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Topamax & Fibromyalgia
How effective is the drug Topamax in which to treat Fibromyalgia.
I am aware it is a drug to treat Epilepsy!
Epilepsy is caused by over active shocks of Electricity in the Brain cells!
Fibromyalgia is caused by over active nerves throughout the body!
Comparing the two diagnosed conditions the triggers are very similar so the drug Topamx is taken in which to help reduce the over active shocks of Electricity in the brain cells, therefore Topamax should help to reduce the over active nerves in your body!
What are your experiences on this drug taken to treat fibromyalgia ?
I am aware it is a drug to treat Epilepsy!
Epilepsy is caused by over active shocks of Electricity in the Brain cells!
Fibromyalgia is caused by over active nerves throughout the body!
Comparing the two diagnosed conditions the triggers are very similar so the drug Topamx is taken in which to help reduce the over active shocks of Electricity in the brain cells, therefore Topamax should help to reduce the over active nerves in your body!
What are your experiences on this drug taken to treat fibromyalgia ?
Hi, I take Keppra but for it's prescribed purpose for Epilepsy!
I have suffered with it for 47 years, through all my life it is just trial and error in finding the right cocktail of medication in which to control my seizures.
Keppra has been the most successfull so far, it controls them but does not stop them, what was once called Grandmal now Tonic Clonic, has all disappeared so i am left with what was called Petimal now called Simple partial seizures.
When 1st offered to me i was told it is going to make you very very drowsy and tired! (500mg twice a day.
I am now on 1500mg twice a day but get hardly any side affects of drowsiness, i have taken this medication for approx 8years.
I have suffered with it for 47 years, through all my life it is just trial and error in finding the right cocktail of medication in which to control my seizures.
Keppra has been the most successfull so far, it controls them but does not stop them, what was once called Grandmal now Tonic Clonic, has all disappeared so i am left with what was called Petimal now called Simple partial seizures.
When 1st offered to me i was told it is going to make you very very drowsy and tired! (500mg twice a day.
I am now on 1500mg twice a day but get hardly any side affects of drowsiness, i have taken this medication for approx 8years.
I take Topamax. It has saved me. I had daily headaches and I don't anymore. It was hard in the beginning. There are side effects for me anyway. You feel kind of dopey then for me week 3 or 4 I felt fine. You start off slowly and ramp up to two pills a day. I take them one in the morning one in late afternoon.
FM does involve nerves but it's not nerve pain. It's more of a connective tissue issue. Some describe it as your nerves are firing on all cylinders at all times and that is a good way to describe it. Nerve pain at least for me is a very different pain. I don't know if you've ever had a ruptured disc but when a disc is pressing on a nerve and you get pain let's say in your foot or arm that is true nerve pain. FM is an ache, a deep tissue over all ache. You might have it in certain parts of your body and can't even be touched.
It's my understand that people with fibromyalgia experience headaches and topamax is used to treat headaches. I don't think topamax is necessarily used to treat fibromyalgia specifically but I could be wrong. It's just how it's been explained to me.
I can tell you it works. And a fabulous side effect is weight loss smile.... If that's something you need.
FM does involve nerves but it's not nerve pain. It's more of a connective tissue issue. Some describe it as your nerves are firing on all cylinders at all times and that is a good way to describe it. Nerve pain at least for me is a very different pain. I don't know if you've ever had a ruptured disc but when a disc is pressing on a nerve and you get pain let's say in your foot or arm that is true nerve pain. FM is an ache, a deep tissue over all ache. You might have it in certain parts of your body and can't even be touched.
It's my understand that people with fibromyalgia experience headaches and topamax is used to treat headaches. I don't think topamax is necessarily used to treat fibromyalgia specifically but I could be wrong. It's just how it's been explained to me.
I can tell you it works. And a fabulous side effect is weight loss smile.... If that's something you need.
Hello,
I've had a fairly positive experience with all anti-seizure medications I've tried reducing pain in regards to my Fibromyalgia. I think the reason comes with my belief that there is a malfunction in the central nervous system for some reason. At this time we don't know what the cause is- many new scientists believe it may be neuro-immune.
Anyhow, I've responded very well to medications like Neurontin, Lyrica and Topamax. Keppra is another one that has been recommended to me. The key really is finding which side effects are the best to deal with. It's really an individual thing. I couldn't handle the weight gain, tiredness and bloating that I felt while on Lyrica, although it helped me immensely with pain. Lyrica is an anti-seizure medication too. I switched to Topamax because it didn't cause weight gain and my insurance finally covered it and I was very curious about it.
Topamax has helped me with my migraines and is more energizing than Lyrica, although my doctor has told me that many people get tired on it. I am confused by this because I found myself experiencing a lot of insomnia in the beginning when I first started it. I was told to take it at night due to the tiredness I would feel; I have now switched my dosing schedule to days, so I can sleep at night. (I also have a bit of CFS, so anyone who suffers from CFS may benefit from this med especially if they respond to it the way I have becoming energized.)
For nerve pain you have to be at a higher dose (at least 150mg or more) and titration does take longer than with Lyrica or Neurontin. 25mg increase per week is acceptable to let your body get used to it to avoid confusion or anxiety. I started to feel pain relief of my nerve pain once I hit that dose. I have nerve dysfunction in my spine and I have a numb left foot. It began helping me once I reached that level.
The important thing to remember though, is medication management is highly individualized. What works for one person, may not work for another. Just because I am doing well with something doesn't mean everyone else will. That's the terrible thing about Fibro.
-Dusty
I've had a fairly positive experience with all anti-seizure medications I've tried reducing pain in regards to my Fibromyalgia. I think the reason comes with my belief that there is a malfunction in the central nervous system for some reason. At this time we don't know what the cause is- many new scientists believe it may be neuro-immune.
Anyhow, I've responded very well to medications like Neurontin, Lyrica and Topamax. Keppra is another one that has been recommended to me. The key really is finding which side effects are the best to deal with. It's really an individual thing. I couldn't handle the weight gain, tiredness and bloating that I felt while on Lyrica, although it helped me immensely with pain. Lyrica is an anti-seizure medication too. I switched to Topamax because it didn't cause weight gain and my insurance finally covered it and I was very curious about it.
Topamax has helped me with my migraines and is more energizing than Lyrica, although my doctor has told me that many people get tired on it. I am confused by this because I found myself experiencing a lot of insomnia in the beginning when I first started it. I was told to take it at night due to the tiredness I would feel; I have now switched my dosing schedule to days, so I can sleep at night. (I also have a bit of CFS, so anyone who suffers from CFS may benefit from this med especially if they respond to it the way I have becoming energized.)
For nerve pain you have to be at a higher dose (at least 150mg or more) and titration does take longer than with Lyrica or Neurontin. 25mg increase per week is acceptable to let your body get used to it to avoid confusion or anxiety. I started to feel pain relief of my nerve pain once I hit that dose. I have nerve dysfunction in my spine and I have a numb left foot. It began helping me once I reached that level.
The important thing to remember though, is medication management is highly individualized. What works for one person, may not work for another. Just because I am doing well with something doesn't mean everyone else will. That's the terrible thing about Fibro.
-Dusty
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