Todays visit, not what I expected.

[admiralross]

Hello All!

Thanks to you peeps in here. I finally decided and went to my first scheduled appointment today. Not used to a neurologist but that's who I saw. He asked me a few questions saw my old medical records. He examined me. Afterward, we gonna prescribe me Topmax. I told him "NO" I don't get migraines and the it's way too expensive. He told me that it would help me lose weight. As far as I know Topmax is for migraines not weight loss. Correct me if I'm wrong. He did prescribe me the cpap w/ the same pressure of 12cm.

Tomorrow or Friday I'm gonna go into LinCare. That's who the Dr. uses. I spoke with the RT before I left. She told me that I can ask for what I want. I told her if I have a problem I will call over there to get it verified. So, I'm gonna go for a FF and a auto cpap + humidifier with the exhale c-flex or is it a-flex. Also I'm gonna try to get the card to collect data.

Any suggestions would be welcomed.

[msheda]

apparently one of the side effects of Topamax is weight loss. For once a medication has a beneficial side effect.

[admiralross]

apparently one of the side effects of Topamax is weight loss. For once a medication has a beneficial side effect.

Too Bad, I can't afford it. Dr. made it sound like I was gonna drop a lot of weight. I was like "Yeah right!"

[RosemaryB]

So, I'm gonna go for a FF and a auto cpap + humidifier with the exhale c-flex or is it a-flex. Also I'm gonna try to get the card to collect data.

There's only one machine with A-Flex and that's the one to get if you can. Its the RemStart M-series Auto with A-Flex (it can also be used in c-flex mode).

[dieselgal]

apparently one of the side effects of Topamax is weight loss. For once a medication has a beneficial side effect.

Too Bad, I can't afford it. Dr. made it sound like I was gonna drop a lot of weight. I was like "Yeah right!"

My Dr. suggested Topamax to me and I did try it but I saw no weight loss in the first 30 days so I decided not to keep that up. It may work great for some but really didn't have that affect on me.

[Catnapper]

My daughter was given Topamax for migraine headaches. Within a day or two she had a horrible side effect that affected her vision. If you decide to take it, please do a Google search on the side effects of the drug so you will be informed, just in case. I hope you do not have that result.

I think the drug is also used for seizures.

Catnapper

[admiralross]

My daughter was given Topamax for migraine headaches. Within a day or two she had a horrible side effect that affected her vision. If you decide to take it, please do a Google search on the side effects of the drug so you will be informed, just in case. I hope you do not have that result.

I think the drug is also used for seizures.

Holy $%Q#!!! Thanks for that tip! I'm legally blind! Only have a little bit of vision left. Now for sure I won't touch it with a 10 foot pole.

[bast]

Hi all,

I am the daughter of Catnapper, the person who was given Topamax (aka topiramate) for migraine control and weight loss by a neurologist. My experience was dramatic, to say the least.

As for the weight loss issue, they are trying to market this drug as a diet aid because it makes you anorexic. That was the precise term used by the doctor i saw, as in "it will make you anorexic, and frankly, you could stand to be anorexic." this comment was followed by this advice: "Next time you eat tater-tots, try eating only 395 of them instead of 400." As if.

When, after 3 doses of the drug (at the smallest possible dose) I woke up with blurry vision. I somehow convinced myself that I was just tired (sound familiar?) and that it would wear off, and proceeded to go to my volunteer gig of reading for the blind on tape. On the way, I couldn't read road signs, even the huge ones on the highway (why didn't i pull off the road? you might ask, but wait for it...) and it was only because i knew the way very well that i got to my destination. my head hurt, and i was VERY agitated and kind of confused.

While reading, lthough normally far-sighted, I had to hold the book right up to my face and eventually quipped to my taping partner that they were going to have to read to me next week. Things continued to get worse and finally when I left I drove (barely) to my nearby eye-doctor's office. The doctor was at a different branch that day, so I drove to mom's house and called her and asked her to google topamax and vision problems and that's when she found out about the angle-closure glaucoma, got very excited herself and picked me up to go to the branch where there was a doctor...

the eye doctor was very excited because he had heard of this effect but had never seen it. (i explained that as a researcher i shared his enthusiasm for the new and different, but that as a patient, his glee was freaking me out)

There was some guessing about when i'd recover my normal vision (I don't remember the actual measurement of my vision then - but i couldn't read at all without horrible discomfort), and it eventually returned after TWO FULL WEEKS. So, for 2 weeks I was in limbo - i couldn't work, read, drive, or really function. watching tv hurt and i had almost constant headaches. it was NOT fun.

I called the neurologist's office and left a message that i was having a serious side effect and they did not call back for 5 days, until my 3rd call, and a call from the eye doctor.

oh, yeah. My eye doctor told me that when he reported my symptoms to the neurologist after I explained that besides the vision problems I was extremely agitated and confused, the neurologist had laughed and said, "maybe she's just like that." The eye doctor shared this as a warning to me not to go back to that neuro-freak, as if I ever would.


So, if you want to lose not only weight but your ability to eat like a normal person, your vision, your ability to understand things, and to sit still for more than 10 minutes, then topamax may be your drug!

none for me, thanks.

as always, your mileage may vary...

[JennyLouWho]

I took Topamax for about 5 years. I was prescribed them by a neurololgist who I was seeing for migraines. I have heart problems and high blood pressure, so could not take any of the "normal" meds. usually used to treat migraines. The Topamax was a god-send to me. I went from having 2-3 migraines a WEEK, to 2-3 a YEAR. I had no side effects from it. Now...for the other side of the coin....my daughter also suffers from migraines. She was prescribed Topamax and she hated it because she said it made her "feel funny" and carbonated drinks started tasting "funny" to her. ( a mild side - effect to be sure, but a side-effect nonetheless) So...there ya go. (Oh yeah, I am not taking Topamax now b/c my insurance will no longer pay for them and yes, they are expensive and I cannot afford them. So far, I am not having as many migraines as I did before Topamax, but more than when I was on them.)

[jjposey]

I know this isn't in any way cpap related, but I found tremendous relief from migranes by taking feverfew tables (FWIW). Very inexpensive and very effective for me. (just take it with food or you'll taste is later.)

[RosemaryB]

I discovered I was gluten intolerant. I cut out the gluten and no longer had migraines. I used to get 2 a day sometimes, but mostly they were visual. Sometimes the other kind, though. I only got one once since starting the GF diet. I'm sure it was due to gluten exposure.

[GertbeatFroeb]

That would be an off lable use for which your prescription provider won't pay. I took it for migraines and had the worst side effects which included abdominal pains. I learned later via blood test that my amylase serum was way off. Try something else!