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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
TOPAMAX FOR TREATING BIPOLAR DISORDER
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
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TOPAMAX FOR TREATING BIPOLAR DISORDER
by lee2, Jan 27, 2004 12:00AM
HELLO
I AM DIAGNOSTED FOR MANY YEARS WITH BIPOLAR AND DISSOCIATIVE DISORDERS AND AFTER I COULDN'T TAKE ANYMORE LYTHIUM , I AM TAKING NOW FOR MANY YEARS TEGRETOL 800MG AND ELATROL.
LATELY I WAS ADVICED TO TAKE TOPAMAX - THE PSYCHIATRIST SAID IT MAY HELP TO MY KIND OF BIPOLAR DISORDER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IN MY COUNTRY TOPAMAX IS USED UNTIL NOW FOR NEUROLOGICAL NEEDS ONLY
AND BECAUSE OF INSURANCE MATTERS, I CAN ONLY GET 75 MG OF TOPAMAX A DAY - PLUS - TEGRETOL AS MUCH AS I NEED.
MY QUESTION IS : CAN THIS KIND OF DRUG COMBINATION [TOPAMAX + TEGRETOL] - BE EFFECTIVE FOR BIPOLAR DISORDER - AT LEAST UNTIL I GET ALL THE TOPAMAX I NEED ? AND ALSO : WHAT IS THE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF TOPAMAX THAT IS NEEDED [WITHOUT TEGRETOL]- FOR TREATING BIPOLAR DISORDER.
THANK YOU
SHULAMIT
I AM DIAGNOSTED FOR MANY YEARS WITH BIPOLAR AND DISSOCIATIVE DISORDERS AND AFTER I COULDN'T TAKE ANYMORE LYTHIUM , I AM TAKING NOW FOR MANY YEARS TEGRETOL 800MG AND ELATROL.
LATELY I WAS ADVICED TO TAKE TOPAMAX - THE PSYCHIATRIST SAID IT MAY HELP TO MY KIND OF BIPOLAR DISORDER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IN MY COUNTRY TOPAMAX IS USED UNTIL NOW FOR NEUROLOGICAL NEEDS ONLY
AND BECAUSE OF INSURANCE MATTERS, I CAN ONLY GET 75 MG OF TOPAMAX A DAY - PLUS - TEGRETOL AS MUCH AS I NEED.
MY QUESTION IS : CAN THIS KIND OF DRUG COMBINATION [TOPAMAX + TEGRETOL] - BE EFFECTIVE FOR BIPOLAR DISORDER - AT LEAST UNTIL I GET ALL THE TOPAMAX I NEED ? AND ALSO : WHAT IS THE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF TOPAMAX THAT IS NEEDED [WITHOUT TEGRETOL]- FOR TREATING BIPOLAR DISORDER.
THANK YOU
SHULAMIT
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Jan 29, 2004 12:00AM
, Jan 29, 2004 12:00AM
There is no official dosage schedule for the use you described but itis used for this purpose more often on a case by case basis. MOst of the time people start with dosage as low as 25 mg and go up, so you might be just fine with 75mg. In any case it has to be done on a step by step basis.
Member Comments (1)
by desertsky, Mar 14, 2004 12:00AM
I have been on Topomax for 9 days and I am losing weight but am concerned that I am more forgetful and have a harder time concentrating. I have read that it may cause cognitive dullling. Is this true of all anti-seizure meds, or a specific side effect to Topomax? Any other comments on Topomax???
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