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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Jet on March 3, 2002, at 10:42:12
Here's what the Topa is doing to me: it is drying me out from my eyes to my toes. I am normally a moist person and have more oily skin and even have sweaty hands even though I hated it it's what I had. Now, I have dry skin. Even my eyes are dry and they burn. I now have to use face cream morning and night and my hands & feet are no longer sweaty - Which is a good thing!My point to all of the above is. If it is doing all of that on the outside, it has to be drying out the inside! I had the beginnings of arthritis before I started Topa. But since I upped my dose to 400, the arthritis symptoms excellerated. My fingers hurt more than they used to and my thumbs are getting to where I can't use them some days because they give out if I try to lift something heavey. Then when I try to open a small object, I get sharp, shooting pains! I NEVER had this before going on Topamax. That is why I was trying the oils. (Earlier Post)
The Topa is helping me so much! I don't want to go off it, I just want to give myself back the oils that it is robbing myself of. Does anyone know how to do that?
I would appreciate any help from someone.
Jet
Posted by Bob on March 3, 2002, at 12:18:35
In reply to HELP! Topamax is drying me out!, posted by Jet on March 3, 2002, at 10:42:12
I had the same problem you are having with Topamax. My skin was dry and itchy all over. My hands were so dry that if I took a shower, they would start burning after about 30 seconds. I resorted to wearing latex gloves in the shower to try and protect my hands from the exposure to the soap and water. It was not very successful. I also experienced the "arthritic" feelings in my hands and forearms and my hands would often be quite cold.
I had many other problems from the drug in addition to the above, and had to stop taking it.
Posted by Jet on March 3, 2002, at 17:56:01
In reply to Re: HELP! Topamax is drying me out! » Jet, posted by Bob on March 3, 2002, at 12:18:35
Thank you so much for replying to my post Bob. I do appreciate you sharing your experience with Topa, but I am not willing to give up my Topa yet. Because of this medicine, I have come out of a foggy state that I had been in for a long time that I am not willing to go back into. Nobody really knew that I felt that way, but I knew it. I had to push myself to function most days. With this drug, I do not have to force myself through life, and my life has dramatically changed! I no longer have to force myself to get up and do the dishes or cook or whatever.
I am looking for anyone out there that has come up with a solution to the drying and also to the solution of the blurry vision. This may be also caused from the drying effect. Other than that, I have more energy, do not go into such deep depressions and as often, have better thoughts in my head, and have even lost 25 pounds. I also used to wake up with a headache every morning and that is gone since the Topa. I still suffer from the mood swings, but they are nothing like they used to be. I am thinking of adding something to make them better too. Anyone have a suggestion that would go good with 400 mg with Topa? I have been reading the posts to try to educate myself on what to ask my pdoc about trying. I also take a small dose of Dexadrene in the morning because of ADD to help me focus and get me moving.
Thanks so much for the help.
Jet
Posted by sleepingbeauty on March 3, 2002, at 18:11:57
In reply to Topamax Drying me out Blurry Vision, posted by Jet on March 3, 2002, at 17:56:01
Jet,
I think you may need to contact your physician.
I was on Topamax but after about 2 weeks started noticing red eyes & just a slight blurry vision problem. When I mentioned this to my pdoc, he took me off the drug immediately due to the potential probs with glaucoma it can cause.
It doesn't hurt to check into any bothersome side effects, it may even save your sight!
~just my humble opinion~
Posted by Jet on March 3, 2002, at 18:27:40
In reply to Re: Topamax Drying me out Blurry Vision, posted by sleepingbeauty on March 3, 2002, at 18:11:57
SB: Do you think that the dry eye symptom means that I could end up with glaucoma? I will schedule an app. with my eye doc.
Jet
Posted by Bob on March 3, 2002, at 20:55:12
In reply to Re: Topamax Drying me out Blurry Vision, posted by Jet on March 3, 2002, at 18:27:40
> SB: Do you think that the dry eye symptom means that I could end up with glaucoma? I will schedule an app. with my eye doc.
>
> JetJet:
The FDA issued a warning last year about links between Topomax and Glaucoma. One of the possible indicators is significant vision changes. You should check with you doctor about this.
Bob
Posted by Bob on March 3, 2002, at 21:02:43
In reply to Topamax Drying me out Blurry Vision, posted by Jet on March 3, 2002, at 17:56:01
Jet:
I am not recommending that you stop Topomax, I was just mentioning that I had to. If it is helping you and the doctors don't see problems with your side effects (and you are willing to tolerate them) then by all means continue it.
Posted by Jet on March 3, 2002, at 22:21:37
In reply to Re: Topamax Drying me out Blurry Vision » Jet, posted by Bob on March 3, 2002, at 21:02:43
Well Bob, after much soul and vision searching, I am going to reduce my Topa dosage and get off of it altogether. I will put back on the 25 pounds and feel like crap again, but losing my eye sight is not worth anything! I am also going to call my eye doc tomorrow and talk with him. I have been putting that call off because of what he might say, as stupid as that sounds. This medicine has been so wonderful. If only it didn't dry me out and cause the blurry vision, it would be great. Well, I guess every medication has its draw backs. I will have to try another one. I refuse to go back into the black darkness I was in without medication! I am a zombie. My brain does not do well on it's own.
Thanks for the suggestion and helpful advise, I welcome it.
Jet
Posted by Bob on March 3, 2002, at 23:24:03
In reply to Re: Topamax Drying me out Blurry Vision, posted by Jet on March 3, 2002, at 22:21:37
> Well Bob, after much soul and vision searching, I am going to reduce my Topa dosage and get off of it altogether. I will put back on the 25 pounds and feel like crap again, but losing my eye sight is not worth anything! I am also going to call my eye doc tomorrow and talk with him. I have been putting that call off because of what he might say, as stupid as that sounds. This medicine has been so wonderful. If only it didn't dry me out and cause the blurry vision, it would be great. Well, I guess every medication has its draw backs. I will have to try another one. I refuse to go back into the black darkness I was in without medication! I am a zombie. My brain does not do well on it's own.
>
> Thanks for the suggestion and helpful advise, I welcome it.
>
> JetJet:
See what your doctor has to say. Don't make your decision solely based on what I've said here. I think somebody else in this thread mentioned the Glaucoma thing also though. I had problems with vision changes whenever I changed the dose of that drug. Funny thing is, I had problems with vision changes on other drugs too... like Welbutrin. I've probably set myself up for problems down the road. God knows, the long term affects of these ADs on your body cannot be good!
Posted by Jet on March 3, 2002, at 23:34:38
In reply to Re: Topamax Drying me out Blurry Vision » Jet, posted by Bob on March 3, 2002, at 23:24:03
Bob - I get so doggoned confused and it is not because of what you have said. I am an informed adult and I have been doing my homework. I will talk with my eye and pdoc before making any rash decisions. I would not want to lose my eye sight over anything. That is so important, don't you think? I have not tried any other anti-convulsants for my BP II, so I don't know if I would get the vision problems. I really do hate to give up the Topa. It has been so wonderful to me and my family. They have their wife, mother and daughter back after so many years of me being either in bed, in a fog or in one of my "moods". I tried so hard to be "good", but I couldn't help it. I just didn't feel good. I did have my good days, but then the dark cloud would come and I would think, Oh No, here it comes again. With the Topa, I have them, but not any where near what they were before. So, that is why I hate to give it up.
I am going to call my eye doc tomorrow and see what he has to say about the drug and if he even knows about it. My pdoc isn't worried about the blurry vision - go figure, they aren't his eyes.
Thanks for your posts, I do appreciate your time and energy.
Jet
Posted by Bob on March 3, 2002, at 23:58:53
In reply to Re: Topamax Drying me out Blurry Vision, posted by Jet on March 3, 2002, at 23:34:38
Yes, I would say your vision is VERY important. If I lost my vision at this point, along with all the other problems I have, it would not be good.
Ask your pdoc is he has heard about an FDA warning. You might want to contact the FDA if he hasn't, and ask them directly.
Posted by Bob on March 4, 2002, at 0:09:05
In reply to Re: Topamax Drying me out Blurry Vision, posted by Jet on March 3, 2002, at 23:34:38
Here you go, Jet. I found some info on it. I would like to add that while looking for this info, I found discussion boards with many "happy customers" taking Topomax.
http://www.williamsbailey.com/services-topomax.htm
This is the end of the thread.
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