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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by badseed on February 13, 2005, at 19:19:50
Hi everyone
I am just writing with something that has been on my mind over the last few weeks. I am coming off topamax. In fact, this is my first day on nothing, i must confess i am a little nervous.
I went on topamax for epilepsy 3 months ago. I also am struggling with an eating disorder. (a fact i don't share with anyone)I have always been a moody person, I am a musician (not that that justifies anything) and a performer and I just have attributed it to my eccentricities; which i do not mind having. However, i do have some psychological issues and that is clear. Since going on the topamax it really helped with the bingeing and the purging although i felt drugged all the time and creatively dull and dead. I couldn't think much; and to my family's amazement, i was a very agreeable person. (because i was so doped and sleeping all the time) i took my pill and then would feel drunk and stumble around, then nap. i refuse to live like this. I went to see a psychiatrist while on the topamax who thinks i'm bipolar II. and i could agree with that. I was having 4 days of crazy eating and crazy thoughts and writing crazy ideas and non stop thinking and then 4 days 'normal and subdued' and good eating and sticking by my regime. However, as i have tapered down; these 'bipolar' tendencies are waning. I am being serious. I am always a thinker and always a little 'on the go' (was prescribed ritalin as a young teen - but i don't believe i had ADD and i never took it) but these crazy moods are (and most unwelcome) aquisition. I'm not sure if it is the drugs or what, i'm very confused - but as i get down, i have been absolutely fine - no huge changes like before. so i am beginning to wonder. does anyone think there could be a correlation between the two? because it says in the side effects that it can cause some kind of mood instability in some, i guess you never know and every drug you take is an experiment. ...
Posted by Nixon on February 13, 2005, at 20:07:02
In reply to Topamax and MOODS, posted by badseed on February 13, 2005, at 19:19:50
Hi,
How long have you had epilepsy and what type? Are you on any other anti-epileptic or have you taken any other AED's in the past? JN
Posted by badseed on February 13, 2005, at 23:44:32
In reply to Re: Topamax and MOODS, posted by Nixon on February 13, 2005, at 20:07:02
hi there! thanks for the reply
I had an very severe anaphactic reaction when i was 5 and then the seizures seemed to come after that. not that many but grand mal ones and they had an awful smell before them. i never went on anything, and as funny as it sounds, noone ever said ' oh you could be epileptic' so they just continued without anything and with everyone just kind of thinking it was weird these fits and then my last one was 18 (i'm 21 now). I also notice that most, but not all, my fits were after something stressful to me, like i got stoned and had a huge one,i had a puff of my inhalor, i got a tattoo and had one etc whenever i was under stress like having to go to the doctor etc but some were just random as well. recently - when i started having strange thiings happening in the night (head feeling like it was blown off and i can't adequately describe the sensation but it was horrible nonetheless) so i finally went to a neurologist ( i am scared of going to the doctor, phobia that developed after the shock) and they did an eeg which came back abnormal but that's all i know, so they put me on tegretol which i hated and then i moved to topamax.
You know, it's hard to diagnost a condition like epilepsy i have discovered. A neurologist has to go on the information you tell them, and so it's very strange, but i don't know of any other fitting disorder there is.
Posted by Nixon on February 14, 2005, at 8:57:27
In reply to Re: Topamax and MOODS, posted by badseed on February 13, 2005, at 23:44:32
Hi,
Your story is interesting. The thing that would come to my mind is taking Depakote. A broad spectrum AED that as you probably no is effective for mania. Since you hated tegretol depakote seems logical. I would say Dilantin but with your mood problems I can tell you from experience Dilantin is way to inconsistent. You could also try a benzo such as Klonopin. Good Luck. JN
Posted by badseed on February 14, 2005, at 17:00:15
In reply to Re: Topamax and MOODS » badseed, posted by Nixon on February 14, 2005, at 8:57:27
Hi Nixon
Thanks for the info, it certainly is interesting - I think I am going to go without for a while and just see what happens. It's now the second day off everything and i feel rather dreadful, just nauseas and head fuzzled. but i feel like i am getting some of myself back if you know what I mean by that. I'm sure diet has a role to play in seizures and stuff wouldn't you say? When my seizures (those night things) came back I noticed a pattern, it was always when i went to bed having eaten nothing. Low blood sugar? I'm not too sure. I was on a very restictive diet as I am a dancer. Do you think that might have had something to do with it?
Posted by Nixon on February 14, 2005, at 19:32:18
In reply to Re: Topamax and MOODS, posted by badseed on February 14, 2005, at 17:00:15
Hi,
Maybe you should have some blood tests run and make an appt. to see a neurologist. Blood sugar plays a roll and as far as full scale diet goes there are others on this board that know more about that. " Those night things" you describe probably could be helped by an AED of some sort or a benzo. I guess you could leave it alone though. If it were me I would want to know or have an idea medically of what was causing them. JN
Posted by badseed on February 14, 2005, at 20:47:22
In reply to Re: Topamax and MOODS » badseed, posted by Nixon on February 14, 2005, at 19:32:18
yes i do agree with you. I have had a ct scan which was clear, MRI's are too scary, I have a bit of a phobia with medical places and wouldn't get a blood test, i don't think they could determine anything from a blood test anyway; but I am not that sure.
I used to take valium when i needed to and i've just got some more now, so i will just see how it goes. I don't want to be on the anticonvulsants if i don't have to be.
L
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