Met and topamax -anyone doing this?

eichic · 01-27-2006, 06:03 PM

I am on met 1000mg 2x daily, armour thyroid 180mg daily, yasmin, and lasix 40mg daily. I am having major migraines and the relpax is not working. I want to try topamax but have heard conflicting things about how it interacts with met and others. Any experiences would be helpful. Thanks.

Amy

momo3 · 01-28-2006, 04:17 PM

I take 75mg of Topamax daily. I have no idea what the interaction w/met could possibly be???? Topamax makes me very sleepy, so I can't tolerate any higher dose, but 75mg is effective for me. Topamax also has androgen inhibiting properties, so it's the migraine prevention drug of choice for women with PCOS. I went from 15 migraines a month to 4-5. It took about 8mths to go to this point, but I'm much, much better. I've also lost almost 20pounds; that's a nice little side effect of Topamax, too. Hope you have lots of success!!!

satxcaser · 02-01-2006, 02:38 PM

I take Topamax 50 mg BID and also Metformin 850mg BID, Wellbutrin 150mg BID. I started Topamax in August of 2005 and have been on the same dose ever since.

I was alternating Motrin and Aleve with Maxalt 10mg without relief for my migraines. I did some research online and took my printouts to my Primary care and he was okay with me trying it. I'm not sure of any interactions though. I was having about 5 episodes a month, now I'm down to 1-2 if that.. I have gone 2 months now without any episode at all though. (knock on wood)

* I haven't been able to drink diet sodas at all since being on Topamax because one of the side effects is that it alters your taste. (uhhh! gross just the thought of it makes me want to gag) *When I do eat I get a sense of fullness from eating smaller portions. *And that fullness seems stay with me longer also where "I dont' feel like eating cause I'm still full from 6 hours ago" kind of feeling so I also lost weight as well. *When I get cold now my fingers and toes get a prickly tingly sensation. *It has limited the intensity of my migraines also and made them more bearable and I can move and funtion now with them. I've only taken Maxalt twice since August and can usually get by with just Motrin or Aleve now. *The biggest thing I noticed is that it has effected my memory. It takes me a moment sometimes to remember things or I get stuck on words..(my PCP warned me though, it's called "word find". It's where things are at the tip of your tongue or you can't think of the word or remember a persons name you've known all your life kind of thing..)

The side effects are manageable and mine may not be the same as yours. I'm not trying to scare you at all but I thought I would give you a different perspective with all the cards on the table. It's a bit pricey though even with my insurance ($70 a month) but the Maxalt is also.

With all that said I'd still take it every day without hesitating knowing how much better I feel with Topamax then without it.

Have you considered switching birth control pills? I can't take them anymore because of the migraines they give me. Maybe you could look at that option as well.

eichic · 02-03-2006, 03:08 AM

Thanks for the info. I have been on several different BCP's. My migraines tend to be related to stress, barometric pressure changes, and hormones. The interactions I found with topamax and met was that it can possibly increase the levels of met in you. However, the thyroid I am on lessens the met effect...so will it all even out? I hope so. Hope you are all feeling well.

bykerbabe · 02-03-2006, 06:36 AM

I have been on Topamax 150 mg for almost 2 years for migraines and I started the Met 500 mg in Nov. I have had no effects from the 2 med. My Met. was just rised today to 1000 mg a day. Will see how that goes..

BabyDreamz · 02-03-2006, 07:20 AM

I also take Topamax, but as a mood stabilizer. I have been on it for a long time, 100mg a day and I have had no problems at all with it reacting with the met.

satxcaser · 02-03-2006, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eichic

Thanks for the info. I have been on several different BCP's. My migraines tend to be related to stress, barometric pressure changes, and hormones. The interactions I found with topamax and met was that it can possibly increase the levels of met in you. However, the thyroid I am on lessens the met effect...so will it all even out? I hope so. Hope you are all feeling well.

My migraines are also related to barometric pressure changes and hormones. The Topamax has helped alot with the hormone headaches and I don't get them any more. The AF's that I do get now I have no warnings cause I don't get the migraines before hand anymore like I used to. But the episodes that I do have still are when the barometric pressure changes, the Topamax hasn't helped those at all except to lessen the intensity. If it rains, is going to rain or even if it just stays cloudy, sunny, cloudy, sunny then I still have the headaches. Grrrr!!

I was just asking about the BCP's cause the migraines I had on them were really bad depending on which one. The higher the estrogen in them the worse my migraines were.

The Topamax increasing the levels of the Met in you might be really insignificant though because both my Primary Care and GYN Dr. recommended I try Topamax but I can see where you would be concerned. But you could always take your print-outs like I do with you to your doctors appt. so when they say something different then what you've read you could ask and point it out if you have to (I've done that a few times but I also have a new Primary Care now too cause the old one never listened to me.)

***Good Luck***

eichic · 02-03-2006, 05:14 PM

Thanks. I am anxious to see what happens with the topamax. I have friends on it (non PCOS) people who have had great success and lost some weight to boot. I am not counting on that, but gee, it would be a great side effect.