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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> topiramate
        
(Message started by: Redrum on Aug 20^th, 2004, 1:00pm)

Title: topiramate
Post by Redrum on Aug 20^th, 2004, 1:00pm

Hi all, I've been a cluster head for about 20 years now, chronic the first 15. I have pretty good luck with Lidocane and O2 for treatment. I used to use Verapamil for prevention with minor success but it lowered my blood pressure to much.

My query: I recently read a short article on topiramate (Topomax?) and I'm wondering If anyone can share advice, experiences

Thanks, Andy

PS: I don't contribute much but I've been following this site for a while now. Just want to say that this is a great service for all us CH's and supporters keep up the great job and thanks a million!!!! ;;D

Title: Re: topiramate
Post by thomas on Aug 20^th, 2004, 1:02pm

Lots of people have had good luck with it. It can have some pretty heavy side-effects. Talk to your doctor.

Title: Re: topiramate
Post by Bob P on Aug 20^th, 2004, 2:27pm

Tried it last cluster. I was at 150mg/day for 3 or 4 weeks with no ch help so I tapered off the stuff.

Title: Re: topiramate
Post by Prense on Aug 20^th, 2004, 2:28pm

on 08/20/04 at 13:00:38, Redrum wrote:

My query: I recently read a short article on topiramate (Topomax?) and I'm wondering If anyone can share advice, experiences

Some tollerate the side effects, some don't. You will have the best chance of success if you taper up SLOWLY. The only way to find out if it works is to give it a try. Ask your doc about it...

Chris

Title: Re: topiramate
Post by Karla on Aug 20^th, 2004, 3:30pm

My dr had me try it at 200mg with no luck except to loose my brain and become stupid. The ha clinic I went to had me try 600mg and still no luck! Good luck trying it. Some people have been helped by it.

Title: Re: topiramate
Post by PerryGR on Aug 22^nd, 2004, 6:50pm

Hello Andy,

I've tried topiramate 2 times. First time @100mg per day for 5 weeks. Had great results the first 2 weeks, then i started experiencing more attacks on my right side (up until then they were very rare since usual CH side used to be the left one. Since then i've getting hit on both sides with the same frequency -don't know if topiramate had anything to do with this change of pattern). During the last week my HAs were as bad as they had been before i started taking it. Second time @200mg per day for 2 months. First month was tolerable while the second was one of the worst periods i have experienced with clusters. The only noticable side effect in my case was weight loss -a side effect i couldn't complain for :).

Ditto to thomas and Prense: talk to your doc about it.

Quote:

The ha clinic I went to had me try 600mg and still no luck!

To my knowledge topiramate has a "therapeutic window", meaning that it doesn't work if you take too much of it (but i guess you still get the side effects and that might make it dangerous). 600mg sound too much to me, but i'm not a doctor so i might have misinterpreted what i have read.

PFDAN to all,
Perry.