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Would you change back to old meds for weight loss
Sun, 01/29/2006 - 10:01Topic: Medication Issues
Hi all
I am wondering if anyone could give me some advice of whether to return back to taking Topamax to lose weight?
A few years ago I was taking Tegretol, Topamax and maybe also Clonazepam. At first when I first started taking Topamax it worked wonders for me. It kept me seizure free for nearly a whole year (2 weeks left) and the longest I had been seizure free my whole life. Until other events in my life went badly all at once my seizures returned big time with very serious side effects (one side effect was losing 35 lbs in weight).
My neurologist then changed my meds to Tegretol, Keppra and Frisium for the time of my period which doesn't help because I am now getting withdrawal seizures from the Frisium each month when I stop taking the tablet just in the morning, but continue at night. When I was taken off Topamax and my Tegretol was increased, I then regained back the weight and more.
I ask you this question because next Tuesday, I have an appointment with an Epilepsy Nurse for the first time ever and am wondering if I should ask her to change my meds back to Tegretol and Topamax again. I want to return to Topamax for the weight loss and see if it controls my seizures again, but I am worried if the other serious side effects return too.
The other worry I have is that I am a candidate for surgery. I have the Wada Test in March and so if I did change my meds, do you think it is to near the Wada test and possibly surgery to change the meds?
What would you all do?
All advice welcomed. Thanks
Teri
Comments
Re: Re: Would you change back to old meds for weight loss
Submitted by pinkangel_82 on Sun, 2006-01-29 - 15:23
Hi Lisa
I really appreciate your reply. It is a difficult decision to make when you have no other options open about meds. I never knew until I read other about other members on this site regarding how much Tegretol makes a person put on weight. At the time when my Tegretol was increased by 400 mg I must have put on about 14 pounds in weight within 2 weeks but couldn't understand why at the time until yesterday. You are right in saying that it is more important to control seizures than worry about gaining weight, but society puts so much pressure on people to look slim. People's chemistry does change over the years so what may not have suited a person at one time in their life, may suit them later on. That is why I am considering to try out Topamax again. Only this time, I will know of which bad signs to look out for. I think if it wasn't for me having the Wada Test and maybe surgery so near I would try out Topamax again without hesitation. What I don't understand is why my neurologist and neurosurgeon haven't told me too lose weight when it is far more dangerous for an operation than for someone who is at a healthy weight for their frame.
I am so sorry to hear that you have been very unwell recently. I hope that you are feeling much better very soon and that you can come to a good decision about your meds and finding one more suitable.
All the best and Take care.
Teri
Re: Would you change back to old meds for weight loss
Submitted by angel_lts on Sun, 2006-01-29 - 10:25
Teri, Well I am just in sort of a situation like this. I think there is a number of issues to concider. For myself, I dont have anymore options left. So it is hard to go off something when I dont have anymore options. But in the past I have gained 20 pds from trileptal and tegretal and never changed. For it was more important for me to help my seizures not my weight first. But now I am on Lyrica and is causing me weight gain. And because my weight is a bit high, now I am concerned of getting things like diabetes or some other medical issues. But yesterday I had four seizures and now I will go off of Lyrica definitely. As for your topamax or any other med, as our bodies change so does taking our meds. So something you took years ago could react differently now. So it is a very hard decision to make. But if I were you, I would be going to check out Topamax again. ANd just go on with the wada test too. But you have to start now to do topamax. Talk with your doctor about it. But if you were taking topamax with other meds, it will not have the same reaction. Taking so many meds together reacts diffently. good luck with your decision Lisa http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/epilepsyapproach/