Tuesday, September 30, 2008
My Pdoc last year put me on Topomax (100 mg) and Prozac (20 mg) once a day. At first I had a lot of concentration problems which is bad because I am working on my PH D. It took me about 5 months to get through that but it has passed. I have very prolific and real dreams that almost seem as if I am awake and they are scary. I sometimes have tremors in my muscles but this is "said to be normal". I was just wondering if anyone else had any side effects from this combination. I know this combination is not yet FDA approved but Pdocs are using it. It is working for me by controlling my BP very effectively. I was just wondering if anyone else was on this combination and if anyone else was having any side effects.
Please, just listen to yourself.... you would never put a loved one through these kinds of side effects, would you? This is not normal! You are seeking health, to become normal, and so you take this drug that your doctor prescribed, which isn't even FDA approved, and now you have all these symptoms for which no one should "settle".
Gosh, even if something is FDA approved, do you know that 100,000 people die each year, taking their medications as prescribed.. .. certainly not accounting for who knows how many hundreds of thousands more die who take their medication incorrectly.
You need to find a good environmental doctor of integrative medicine who will do a full scan of biological testing to find out why you have bp. Just one example of a cause of mood disorder that mainstream doctors ignore... many people with mood disorders have high toxicity of one or more heavy metals in their system (mercury (from silver-mercury amalgams, fish), lead from water and many other sources, cadmium, nickel, aluminum. Combinations of these metals can cause strange symptoms. The liver cannot detoxify the high load of toxins ever present in our environment today, and now you are adding these man-made pharmaceuticals that the liver doesn't even know what to do with, because they are not natural to the human body.
Please seek a physician who truly cares about you enough to find out what is causing the mood disorder in your body and brain, because adding to your toxic load isn't going to solve anything, only hurt you.
Very interesting. I actually have gone the "holistic" route. And I use "Chinese Medicine" with my Pdoc. I take accupuncuture and use detoxifying teas and herbs along with my meds. I have had this problem since I was 13. I have gone completely off all meds and tried the completely "holistic" route and it was not the "complete" answer. The lack of concentration has passed and my brain is now functioning normal. I am back working on my PH D and very glad. The tremors are a side effect of the Topomax but as I found out from my Dr I am also on the Topomax because I suffer from epilepsy but have not have a seizure in years due to the fact that I have been on anti-seizure medication and the med also helps control my migranes. I have been on just about every medication there is for BP and the Dr has given me a safe and non-addictive sleeping med that has helped with the nightmares.
BP is a lifelong disease and finding the best way to cope with it so we are able to live the best life possible is what most of us are looking for. I've had all the metals tests done and I'm on vitamins and herbs to protect my system. I am also a 3x Cancer survivor with an Immune Difficiency Disorder because of taking radiation and chemo 3 times.
I think you post was very good. There are so many people who have not even given the "holistic" route a try. I think it can be very helpful and should be a part of everyone's routine. Thank you for your comment.