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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
        
(Message started by: Major_Headcase on Feb 26^th, 2008, 11:49am)

Title: Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
Post by Major_Headcase on Feb 26^th, 2008, 11:49am

My new neuro wants to add Topamax to my Verapamil (currently at 960mg/day) for preventive purposes. He wants to keep the Verapamil at the same level, just ramp me up on Topamax to 100-200mg. I'm trying to decide if I should add the Topamax or not, here's why I'm thinking maybe not.

I recently started using O2 as an abortive and it works great to abort my CH but I've been getting some "re-attacks" ... I'm episodic with relatively mild case of CH, usually with a 2 month cycle, and I'm just starting month three with a new pattern since starting O2 - used to have just one attack in the evening 2-4 times a week [kip 6-7] but with the O2 I've gone to 2-3 [kip 3-5 depending on how soon I get on the O2] nightly attacks and occuring later at night [though that seems to be getting better, attacks now in late evening allowing me to sleep instead of all post-midnite hits].

My job requires clear thinking and a few family members, both migraine sufferers, said Topamax deserves its nickname Dopamax for its impact on their thinking processes.

So I'm trying to decide whether the possible benefits of adding Topamax are worth the potential side effects risks. At this point in my cycle [hopefully towards the end but not sure] and with the lighter, but more frequent, kip level attacks, I'm kind of leaning towards taking a 'wait and see' approach before adding Topamax. I'm not doing too bad at the moment, but the possibility of being PF is hard to resist. Is this a standard combo I shouldn't be worried about trying or not? If you've combined large doses of Verapamil and Topamax, please let me know your experience.

-John

Title: Re: Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
Post by NJRik on Feb 26^th, 2008, 3:09pm

John,

I'm on both but I only take 240mg of Verap and 100mg of dopymax a day. This seems to work for me. I was at 200mg of Topamax and man it can make you feel like a fool, but did seem to stop my last cycle. Still O2 stopped just the Beast when hits came.

Title: Re: Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
Post by lennycohen on Feb 29^th, 2008, 6:50am

My wife called it "swiss cheese brain", but it passed after about 2-3 weeks - I've been on Tmax for a while now, no side effects anymore, I say any short term memory loss is a function of my age (approaching 50), not the drugs ---- the side effects get better, but you have to weigh the whether you can wait it out, in terms of your lifestyle, I have a physician friend w/ clusters who could not.

Title: Re: Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
Post by LarryM on Feb 29^th, 2008, 11:53pm

Google in Topomax - problems with - and then ask if after eight weeks and no significant improvement if he or she is willing to discontinue or would like to have you keep going for a year.Ask if they are aware of any side effects or onging studies or current recommendation by the FDA. Be careful.

Title: Re: Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
Post by billyjoe on Mar 1^st, 2008, 2:56pm

I thought the combo worked pretty good, but I could only deal with 50 mg. At 75mg, it started to bother me, specificaly, the tingles.

Title: Re: Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
Post by washed-out on Mar 1^st, 2008, 3:22pm

on 02/29/08 at 06:50:09, lennycohen wrote:

It's a bit offtopic but I am thinking about those side effects of Topamax... I am taking only 25mg atm (just starting) and attacks are less painful ("mild") but I feel tired whole day (but not as much as after some other meds). On other hand during first days I had to 'pee' almost 20 times per day and drink up to 6litres but now it seems to be OK. So maybe the rest of side effects will also eventually disappear.

Title: Re: Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
Post by E-Double on Mar 1^st, 2008, 3:33pm

was dumb as a rock

Title: Re: Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
Post by Major_Headcase on Mar 3^rd, 2008, 9:36am

Thanks for all the replies ... my attacks have been less intense and more manageable as my O2 usage continues [God Bless O2!] ... and as I hope I'm nearing the end of this cycle, I've decided to NOT add Topamax to the Verapamil ... unless things take a turn for the worse, I'm going to stick with what I'm on for the time being.

There really is no good time of year at work for me to be a 'box of rocks' ... I'll have to ask my neuro for other options if push comes to shove with the beast.

Thanks again for your feedback.

Title: Re: Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
Post by brewcrew on Mar 3^rd, 2008, 4:46pm

on 03/01/08 at 15:33:20, E-Double wrote:

was dumb as a rock

And now you're better?

Title: Re: Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
Post by Ace on Mar 6^th, 2008, 12:52pm

On Verpaimil and Indral. Never felt better. O2 as well

Title: Re: Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
Post by richcurtin on Mar 8^th, 2008, 2:44am

Topamax bad, very bad. I took it for two months. I got a terrible brain fog, balance problems, carpal tunnel like pain in both wrists, speech impediment, unable to recall words, skin tingled, face drooped and i want pale. Everyone kept telling me how awful I looked. It did nothing at all to the headaches.

I wanted it to work, I believed it would. My Neuro had me convinced it would help.

Also a woman I work with took it for a year for essential tremors. It helped with her tremors, but she had to stop taking it because of the brain fog.

Title: Re: Verapamil and Topamax combo? Your experiences?
Post by beachmusic on Mar 8^th, 2008, 4:27am

I agree with all said here. Topamax will dumb you down very quickly and for me the side effects have not worn off that fast. I am still titrating up to 200mg and the headache have improved but not nearly enough. My head is in a fog and I could sleep all day. One other problem I have my days and nights mixed up. Hate the stuff.
Not good if you need to focus at work!!! As do most of us. :'(