OK, I have been having migraines for years off and on but nothing to get to excited about I never gotten them frequently enough that I was very concerned about it until recently. A few months ago I started having migraines more often like two or three a month and they just got closer and closer and closer together until it was like almost a daily thing. I have also had what appear to be cluster headaches they started about four years ago although I didn't even recognize them until very recently, now that has certainly raised the bar for the worst pain that I have ever felt!!! It used to be induced labor, but the last three headaches that sent me up to the emergency room, blew that right out of the water. Anyway I am rambling.

To get to point here, I started taking Topamax about 10 days ago (obviously to avoid the headaches) I have tapered up to 100 mg/QD. I only take it night. It seems to be working, I have only had one headache, to speak of, so far and it was pretty mild in comparison. I mean I've had a few minor tension headaches, but nothing that really even warrants whining about. I even seem to be a little more optimistic than usual about the general state of... everything I guess, which I think is pretty cool (see what I mean).

Up until three days ago I was quite happy with the Topamax. Virtually no headaches, a HUGE plus. A little bit more positive outlook things, that never hurts. Of course, I've started to drop some weight, from what I've read that is a very common effect. That's a big plus for me since I've battled it since about the sixth grade up until I was 21 and started using meth, I quit that four years ago. By the way, quitting, in my opinion, was not that hard. I would urge anyone that thinks they can't do it to just give it a try. I would have quit a long time before I did if known it be so easy. OK I'm straying from the point again sorry about that.

So three days ago I started, very suddenly, to feel very fatigued and also achy. The achiness isn't like a general soreness in my muscles but more like in my bones and joint tissue and only happens when I use them. For instance, when I walk up or down the stairs, my legs will hurt deep like in the bone and in the hip joint or when I clean off the counters my arms will ache and my wrists. If I spend any length of time with my spine bent at any angle or arms upward or forward/outward position, my spine will ache for anywhere from fifteen to forty-five afterward. The pain usually lasts for about five minutes or so in my upper extremities, usually about two minutes or less in my legs. The intensity of the pain is only moderate maybe a five or six on a pain scale.

The fatigue, however, is much more intense. I mean it really takes just about every drop of motivation that I can muster up just to perform a simple mundane task like folding the laundry or tidying up the kitchen the fact that it is also physically painful to do these things doesn't add to their appeal.