Depression and Weight Issues Have you been diagnosed with depression, are possibly on depression medication, and find it affects your weight loss efforts? Post here for support!

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Old 02-20-2010, 10:49 AM   #1  
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Default Has anyone tried Topamax?

I am a depressive bulemic and my doctor wants to put me on topamax. It is supposedly a mood stabilizer and helps with binging. Please tell me your experience on this drug.

Thank you.

Sharon
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Old 02-20-2010, 12:06 PM   #2  
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Interesting... I didn't know Topamax is a mood stabilizer. Topamax is an anti-seizure medication and it is commonly given to people with migraines. I took it daily for my migraines for a little over a year; it was supposed to lessen the frequency of my migraines. At first it worked like a charm, but later wasn't really that effective, so I went off of it.

When you go on it, you will likely start at low-level dosage; the dosage will probably be increased gradually. I felt like I was intoxicated/high for first day or so each time the dosage was increased, but then noticed no side effects at all.

Good luck with this; I will be interested to hear how it works for you.

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Old 02-20-2010, 12:59 PM   #3  
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Actually Topamax is classified as an anti-convulsant and a mood stabilizer. I don't have any experience with the med but I'm doing my psych rotation in nursing and we are working with patients who are on these types of medications. Some precautions to consider as well: this medication can increase your body temp. and decrease your ability to sweat so if your exercising be sure to adequately hydrate yourself and don't get too overheated. It's also recommended to increase your fluid intake to 2000-3000ml.

I just bring these up as teaching recommendations. If your doctor has already instructed you to do certain things of course follow his advice, these are just listed in our drug book so I' thought I would pass it along.
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Old 02-20-2010, 04:45 PM   #4  
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Thanks for your migraine experience and precautions. No the doctor did not tell me to hydrate or that my body temperature would go up. I am hoping that it will stop the binging and that I can get myself back on track.

Thanks for your help.

Sharon
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Old 02-20-2010, 08:42 PM   #5  
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Topamax was the first seizure med I used. The neuro tried it first since it would work for my type of seizures and suppress my appitite. I could not stand the numbness it caused in my hands and my husband could not stand how easily I would get angry so I did not stay on it for very long.

It did decrease my appitite but if you eat when you are not hungry (as I do) then I can not really see it making a whole lot of difference in weight. I hope it works for you. I would be intrested to know if it does help with your bingeing. I guess if it stabilzes your mood then that is the way it would help? Hmmm, just trying to wrap my head around it.

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Old 02-25-2010, 04:15 PM   #6  
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I took Topamax for about 6 months for migraines and it worked great at first then stopped working. I decided it wasn't worth taking something that affected my brain but didn't work anymore. I really didn't like the way it made me feel - dizzzy and dull.
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Old 02-25-2010, 06:46 PM   #7  
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I think I'm going to skip topamax and try to control my binging other ways. Thanks for all your help.

Sharon

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Old 02-25-2010, 06:57 PM   #8  
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Sharon -- I had a good experience with Topamax. I used it for my migraines and I thought it helped a lot. I was also using it for moods too, but the main concern at the time was my migraines. I did experience some good results, but I stopped taking it for whatever reason, I don't know, just didn't get it refilled. I'd like to start it again to be honest. It also did help me lose weight, and the only side effect I had was that it interacted with my ability to come up with words... it was weird, but I was told that it was a very strange side effect. I took it at night to help minimize that (so I wouldn't be losing words at work - embarrassing!).
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Old 02-25-2010, 07:01 PM   #9  
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I took it for migraines too. It not only didn't help me with migraines or binge eating, but it also made me very depressed. The dr. kept upping the dose, which was a horrible thing for me. Finally, my husband intervened and forced me to believe the dr. and I stopped taking it (under his supervision, of course...not cold turkey).
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Old 02-25-2010, 08:56 PM   #10  
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It's a pretty common side effect of Topamax that it interferes with your ability to remember words. I quit taking it for that reason. I write for a living, and the ability to recall words became more and more difficult for me, interfering not only with my ability to converse with people but also my ability to write.

I've been off it for several months now, and though my word recall problem has improved somewhat, it hasn't gone away. I'm beginning to think that topamax damaged my brain permanently.
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Old 02-26-2010, 10:58 AM   #11  
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I currently take Lamictal, which is also a mood stabilizer. From what I read, Topamax is supposed to be the one that helps with eating disorders. I have had great success with the Lamictal. I feel so much better. All meds tend to have side effects, but most of the time they go away once you are stable on them. Sometimes, you have to disregard the bad things you hear about something and try it for yourself. If I have learned anything in my 20 some years of trying different meds and not using any in between, it's that everyone is different and what affects someone else may not affect you.

I am also very creative. I write and I make gourmet chocolate and I don't feel that my mood stabilizer has affected my creativity at all. I have even managed to lose 10 lbs. in the last few weeks by getting on my treadmill almost every day. And no, I don't eat a lot of chocolate (everyone asks that). You get tired of it after a while and you start washing it off your hands instead of licking it off.

Anyway, if your doc wants you to try Topamax, and you trust him (or her) I think it's worth a try. Maybe it will be wrong for you, but maybe it will be just what you need. Best of luck.
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Old 02-26-2010, 11:06 AM   #12  
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Wow gourmet chocolate really stood out in your post. I take Abilify for my mood stabililizer and am quite happy with it. I do have a problem with binging and purging so may be I should just try it. Thanks for your experience and help and am glad to hear some positives about topomax.

Sharon

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Old 02-26-2010, 11:07 AM   #13  
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Wow gourmet chocolate really stood out in your post. I take Abilify for my mood stabililizer and am quite happy with it. I do have a problem with binging and purging so may be I should just try it. Thanks for your experience and help and am glad to hear some positives about topomax.

Sharon

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Old 03-04-2010, 07:43 AM   #14  
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Hey artic123,

I am looking forward to hear how you do on Topomax.

I am a diagnosed bi-polar with other issues, and am currently managing myself with diet and herbs. My meds never helped. I think I was having a bad reaction to wheat and soy oil [causes brain swelling!]

I was bulimic when I young, and often have the urge to relapse, I just wait it out and distract myself with something till I forget that's what I wanted to do. Over time it has become much weaker as my appreciation of myself gets stronger.

I used to take alot of meds that didn't work. I learned that my doc was either too busy or didn't care to warn me so google became my best friend. Research, research, research. It is shocking to find that many people are prescribed med's that do NOT get along and have dire effects.

We really have to take it upon ourselves to make sure what they give us doesn't make us worse.

Best of Luck, R

Last edited by rebeccamichelle777; 03-04-2010 at 07:50 AM. Reason: typos
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Old 03-04-2010, 04:08 PM   #15  
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One of the most common side effects with Topamax that hardly ever gets mentioned is metallic taste; and I definitely had it when I took it for migraines.

But, lots of people of people do very well on it for mood stabilizing, neuropathic pain, seizures...it has many unlabeled uses.
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