Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Increase Topomax = increase pain??
        
(Message started by: heprat on Dec 15^th, 2004, 5:29pm)

Title: Increase Topomax = increase pain??
Post by heprat on Dec 15^th, 2004, 5:29pm

I've been in the thick of a cycle since Thanksgiving. Started 50mg Topomax per night shortly after. Was still experienceing 4-5 visits per night - mostly level 4 and 5s with a couple 7 and 8s thrown in. My neuro wanted to knock it out and bumped the dose to 100mg. Last night being the first night at 100 mg and bam...6 attacks with a level 10+ hit that lasted an hour plus a bunch of shorter 5/6 and 7/8 hits. I went through two e bottles of O2 last night - one on the big hit alone. It was fugly to say the least.

Did I piss the beast off with the higher dose? Has anyone else experienced this?

Title: Re: Increase Topomax = increase pain??
Post by allan_r on Dec 15^th, 2004, 9:04pm

Not personally, but I read that Topomax can have an effective range but that increased dosage may become ineffective.

I had a set of bad HA's three to five days after starting, but then they tapered off and went down in scale and intensity. Raised the dosage slowly. Now down to a shadow or a 3-5 every other day or so.

My neuro told me the dosage range was up to 600 mg.
I am at 200 now.

Maybe this drug just isn't working for you. Has it been effective in the past?

allan r.

Title: Re: Increase Topomax = increase pain??
Post by heprat on Dec 15^th, 2004, 9:56pm

on 12/15/04 at 21:04:34, allan_r wrote:

Has it been effective in the past?

Hard to say. The last episode, 9/02, is the first time I tried it. I wasn't sure if it worked or if the cycle ended.

Title: Re: Increase Topomax = increase pain??
Post by bobbio56 on Dec 15^th, 2004, 10:26pm

Tried Topa twice. Didn't work either time. During 2nd attempt, had a killer run of HAs. Probably coincidence though since even 100 mg of pred. didn't faze them.