I got the results of the MRI back 2 weeks ago and on top on the Spondylolysis,and Spondylolisthesis(L5/S1) they found Degenerative Disk Disease and Arthritis. I have nerve root damage on both sides also. The report also says "bilateral pars interarticularis defects" which I still need to look up because I did not see that until after I left the office and have no idea that that is? Anybody?
Anyway, the doctor had originally tried me on Neurontin before the MRI and I was so sick and nauseous I only lasted 4 days on it. So I did some research of other drugs that help with nerve pain in the anti seizure category and decided to see if he would let me try Topamax. He said he was not very familiar with this drug(I think they just prescribe the same thing over and over depending on which salesman they like best and he really pushes Neurontin) but he was willing to let me try. He went to the drug reference book and wrote the script for 1 or 2 25mg a day. Well I know that most nerve pain is helped at 100-200 mg daily from my research so I expect to need an increase but I can tell a difference on the 50 mg. I may see if he will allow me to go to 75 soon. I feel like I am a test case on this for him because he really did not feel it would help. The first few days I had numbness for about 15 minutes in my fingers,toes and lips but that went away. Now my only problems have been my MEMORY!!Even on this small dose I lose my thoughts as I am speaking them and yesterday a girl I have known for 15 years said hi at the store and it took me 5 minutes to remember her name!!!! The pain in my left hip has gone and I have very little in my right so maybe 75 mg will be the key for me if I can just find a way to get past this memory thing. Luckily I've always been a list person. I still have the back pain and am taking Vicodin for that. He was understanding about my fear of Steroids after my husbands diagnosis of AVN(both hips after taking prednisone and injections for a herniated disk at c5/6) and did not push for the injection route as long as we can manage the pain with the voltarin,vicodin and Topamax. Overall I was pleased with my visit but I just wish he was a little more informed about the Topamax. There are so many questions I wanted to ask him about it and I felt I knew more about it than he did. Anyone here ever tried it for nerve pain? Good/bad results? I know this is long but the people here have so much knowledge that I feel I can get more answers here than from him.

First let me tell you that you have the "Dopamax " effects...and it is very common. I have been on Topamax for 8 mos now and have had the same s/e's that you are now experiencing. They do go away, but boy, you think you are losing your mind there to start with. Doctors that use the drug regularly start their patient's on low dosages..like 25mg...and titrate them upward by 25mg per month, I'm now at 100mg (took 5 months)but I started feeling relief after 3 weeks at 25mg. There is a bulletin board...Topamax Talks...that will answer many questions. I am very happy with the drug. I was on Neurotinin and had horrible s/e's including mood swings and gaining 60 lbs. P.S. Topamax is sometimes used as a weight management drug also, so I've lost 58lbs so far...good side effect !

I have an answer to your other question. A pars defect is one thing that can cause the spondy. Basically, some people are born with this defect or it develops as a child. The pars bone (in your vertebrae) cracks like a hair-line fracture. You generally don't feel any pain or even know it is going on. Over time, the crack eventually grows larger and can break off from the rest of the bone. This allows your back to shift causing the spondy. There is nothing you did to cause it- it is genetic. It does explain your spondy. though. Do a little research about pars defect and you will find a wealth of information. I hope this helps.
J http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/wave.gif

Thanks for the info Shea! I tried to find the Topamax Talks Bulletin Board but it does not seem to be on Google anywhere http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif. I have read that the drug make your hair fall out. Please tell me this is just minor hair loss. I really do not need to wake up bald one morning. I have big ears and my hair hides them. lol..Seriously, I have read that on numerous other boards and it has me worried but none of the actual "medical side affects from the pharmacy or drug companys list this as a side affect." Have you noticed any hair loss? Any idea how I can find the bulletin board you mentioned? Thanks for your help!!

Yep, I forgot to mention that I did have some hair loss..something that my doc forgot to mention and that my pharmacist had no idea until I said something.
I take Biotin, a B vitamin supplement, 3000mcg a day. You can buy it at Wal Mart or Target and it is very inexpensive...it stopped the hair loss almost immediately ! I also take a multi vitamin with Ginko in it and that stopped any short term memory loss whenever I "up" my doseage. The key is to SLOWLY increase the doseage of this medication...do it by month, not by week. Personally I wouldn't let anyone but a neurologist or pain management doctor prescribe this for me. Trust what your body is telling you !!
The Topamax Talk BB is on the ezboard.com BB
Good Luck..I'm here for you !

Thanks SGC123!

I had wondered where the Spondylolysis had come from. My doctors figured the Spondylolisthesis was from a car wreck about 10 years ago. I have had back pain since then but no one has been able to tell me the cause of it. It would act up and then go away for a while until the past 6 months when the nerves started acting up. Its been a wild 3 months full of doctors and physical therapy and drugs. I'm tired of it already and I know I've only just begun. I read the stories here and the respect I feel for every one of you who have battled this for years is tremendous. God Bless you all. You have been through so much and just keep going on. I just wish every doctor was required to spend a week as a patient with back or chronic pain before they could get their degree. It's so easy for them to sit there and tell us what to do and what we should or should not feel but they don't have a clue. Some doctors understand,or try to. Others,think they know it all and that we are not really hurting as bad as we say. Luckily my doctor this time seems to care. I have had others in the past who did not. Thanks for the info. I'd rather hear from patients who have been there and actually know what I am feeling and fearing than doctors who are quoting textbooks and sometimes outdated ones at that.. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif