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(Message started by: CarrieBethRN on Jul 31st, 2004, 10:05am)
Title: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by CarrieBethRN on Jul 31st, 2004, 10:05am
Sorry for this vent...I'm annoyed and just woke up a little bit ago after being asleep since about 2pm yesterday with the exception of a half hour here and there!

My doc put me on Zonegran a couple of weeks ago to help treat my chronic migraine and he thought it also might be beneficial for the clusters.  I'd heard all this great stuff about Zonegran, like that it has very few side effects and it is tolerated well.  I heard it worked like topamax without the side effects.  I heard the only major side effect was weight loss....not too many females would turn that side effect away!

Welllllllllllllllll now I know WHY it causes so much weight loss!!!  My doc put me on it every other day for 2 weeks.  Maybe about 8 hours after taking the pill, I can't eat anything.  Within 12-24 hours after taking it, I'm throwing up.  I kept wondering why I have been so sick lately, even with other associated symptoms, which still can't really be explained.  My family doctor ran a bunch of blood tests, and they all came back negative, so.......she thinks it's the zonegran.

On this past Thursday morning I took it again as I was supposed to.  After noon on Thursday, I couldn't eat anything else.  Then Friday morning I got up to get ready for classes and was getting sick again.  So I skipped out on the morning classes, but I had a job interview at 11:45, so I went to that.  I tried to go to the afternoon classes, but I had to come home.  At that point, I fell asleep at about 2pm, and finally got up this morning!  Ughhhhhh... I did just eat something finally, so we'll see how that goes.

I was supposed to go down the shore for the weekend with my family starting this morning, but now I can't go because of yet another problem due to either headaches or medication side effects.  GRrrrrrr...

Sorry...just needed to vent..  I'm supposed to take another dose of this med today, but I don't think so!!

Carrie ::)
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by kimh on Jul 31st, 2004, 10:17am
Carrie,

I've had this happen to me too.

Try this:

A piece of bread in a bowl.  Pour milk over it and saturate it.  Sprinkle sugar over it.  Nibble at it slowly.  Sounds disgusting, but it will prevent dehydration and can soothe nausia.

Tell doc what's happening.

Good luck and well wishes***
kim
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by Grandma_Sweet_Boy on Jul 31st, 2004, 11:11am
My grandmother used to make that same concoction for us when we were kids and didn't feel well.

It is very soothing for an upset stomach.  Sometimes those old family remedies are better than the new stuff.

Good luck Carrie - hope something helps!
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by Jayne on Jul 31st, 2004, 11:14am
oh Carrie
I am sorry you are going through that, Can they not take you off that drug and try you with something else?
Sorry sweetie.
Love Jayne
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by UN_SOLVED on Jul 31st, 2004, 11:28am
Sorry Carrie,

I've tried LOTS of meds and many do have some awful side effects. I think they call it ...err ... "trial and error" ... which is not very fun when it seems like a BIG ERROR !!

PF Wishes,
Unsolved

My 3 worse drug experiences came with Topamax, Clomid (1st try), and ecpecially KEPPRA (What a nightmare ! )
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by CarrieBethRN on Jul 31st, 2004, 11:37am
Thanks guys!  I will have to give that home remedy a shot the next time I run into a big problem with it...or today if the nausea doesn't settle down soon!!

Jayne and Unsolved, I'm definately looking into getting off this one...I think he put me on it because he didn't know what else to give me!  It's funny but the neuro works right across the street, and I can  never get ahold of anyone there!!!  I didn't even bother calling them yesterday because it was Friday and I figured I'd might as well wait till next week.

I think my worst med side effect experiences have come from Depakote, Geodon, Haldol (turned out to be allergic to that one!), and some others...they are lucky I'll still try what they give me!! ;)  Unsolved, I will be sure to stay far away from Keppra..that's one I haven't been offered yet!

Thanks for the support,
Carrie :)
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by kimh on Jul 31st, 2004, 11:48am
Neuro works right across the street?  He ain't a little scairt yet? ;;D

kim - whose Delirium is settling in quite nicely 8)
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by CarrieBethRN on Jul 31st, 2004, 11:56am

on 07/31/04 at 11:48:03, kimh wrote:
Neuro works right across the street?  He ain't a little scairt yet? ;;D

kim - whose Delirium is settling in quite nicely 8)


LMAO!!  Yeah I don't think I scare them much over there!!  Whenever I have a question or need something, I run up there and leave a message with somebody.  Well last week I went up there because with my new-fangled student insurance, I found out they won't cover my O2.  When I went in the office to ask them to prior authorize it, one person said to another, "What does Carrie want NOW?"  I wanted to say, "That's f-ing GLASS you're behind, not a soundproof WALL!"  But I rarely let my true thoughts come out, especially in public! LMAO  So I was brief and got the hell out of there as fast as I could!!

[smiley=ohjez.gif]
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by Redd715 on Jul 31st, 2004, 11:59am
Carrie,

I'm so sorry that you are having to go through all this crap just to try to find some relief.   You are such a kind, smart, and dedicated young woman, and to be, (for lack of a better word) "cursed" with all this pain is a damn shame IMHO.  

Just don't know what to say here..... :'( :'(
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by forgetfulnot on Jul 31st, 2004, 12:00pm
Carrie said
Quote:
Within 12-24 hours after taking it, I'm throwing up


Phenergan can help a lot with that.

Lee
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by Cerberus on Jul 31st, 2004, 1:48pm
um...Carrie, stop taking it and call the doc about getting something different. It suck to be a guinea pig with meds but damn...

Sorry you feel like dirt :-/

Ramon
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by Jeepgun on Jul 31st, 2004, 1:53pm
Ugh.... I'm so sorry, Lizzie. [smiley=hug.gif]
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by broomhilda on Jul 31st, 2004, 1:57pm
Gosh Carrie, I am so sorry this is going on, get off that shit please....

Hugs and thinking about you [smiley=hug.gif]
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by Kevin_M on Jul 31st, 2004, 3:09pm
Carrie,

You hadn't mentioned if the Zonegran was effective toward the chronic migraine, or if it had any benefit for clusters.  I am assuming not.


Quote:
I'd heard all this great stuff about Zonegran, like that it has very few side effects and it is tolerated well. I heard the only major side effect was weight loss
 
Maybe only "few" side effects, but weight loss due to not eating being a "major" side effect doesn't sound advantagous.  Also, throwing up doesn't sound as if "tolerated" well.  
 Overall, it seems as Michael mentioned,  trial and error has it's consequences, unfortunately enough.  Keep your hopes up and hang in there.  ;)  Hope today is better for you.  Although, not throwing up at the job interview went well for you yesterday.   ::)  

Good the blood tests are negative anyway.

Kevin
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by Carl_D on Jul 31st, 2004, 9:24pm
Carrie. I took Zonegran for awhile, and it didn't do shit for the CH, but did have some very nasty side effects. I wound up throwing the bottle away.

As far as I am concerned, Zonegran, Neurontin, Zyprexa, Depakote.... they are all shit drugs!

Still very suspiscious about the kickbacks Dr's get for prescribing 'loosely based' meds that do nothing but make you worse in other ways. The lovely 2 months I was on Neurontin left a permanent side effect....panic attacks! Joy joy!

Hang tough,
CD
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by UN_SOLVED on Jul 31st, 2004, 9:41pm

on 07/31/04 at 21:24:58, Carl_D wrote:
As far as I am concerned, Zonegran, Neurontin, Zyprexa, Depakote.... they are all shit drugs!


And KEPPRA !! Gosh i'll NEVER forget that drug... I'll have to tell you my story about that sometime !! It's a WHOPPER !

Unsolved
Title: Re: Why meds suck sometimes!
Post by Charlie on Aug 1st, 2004, 3:40pm

Quote:
A piece of bread in a bowl.  Pour milk over it and saturate it.  Sprinkle sugar over it.  Nibble at it slowly.  Sounds disgusting, but it will prevent dehydration and can soothe nausia.


Wow. I'm not the only one on the planet. Mom used to feed me that now and then and mostly when I was sick and I suppose between meals. Easy I guess. Of course along with the white bread, whole milk and sugar, she added lots of butter. I loved it.

I took Topamax for seizures too. I didn't wanna eat much with it and lost about 10 pounds. Unfortunately, with this effen drug, I felt like I lost 10 pounds of gray matter as well. Too bad. It was 100% effective.  :'(

Depakote is the opposite. Makes you hungry. I gained about 5 pounds when  I was on that ineffective drug. As with so many of these wonder drugs, at least some hair loss is common. >:(

Charlie  http://www.netsync.net/users/charlies/gifs/GLOM FOOD SMILEY.gif

Yum.


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