new to Topamax...veteran migraneur

Re: new to Topamax...veteran migraneur

feeds@yuku.com (gerra22) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 00:03:49 GMT

I'm so glad your doing better with the Topamax... 5 days migraine free is wonderful!

keep us posted...

Gerra

Re: new to Topamax...veteran migraneur

feeds@yuku.com (tammyrome) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 19:20:02 GMT

On Tuesday I was greeting with a thunderstorm on my way to work and instantly felt that familiar warning that it was going to be "one of those days" so I took your advice about the caffeine. I took 2 Excedrin before any symptoms even started. I was able to prevent any migraine! :-) The eye drops are helping as are my sunglasses. I wear them on Mondays during classes when my eyes...

Re: new to Topamax...veteran migraneur

feeds@yuku.com (CircleCity) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:41:27 GMT

Whew! Glad you're still making progress!
We all get banged around when the weather gets nasty. Although caffeine is often considered a migraine trigger, I find it helps to actually ADD caffeine when I feel a weather induced migraine hitting. My theory is that the caffeine opens the blood vessels that constrict when a migraine attacks. In that case, caffeine has the...

Re: new to Topamax...veteran migraneur

feeds@yuku.com (tammyrome) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:50:42 GMT

My doctor took a very careful look at my headache diary and saw progress that I had missed. He seems to think that the Topamax has shifted the migraines from being triggered by hormones to being triggered by weather patterns and lights. He also thinks the light sensitivity may be some type of "silent" migraine since I found partial relief yesterday by taking 2 Excedrin. He found no evidence of glaucoma - yippee!!! :-) He's increased my dosage of Topamax, plus recommended adding...

Re: new to Topamax...veteran migraneur

feeds@yuku.com (CircleCity) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 10:19:26 GMT

Aw Tammy, please don't feel so discouraged. You've noticed a change... an improvement so far with the Topa. Sometimes the results are quite subtle. You may not recognize that your migraine attacks are coming less frequently and hit with less severity. The goal you seek is out there. It's juat a matter of finding the right key to your migraine lock. I did not find my own miracle until I was 50. Like you, I'd resigned my horzions to weekends in bed and workdays spent...

Re: new to Topamax...veteran migraneur

feeds@yuku.com (tammyrome) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 07:59:16 GMT

Thanks everyone. I'm leveled off for now and so have the side effects. I get the occasional "tinglies" when I forget to drink enough water, but the cognitive slowing has disappeared completely. I have noticed my eyes seem to be very dry...not painful, just dry. I have a checkup with the doc tomorrow, so I will mention it to him just to be safe, but I'm thinking I will try some OTC eye drops. I also seem to be more sensitive to bright lights than before so I've taken to...

Re: new to Topamax...veteran migraneur

feeds@yuku.com (CircleCity) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:32:07 GMT

Welcome!

Just about everybody encounters knarly side effects when they raise or lower their Topa dosage. What you are feeling now may only be temporary. However, lots of people continue to deal with some of the cognitive effects of Topa. It's hard to say how you will do. This medicine effects your brain... well, actually the way your brain communicates and receives...

Re: new to Topamax...veteran migraneur

feeds@yuku.com (nelsonal) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 05:47:40 GMT

Welcome Tammyrome!

I sure hope topa helps your migraines. Julie's right about increasing your water, it helps! I've been taking topa since July 07 for migraines, been having them since I was 5, I'm 42.... topa has been a miracle for me. I've had maybe 3-4 migraines since I've been taking topa. The s/e's eventually go away, it just takes time & probably depends upon the dosage you're on. The first 2-3 weeks were the worst for me, after that...

Re: new to Topamax...veteran migraneur

feeds@yuku.com (Julie A RN) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:41:08 GMT

Welcome Tammyrome!!

Sounds like you have been on one big ride to finally come to Topamax. Welcome!! As for the side effects that you are having. The best thing to do is increase your water intake. It really helps and is such a simple thing.

I'm not taking topamax as of last week... however, I was on it for 4 years but not for Migraines. I took it for Essential Tremors. I went off at the encouragement of my Neurologist to try a less expensive drug that will probably...

new to Topamax...veteran migraneur

feeds@yuku.com (tammyrome) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:03:21 GMT

My doc finally convinced me to try Topamax. I get really bad migraine episodes for 1-2 years every 7-10 years. The last episode was in 2000. This most recent one started on Christmas Day 2006 and has remained fairly stable at 6-8 migraines a month, occuring with my menstrual cycle or as result of allergies. Finally got the allergy ones controlled with Zyrtec and abort the others with Zomig. Verapamil used to prevent them, but no such luck now. Tried birth control pills for 6 months and all...