It is not known how Topamax works but it is believed that the brain chemicals that cause seizures are altered by it. As well as being used in combination with other medications to control seizures, Topamax is prescribed for the prevention of migraines. It can also be used for other problems as well.
Be sure your doctor knows if you have kidney disease, a history of kidney stones, liver disease, lung or respiratory disease like asthma, emphysema or bronchitis, or if you need to have surgery before taking Topamax. It is possible that you might not be able to take Topamax or need a dosage adjustment. Special monitoring is also possible in order to take Topamax. If you are pregnant or breast-feeding your baby, talk to your doctor first before taking Topamax since it is unknown if it will be harmful to an unborn baaby or pass through into the breast milk.
Take Topamax exactly as your doctor tells you. If you do not understand, ask the pharmacist or your doctor to explain the directions to you. It must be taken regularly to get the full benefit of it. It is a good idea to wear a medical ID to let people know you are taking Topamax in case of an emergency.
Even if your symptoms improve, talk to your doctor first before stopping Topamax. Seizures can recur if it is stopped. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, drink extra water or other fluids every day while taking this medicine. This will help to minimize the risks of such side effects as kidney stone formation and metablic acidosis, which is a decrease of one of the electrolytes in the body. Hot weather, vigorous exercise and illness that includes fever, vomiting and diarrhea also require extra fluids to be consumed.
It may be necessary to monitor your progress and watch for side effects with blood tests and other medical evaluations while under treatment. This will help the doctor know if the dosage needs to be adjusted or if you are not tolerating Topamax.
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember it unless it is too close to time for the next dose. Do not double the dose to make up for a missed dose, take only the dose that is scheduled. Though overdose symptoms are not known, they could include severe drowsiness, tremor, difficulty speaking, poor coordination and nausea.
Since Topamax can cause dizziness or drowsiness, driving or operating any kind of machinery should be avoided. Also avoid alcohol as it can increase the sedative affect and could raise the risk of having a seizure. Avoid high protein, low carbohydrate diets such as the Atkins diet because they could increase the risk of kidney stone formation.
The use of Topamax has been associated with high body temperature and decreased sweating. This is a potentially dangerous side affect, so avoid getting overheated during exercise and hot weather. Monitor your sweating and keep hydrated with plenty of water. If you notice that your body temperature is higher than normal and have decreased sweating, notify your doctor right away.
If you are going to have any kind of surgery while taking Topamax, talk to your doctor or dentist first. You may need to be monitored, have your doe reduced or taken off of it until after you are recovered from surgery.
As with any drug, there can be side effects with Topamax. If you notice blurred vision, changes in vision or pain in or around your eyes seek medical attention immediately. They could be the early signs of serious side effects.
Get to the hospital or your doctor for emergency medical attention if you have any of the following side effects: allergic reaction; this would include breathing difficulty, your throat closing up, lips, tongue and/or face swelling and hives. Other serious side effects are seizures getting worse, metabolic acidosis; this is a high acidity of the blood that can be detected in blood tests, irregular heartbeats, increased breathing rate and a decreased appetite are the major symptoms, decrease in sweating, fever, side or lower back pain or difficult or painful urination.
Less serious side effects are more likely and include dizziness, irregular back- and-forth movements of your eyes, nausea, weight loss, numbness, confusion, decreased memory, difficulty speaking, depression and agitation. There may be other side effects and you should contact your doctor to discuss them.
You need to be sure that you tell your doctor of all medications you are taking, prescription or over the counter, before beginning Topamax as there could be adverse drugs interactions. For further information on Topamax, consult your doctor or pharmacist today.
Disclaimer – The information presented here should not be interpreted as or substituted for medical advice. Please talk to a qualified professional for more information about Topamax.
Heather Colman
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/finding-relief-from-migraine-headaches-with-topamax-53710.html
What about neurologist and migraines?
I am a 30 yr old female who has suffered migraines for almost 10 yrs. Since the preganancy of my daughter. My mother also suffered exact migraines. She had a hysterectomy and has not had another migraine since. I have 2 Dr.s that believe my headaches are hormonel related and baromic pressure related. Please forgive my spelling. I experience a migraines atleast once or twice a week. I am familiar at the ER (where the Dr.s are great, some nurses are another story until they see me vomitting everywhere). In the past 7 yrs I have tried every thing. Triptans, things like Migranal, Cafergot, Imitrex,Topamax,Birth Control, you name it,I’ve tried it. I use to have to go in for shots of Demerol and Phenergan then started becoming allergic to that. Darvocet gives me rebounds, They prescribed me Tylenol with codeine but I became allergic to the codeine. They now use a medication on me, only when I visit the Dr. It’s a nubain shot and phenergan. I’ve been on this for about 3 yrs now but only when I am seen by a Dr. I’m so lost. I can’t afford to keep going to he Dr. for these shots. I had one Dr. who would have prescribed it to me with no problem but he was out of state and was a visiting Dr. who couldn’t over step my Dr. He specializes in Phyciatry, so it wouldn’t help to even travel to go see him. My depression worsens all the time cause the pain I am in. I am suppose to be going to a new neurologist this month but am scared to because they will probably just want me to go through everything I have already been through. I don’t do drugs, I have never been addicted to prescription drugs, so I don’t understand why I can’t get a Dr. to prescribe me Nubain. I know it’s a narcotic analgesic, however it’s the best medication they have found to work for me. I do get aura’ with some of my headaches but not all. I just want relief without having to travel to travel to get a shot and pay major bucks. Am I asking to much? I have a EMT who said she would have no problem giving me the shots when I needed them if I could get it prescribed. What are my chances of getting this type of medication from the neurologist? Are they slim. My first neurologist was a joke and spent the whole time talking about what hot dogs where made of and told me not to eat them, no medication no nothing. I have no triggers except weather changes and hormones. Sorry I am going on and on and ready to cry cause I don’t know where to go anymore. I am getting so depressed about this again because I can’t get help. 8 months ago I just got out of a hospital for depression and thought we found answers. After I was released, I was ignored. Now I am starting over. Can anyone please help me. Tired of the pain so bad.
What do I expect from a neurologist?
whats the question agian
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Are you ready to try something that is not a medication or addictive? I suffered migraines from the time I was 10 years of age. I had to be put on hormone therapy because of a serious illness. The hormone therapy caused me to begin have migraines, and they continued up until 3 years ago, and I am an adult. I read in a nutritional book that taking a calcium, magnesium, and zinc supplement would help the problem. You can buy the three minerals together at Walmart for under $10. I have been given every medication you can be given including Morphine and nothing helped the problems. I have headaches once in a while now, but they are controlled with simple buffered aspirin tablets and I have not had any migraines the way I used to have them. Hormone imbalance and barometric pressure also trigger my headaches. But now they rarely turn into a full blown migraine. My sister has gone to the Neurologist for her’s and nothing stopped them. I elected to do this instead, and I am doing better than she did after going to see a Neurologist. He ran tests and treated her with a drug named Inderal because she cannot take pain pills. I am doing much better than she is.
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I am 33 and also suffer migraines. There were times that I would get cluster migraines and sometimes would suffer from migraines about 3x/week. I don’t get aura, but sometimes get nauseous and have vomited. Although I have no children, my hormones are off balance, as a result of being on the birth control pill for nearly 15 years and just stopped it back in mid-August. I’ve been seeing a holistic nutritionist. I have found that eliminating refined sugars (candies, desserts and mostly fruits as well) and cutting out/down-on carbohydrates has helped. I also don’t eat wheat anymore, as much as I can help it, and avoid processed foods and MSG. These things alone have minimized my migraines. And when I start eating sugar, too many carbs and wheats I notice my migraines come back. I too have tried many migraine meds. Have you tried Amerge? Amerge was the only prescription drug that worked for my migraines. It sometimes takes up to 45 minutes to work though. I now take MigraSpray. It’s holistic and works [sometimes]. My mom also suffers migraines. She is on preventative meds for it though. Good luck to you. Hang in there–I can totally empathize.
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Have you seen an internist? You may have a cardiovascular problem.
I had high blood pressure and high cholesterol and was having migraine visual aura. The doctor ordered an MRI to make sure I did not have an impending stroke. Since he put me on medicines to control those other problems the aura are mostly gone.
References :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migraines#Familial_hemiplegic_migraine
My daughter started having severe migraines at the age of 11 and in the fifth grade. We tried EVERY migraine med to no avail. Even adult doses of nasal inhalents failed. None of the IV meds worked either. Spent numerous nights over a two year period in the ER once the vomiting started for IV fluids to rehydrate. ( I know what you mean about the nurses,it must be universal ), finally a neurologist gave us the simplest solution.
My daughters migraines were all strictly hormone related he said. So he put her on over the counter Naproxen, just 50mg that the store brand is, one everyday for three days before her period starts, everyday of her period and for three days after her period ends.
Now I was skeptical for we had been dealing with 3 trips a month, at least, for two years, to the hospital for emergency IV fluids. However we followed the instruction and have never returned for IV fluids, she has had one or two migraines get started but always has got them under control with rest,ice, a dark room and the Naproxen. She will be 16 next month. No trips to the the ER for the last three years. It worked for her.
Maybe it can for you too.
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Personal experience.
Many problems begin after the delivery of a baby. Most ob/gyn will not let you know that you have to work to allow your body to return to its normal state. That including getting your tail (sacrum) back down where it belongs. It was raised considerably during pregnancy as the abdomen became more distended.
Bear in mind, the sacrum is what your spine sits on. If it is an unlevel base, the spine has to change from its normal state. Is the reason most women have one hip higher than the other. Those changes involve the entire spine. To include the cervical spine. The resultant effect being; you will have unequal muscle tension at the base of the skull. Sufficient to become quite tender when pressed. This constant tension establishes an inflammatory process which generally remains sub-acute. But has been now established as a chronic condition. Hormones when changing each month are pretty well known for creating a swelling of the tissues. When you already have an inflammatory process inactive, it will be stimulated by this increased edema. From there you are aware of what takes place.
You must be aware of other problems that exist. Such as a bit of problem with balance. Is why you don’t stand with your feet together. In order to see to what degree this is involved, stand with your feet together and then shut your eyes. You will be more than surprised by the degree of imbalance noted.
The point being, you do have a considerable postural discrepancy and it is the main culprit in your suffering the effects of migraine syndrome. Taking the time to retrain your body and attempt to recover what you have lost. This being one of the specialties of the doctor of Chiropractic. He/she will guide you into what is necessary for you to do at home to facilitate the progress of recovery.
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Neurologist know very little about it and Acupuncturists know most of it.
Pl try simple acupressure given below first when you need temp relief.
There is no medicine for H/A OR MIGRAINE. Not only these but for RA, OA, Back ache and almost all painful diseases. Hence they become chronic.
Acidity, WORRY, sadness, excessive wind, cold , heat, sour food and sinusitis, constipation, intestinal inflammation; drug side effects, stress, bad smell, TV & COMPUTER SOMETIMES,
Blockage in the flow of Vital Energy, BODY CONSTITUTION etc are their causes. None of them can be treated with medicine. Our 100% success in treating migraine &H/A confirms it.
Acupuncture is the best treatment.
I can treat it with naturopathy and YOG, but how can you manage pl see.
Pain killers don’t treat the pain but we loose the sense of pain for some time; in that duration our body itself treats sometime and credit goes to meds.
The useless drugs have tremendous power of side effects like liver/kidney failures, ulcer, inflammation of intestines and lot more.
Avoid late sleeping if possible; worry, spicy foods, sour fruits, stale bakery foods, SMOKING and alcohole.
Sweet foods, COCOANUT WATER,sweet fruits, milk, rice, SPROUTS, SALADS and good sleep will help if cough is not there.
But you try one herbal remedy- two drops of drumstick leaves’ juice in opposite nostril if one side pains and both nostrils if full H/A will give you rescue. Betel leaf helps but it is very strong.
If it is acute pl search a painful point 3-6 mm behind your thumb nail and press it, H/A will disappear within 30 seconds.
For forehead pain the points are in front of nails on the finger tips or 3-7 mm below.
It may disappear naturally too.
Source(s):
SHREE SWASTHYAYOG TREATMENT, TRAINING & RESEARCH INSTITUTE
R.H. 19, Jhulelal Society, Sector 2/E, Airoli, Navi Mumbai, INDIA.
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