topamax anyone? also panic update - Anxiety Message Board

Wendy88 · 10-18-2006, 10:31 PM

hi
i just started tonight (after holding the pill bottle in my hand for an hour reading about side effects...bad I know... I just couldnt help myself)...anyhow... it's for migraines, but my doctor said for some it can also help with anxiety symptoms.
has anyone had to take this med and noticed that as a bonus effect? or even taken it for anxiety? it's really an anti seizure med, not an ssri etc..
just curious... I relaize meds affect everyone differently.. so maybe I'll get lucky and this will be a good one for me and all my issues!

as some of you may know from my posts, Ive been having panic attacks daily... so my doctor said i can take valium as needed for now, which is good cause otherwise Im left with nothing and no new psychatrist yet. but he said my heart rate was high (like it was when I jsut went off lexapro) so we are doing bloodwork. not just so we know my baseline (you have to have your blood checked when on topamax) but to see if I have a thyroid problem. He thinks its just my anxiety... but of course, Im worried about my blood work! ugh. it's been a long time since my anxiety was so out of control. really hard to adjust to the way things are right now.

but really any answer to my heart flutters and panic attacks woudl make me feel good.. whether its a fixable thyroid issue or "just" panic attacks. I just need to know that nothing is seriously wrong.
I worked out for 45 min the other day and was ok. I cant imagine if I had any real heart issues that I could have done that...
anyhow... thanks for listening.

joojoobee1967 · 10-19-2006, 08:18 AM

Hi,
I've been dealing with anxiety for years now and nothing seems to work. I'm taking Buspar but trying to get something different. I'd like to hear your opinion on the topomax as I'm considering it for headaches. I've heard the side effects are horrid and that scares me, especially the constant forgetfulness.

Let me know how it's going,
Julie

Wendy88 · 10-19-2006, 07:28 PM

yeah i took buspar, but more to help lessen the sexual side effects of lexapro.. for some reason i guess that med can work like that... however, it didnt for me.
Im also trying to find a good anti anxiety med. right now its just valium as needed...
anyhow - i'll keep you posted on the topamax. right now i have a terrible headache, so im not off to a good start! lol.... but you know, the forgetful side effect DOES go away. I use to take neurontin for a back issue and i was forgetful for abit, but once that went away, that med helped me a lot.... so Im glad I didn't quit it too soon.

anyhow I'll keep u posted. good luck to you too!

amarie327 · 10-19-2006, 08:09 PM

------I was given topamax for headaches a very long time ago. It worked for my headaches. Not on my anxiety. The best medication I ever took was serzone. Since the FDA took it off the market I have been on Lexapro. It is not working. Doctor gave me zoloft yesterday. I am excited to take it. It has been about 10 years for my anxiety now and only 2 of them were very bad. The first year I didn't leave, had 3-4 panic attacks everyday and was on ativan as needed. Now since the lexapro isnt working and I have been on it for about 2 years I am relapsing. Still not as bad as the first time. I still take an ativan .5mg a day before bed. That stuff is very addicting. I tried to get off of it and noticed major withdrawl and since the relapse now was not the time to try anything that would cause anxiety.
-----As for your blood work, a thyroid panal is a good idea, I prayed that mine would come back abnormal and there would be aa reason for this madness. It was normal. Hope it works out which ever way you would like it too.
-----The pulse rate. How High is it? You may just be a person with a very high resting pulse rate. I have vital signs like a child. High pulse, low BP, a little higher than normal respirations. I am very thin though.
-----Some medications cause Premature Ventricular Contractions. PVC's. They are abnormal and can't hurt you. Only be concerned when there are more than six a minute. But almost everyone even "normal people" have them.
-----My heart flutters all the time. The skipping beat feeling. I had a panic attack one day at work and gave myself and EKG and as crazy as my heart felt, everything was normal. No arrhythmia's. Just to make sure ask your doctor for an EKG. Most of the time it will come back normal. If you feel symptomatic all the time, there is a test you can do that is not invasive at all. It is called a Holter monitor. You just wear it around you for a day. Like a purse and it monitors your heart all day long. If something is wrong they will detect it.
-----I don't know if this will rest you at ease by saying everything is probably normal. and it just plain old anxiety. I keep hoping that something is physiologically wrong with me. SO there is a reason for this. There isn't. But we will all deal and get through it. Just be reassured. No one ever died from an anxiety attack. And, you will know when something is really wrong! We are pretty preseptive people when it comes to what is going on with us. You'll know. Good Luck with everything and keep us posted.

Wendy88 · 10-19-2006, 08:54 PM

thank you so much for the reply! im glad the topamax helped with your head. serzone actualy worked very well for me years and years ago too. I never tried Zoloft but my sister takes it and it helps her a lot with her GAD. I hope it works for you too!

you know - I hope everything comes back normal... I already have back issues, bad acid reflux and migraines! I dont want to add thyroid to my list! but at least if that is the issue, its a treatable condition.
but im glad he is checking out everything.he is a great doctor. It's weird but I didnt even ask how high my rate was... I think when he said that, it made me anxious so I forgot ask that question.
I feel like everything is ok... when I can think through the anxiety. I mean, the heart flutters don't feel normal but I dont feel that I have other symptoms that might mean I have another type of illness... I have a ton of stresses in my life right now... work is crazy with crazy hours, my boyfriend of 6 years and I are considering breaking up and are in couples therapy on top of my own therapy, and 5 months ago my mom was diagnosed with cancer. she is doing well, but we are very close and it was totally out of the blue. Plus, I had a bad time coming off lexapro... which kind of started some of my panic issues. When I can think rationally about it all, I know I have a lot on my plate and am probably stuck/regressed to panic mode once again, like i use to feel when I graduated college.
anyhow- I'll write in more and post my progress. It's good to "talk" with peopel who understand what it's like to live with this stuff.