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Update - Is this a topamax side effect? Or is it something else?
Thu, 07/06/2006 - 08:18Topic: Medication Issues
Hi there
I have been taking topamax now since May 20th. I am cuurently on 125mg a day. I was to go up to 200mg increasing the dosage by 25mg per week but I have been having some problems in the past few weeks and I dont know if it's the topamax or if I'm actually ill.
For those who have not read my previous forums,I had a pregnancy scare and so I stopped increasing the dosage but I also didn't not feel the best. My neurologist told me to see a GP which I did and the doctor thinks I might have a kidney infection or ovarian cyst. I am waiting on the result of the kidney infection to come through next wednesday.
What I really want to know is has anyone had problems with feeling tight in their abdominal area and full of gas as if to burp a lot and cant breathe as well as you would like to because of topamax? I have pains in abdominal area, lower back area, feel very tight all the time as if I cant eat much. If I eat it might not stay down kind of thing. I'm very uncomfortable and the doctor has told me i now have low blood pressure which I never had before, which explains why I was so dizzy now and then especially when I stood up sudenly.
Does topamax make you feel squashed that you cant breathe right? Cant sleep well anymore physically? Topamax has been great as far as seizures and auras goes, I have hardly any now. It would be a shame to stop taking it if it is a side effect of all this.
Can someone please get back to me on this and enlighten me?
I would really appreciate this.
Quirky
Comments
Re: Re: Is this a topamax side effect? Or is it something else?
Submitted by quirky on Fri, 2006-07-07 - 07:20
Hi ccruse
thanks for sharing. i dont know what kidney stones should feel like. I dont think it should have anything to do with abdominal pain though, should it?
Maybe there is a link with the kidney and topamax on what is happening lately to me? I really dont know. The pain on my back is always on my left only too. I am not sleeping properly because I cant get comfortable anymore in bed. Not like before anyway. I'm physically uncomfortable. It' like I need a pin to be stuck into me and let all the air out or something. I feel squashed, sore and sometimes get short of breath.
I guess I will have t owait for the docotr's results!
Thanks
Quirky
Quirky- You are definitely
Submitted by kcox1228 on Mon, 2006-07-10 - 18:21
Quirky-
You are definitely not alone...
At first I just felt like my apetite was majorly decreased but by the time I got up to about 125mg/day ( I am now at steady 175mg/day, doc said go to 200 but I can't yet stomach wise) of topamax food began making me feel sick, I actually thought I might be pregnant... I was weak, dizzy, a bit achy and tired... food often feels like it won't stay down, I burp a lot, and always have this taste in my mouth... yuck.
but it does work well at controlling the seizures and the auras... and I have begun losing the weight I gained while on tegretol the past 4 yrs... I am frustrated with mediaction at this point... not sure what I will do it the stomach stuff doesn't get bettr in the long run... how long have you been on topamax now? I have been on it for about 8-10 weeks now (I think)
I am having difficulty getting enough fluids in because of the nausea, I am always thirsty...
thanks for sharing.
Kristin
Re: Is this a topamax side effect? Or is it something else?
Submitted by ccruse on Thu, 2006-07-06 - 18:40
I've been on Topamax for over a year and I can't say that I have ever had a feeling from it like you have described. I haven't noticed any abdominal pains or back pains. I do know one of the things you have to watch out for with Topamax is that you do have a higher risk of developing kidney stones, but from what I understand that type of pain is very severe. I do have trouble sleeping since I have been on Topamax, however. Good luck to you.