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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> TOPIRAMATE
        
(Message started by: Elecourt on May 30^th, 2006, 4:04am)

Title: TOPIRAMATE
Post by Elecourt on May 30^th, 2006, 4:04am

Hi Folks
Have anyone already tried/heard about Topiramate as medication agains CH ?
I started with it about a month ago at dosage of 25mg/day then went two weeks after to 50 mg/days and even if I get some side effects (bad mood mostly) I'm free of CH for now.
My doctor (neurologist) would like me to go all the way to 100mg/day but I'm a bit afraid of all side effects.
If anyone has experience bad or good please let me know.
Also I'm interesting to know about all possible side effects.
Eric

Title: Re: TOPIRAMATE
Post by LeLimey on May 30^th, 2006, 4:20am

If you're free of being hit why does he want you to increase the dose? [smiley=huh.gif]

Title: Re: TOPIRAMATE
Post by Jack_of_Diamonds on May 30^th, 2006, 5:09am

try to stay at your dosge,
if a medication is working for you at that level then it dosn't make sence to increase it (logic overpowers M.D.s)

but since i'm not a doctor, tell your doctor this idea and hopfuly he won't force the pills on you

Good luck,
-Kyle

Title: Re: TOPIRAMATE
Post by Karla on May 30^th, 2006, 7:40am

That drug is also called topamax. You can do a search on it and find many have tried it. And only a few have had success with it. Many have had terrible side effects from it thus the lable dopamax. It makes you dummer than a doornail. I tried up to 600mg of it and it still didn't do anything for my ch. You are on a very very low dose. I am surprised it does anything for you. 200mg is considered theraputic. But hey if it works at that low of a dose for you I would aguee storngly against raising it for fear of side effects. Like stupididity, kidney stones, etc.

Title: Re: TOPIRAMATE
Post by marlinsfan on May 30^th, 2006, 4:22pm

I'm with Karla. I stopped the dopeymax after only a few days.

Title: Re: TOPIRAMATE
Post by CUE on May 30^th, 2006, 6:28pm

Hey,

I am currently dabbling in the "dopeymax," as some have come to call it, as well. I have only just begun though, so I can't offer much in the way of experience so far. My "schedule" is as follows:

Week 1 - 25mg/day
Week 2 - 50mg/day
Week 3 - 75mg/day
Week 4 - 100mg/day

For the first 2 days that I took the pills, I was PF (if by coincidence). By day 3, the beast had come back to visit. I am on day 4, and the beast has visited again today. While the dosage is still very low by any means, I will say that I am not very optimistic about this particular drug for a number of reasons. I have read much about others' experiences and information about the drug as being used for CH, and it seems that a great deal of those whom have tried it stop using it either because it does not help or due to the side effects caused by it.

So far, it isn't doing much for me, especially at this initially small dosage. Hell, even the full dosage that the doctor has me ramping up to pales in comparison to most of what I have read others as having tried. So, it has yet to be seen what, if anything, it will do for me.

My plan is essentially this: to keep on with the "schedule" til either it works, the pills run out (and it didn't work), or the side effects start to kick in. Whichever comes first. In the meantime, thank heavens for the Trex!

Anyway, I hope it continues to work out for you, and I wish you the best.

Anthony

Title: Re: TOPIRAMATE
Post by unsolved1 on May 30^th, 2006, 7:19pm

A peice of advice for those of you taking this nasty drug:

Drink plenty of water ( or lemonade w/ real lemon juice)

LOTS OF IT !!

If you don't, You might wish you had later :-X

Goodluck

UNsolved