Topamax...cant sleep and other drug interactions.

[Awl0282]

I just started on topamax for 2 days on 25mg for headaches i had headaches for a long time. Im worried about this drug and mixing it with other drugs that i take. Im HIV positive and i take stribld everyday before bed my nero doc wants me to take topamax before bed as well. So im taking both of these pills at the same time and i care about my hiv drugs working without interuptions because the virus will get a chance to mutate. So will topamax interfere with stribld?

Now for the other question, my headaches are so bad sometimes that i cant sleep so i take a sleeping aid. What is the seriousness of topamax with a sleeping aid such as alieve pm? The doc told me that it takes a week for topax to start working after a week i take 50mg a day. Right now the headaches are really bad that im still taking excedrine a lot and i was thinking topamax will do something at least a lil bit on the first week so i can stop taking excedrine but omg this is bad.

[AKC_75]

I understand you are in a hard situation and I cannot possibly fully understand how you feel so, I want you to know I am not trying to minimize your fear. That being said, you either trust your doctor, or you don't. If you trust him/her then take their word for it and try to relax!! If you do not trust your doctor, get a second opinion!!! It's that simple.

I have been going down this migraine road for about 20 years now. For the longest time I just needed something a few times a week and was fine. Today, I am taking 8 Rx's DAILY for treatment/preventative. Plus I have 2 Rx's for migraines as needed and 1 Rx for anxiety as needed. And I take the as needed meds several times a week. A lot of times every day.

The hard cold fact is....treating migraines is a marathon, not a sprint. You are not going to find some magic pill that you take and never have a migraine again. It is a process. My meds are constantly changing. They either change the dosage or completely stop one......or start a new one.

[Awl0282]

Also to add, doctors think sometimes im worried abput drug interaction side affects but i just worried about hiv drug effectivness. I have to jave. 95% adherence or the virus will learn to go around the drug..then i would have to start on another drug that would be more expensive or more side effects

[Awl0282]

I did mention the meds i was taking to both doctor and pharmist but my gut feeling is that they were not familiar with the drug i was on. They said it was okay. How often are you taking pain relievers? Also what about sleeping aids for right now?

[AKC_75]

Hi and welcome to the Migraines & Headaches Community.

1. Anytime you see a doctor you should always tell them ALL medications you are taking. If you did that then you are fine cause doctors know what meds to mix and what ones not to mix. If you did not tell them all meds you take then CALL THE DOCTOR OFFICE IMMEDIEATELY AND TELL THEM!! Then do as they say.

2. It takes at least 4-6  wks for your meds to even start working and a full 12 wks to reach maximum potential so, don't get frustrated just cause you are not seeing immediate results. Treating migraines is a marathon not a sprint. He will either increase the dosage slowly 'til it works or he may even add other meds to your list. And as I said above, they need to know ALL MEDS you are taking...even over-the-counter meds.

On another note, I was on Topamax for yrs and still had to take pain relievers as well. If it does not completely take the migraines away then the goal is to at least manage them so, they are not to frequent or to severe.