Bipolar medication?!
Question: Bipolar medication!?
has anybody been using topamax (topirimate) for a year or so!? or maybe even lamotragine!? i want to know if it affects your ability to concentrate and your short-term memory, even if you are on a low dose!. also, have you had any other side effects!? weight loss!? irritability!? anything!? need to know!.!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
I'm on other meds, too, so it's a little difficult, but I do know some based on the order meds were added!. Topamax is classic for making ppl dumb - I have mild word recall problems on only 75mg, others have more serious ones at higher doses!. Memory in general can be effected as well!. I think I feel that a little, but suspect for me it's more cummulative with the Depakote and Lithium that I take!. It's also know for weight loss!. I'm not getting much of this!. Btw, I take Topamax for migraines, not bipolar!. It typically doesn't act as a stabilizer except for a very few from what I've gathered!.
Lamictal is the first med I started and it's been side effect free for me up to 200mg!. Over that, I experience some real cognitive impairment!. I know others who take over 400mg without a problem!. I need to back up, I can't take Lamictal withou something else to deal with the manicking side!. It is too activating!. This is common for ppl with bipolar that have problems with antidepressants!. I can't take those at all regardless of being on stabilizers!. So, yeh, Lamictal alone would make me very irritable, aggitated, and leave me cycling, but I'm someone who needs to be on a lot of meds to keep the illness in check!.
A good site for psych med info from the user perspective is http://www!.crazymeds!.us Keep in mind that ppl having problems with their meds are the ones usually on it!. Those not having problems usually are not seeking info out on the Internet!.
PS - Has your pdoc tried combining more than one or two meds at lower doses to avoid side effects!? If not, consider finding one who will!. I'm on four stabilizers plus Topamax for migraines!. Lithium is high because I tolerate it well!. The rest are medium to low because that's the mix that controls the illness!. If I lower any, I have symptoms!. I could raise a few and drop something out, but I'd live with side effects doing so!. Anyway, it may be something to think about if you haven't already seriously pursued that avenue!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Lamictal is the first med I started and it's been side effect free for me up to 200mg!. Over that, I experience some real cognitive impairment!. I know others who take over 400mg without a problem!. I need to back up, I can't take Lamictal withou something else to deal with the manicking side!. It is too activating!. This is common for ppl with bipolar that have problems with antidepressants!. I can't take those at all regardless of being on stabilizers!. So, yeh, Lamictal alone would make me very irritable, aggitated, and leave me cycling, but I'm someone who needs to be on a lot of meds to keep the illness in check!.
A good site for psych med info from the user perspective is http://www!.crazymeds!.us Keep in mind that ppl having problems with their meds are the ones usually on it!. Those not having problems usually are not seeking info out on the Internet!.
PS - Has your pdoc tried combining more than one or two meds at lower doses to avoid side effects!? If not, consider finding one who will!. I'm on four stabilizers plus Topamax for migraines!. Lithium is high because I tolerate it well!. The rest are medium to low because that's the mix that controls the illness!. If I lower any, I have symptoms!. I could raise a few and drop something out, but I'd live with side effects doing so!. Anyway, it may be something to think about if you haven't already seriously pursued that avenue!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I have experience with both!. Topamax I took for two years!. It was helpful, seems to reduce appetite!. However, I found it affected my memory!. Most notably I forgot words a lot, so vocabulary trouble!. Lamictal I still take, 13 years now!. It helps a lot, especially in combination with Lithium!. Since it's an anticonvulsant it does seem to have a slight effect on the thinking process but really minor!.
Most importantly, both of these have withdrawel effects that are serious!. They're both anticonvulsants so if you drop them suddenly it is possible to have a seizure!. Dropping topamax can cause tardic diskoniesa (that's not spelled right), which causes abnormal twitches!. Lamictal has significant short term effects like light headedness, vertigo!. Always reduce these gradually!.
Note on lamictal, 400mg is the maximum effective dose, anything higher won't have an effect!.
Hope that doesn't sound scary!. Lamictal has been a life saver for me, and I still use topamax temporarily when I need a little "tweaking"!. Hope this helps, bipolar can be difficult but it has it's pluses, like increased creativity and maybe even intelligence :)Www@Answer-Health@Com
Most importantly, both of these have withdrawel effects that are serious!. They're both anticonvulsants so if you drop them suddenly it is possible to have a seizure!. Dropping topamax can cause tardic diskoniesa (that's not spelled right), which causes abnormal twitches!. Lamictal has significant short term effects like light headedness, vertigo!. Always reduce these gradually!.
Note on lamictal, 400mg is the maximum effective dose, anything higher won't have an effect!.
Hope that doesn't sound scary!. Lamictal has been a life saver for me, and I still use topamax temporarily when I need a little "tweaking"!. Hope this helps, bipolar can be difficult but it has it's pluses, like increased creativity and maybe even intelligence :)Www@Answer-Health@Com
Have bipolar disorder, though not on those meds!. Can give you a link to a good Bipolar message board where im sure many people have!.!.!.!.!.!.may be a better place to get info on bipolar
Email me if you want it!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Email me if you want it!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
I've been on lamictal it affected my concentration, short-term memory, and irratability!. I would suggest taking abilify!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.it works!.!.!.!.trust me!.Www@Answer-Health@Com