people are not in the real world at all...
and you did well to react as you did...
really proud to know you
kat
poster:headachequeen
thread:5053
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040122/msgs/304392.html