Is it hard to get a doctor to prescribe topamax?

Question

I have tried midrin, imitrex,vicoden,zomig,maxalt,beta blockers,lexapro(antidepressant) and herbal therapy, for my migraines. Triptans work about 80% of the time, vicoden takes teh pain away for about 3 hours and the rest I get about a 20% success rate with. I have heard topamax usually works but with harsh side effects. I want to try it out because I can't take this migrain pain away. I want to see how bad I get the side effects so I can make my own decision. Is it hard to get a doctor to prescribe it? It is also marketed as a migraine med. I have done the research and know what to expect. I am getting excited thinking of releife and the possible weightloss. I hope I can deal with the memory & tinglies..... This would be a life changing event I have an appointment tomorrow to discuss this.

Answer 1

I would think you could get a progressive doctor to give this medicine a trial run. Also consider neurontin.

Answer 2

Harsh side effects? That really blew my mind. I've been taking Topamax for years, 3 now I think, before it was even officially labeled for migraines. I used to get around 2 a week, maybe 3 - it was hell, basically. I take a beta-blocker anyway because I have kidney disease and lexapro for general pain due to a collagen vascular disease, but those were obviously ineffectual for those monster headaches. Turns out triptans don't due a darn thing for me and I must have tried them all from the first injections of imitrex to the latest one being specified for menstreul migraines -- just no luck. Well, then came my beloved topamax, and I only am half way joking. Unless I am having a lot of stress (like now) I only get menstrual migraines anymore, so just 2 or 3 at that time and the rest of the month is headache free, plus usually those headaches are less severe. Before Topomax, I sometimes had to go to the ER from the pain severity.
Now, back to those side effects -- weight loss, yep it can happen and did to me in the beginning, it cuts your appetite down, after a while it stabilized at a lower level than before (it worked out perfect for me because I had weined my baby a while before and lost all my baby weight); tingling, the ONLY time this ever bothered me was not real long after I started it, it was cold outside and my hands got very cold and they start feeling like pins and needles-but different, it was uncomfortable, once they were warm again they did start to feel better, then other times my hands have been cold their has been minor tingling (because of my kidney disease I get different amounts of the drug sometimes depending on how my kidneys are doing, because it is metabolized through the kidneys, so my experience could differ...);word-finding, okay yeah this one really does happen, your talking away to someone and ,,, ,,, ,,, uh, you KNOW what you want say "I took the ... the ... " and in your head your thinking I know this word, this is a common word, but your brain is NOT going to play along, and then suddenly it's there "DRESS, I took the dress ,,," but you COULD NOT find the word. It happens, sometimes several times a day (I'm tird), not for a week (I'm rested), but it pops up (I'm distracted) now and then (who knows). I'll live with it over migraines anyday personally. (Sometimes I fill in the space while my brain finds the word by explaining its this crazy drug side effect and usually when I'm done with that, my crazy bain has done it's job and the word is there).Yeah, there's one more, for some people including me, carbonated drinks taste funny as in not good funny, so I don't drink them anymore, probably better for me in the long run anyway. My new favorite drink is Minute Maid Light Lemonade. I also drink a lot of water, some skim milk, I love low-fat milkshakes and smoothies too.
My nuerologist just recently told me to take Vitamin C to combat the side effects, I have just begun, so I can't tell you personally how this works.
Good luck and get rid of those migraines!

Answer 3

Well yes and no there has been allot more information given to providers regarding Topamax treatment for migraine patients recently.

However many physicians are reluctant to prescribe Topamx for most patients due to the side effects, but since you have tried many other therapies as long as you do not have any underlining health conditions I think most providers would be fine with trying you on Topamax.

Answer 4

Topamax didn't work for my migraines. So my doctor prescibed Equetro which helps some of the time.

Answer 5

Topomax is a migraine med. Trazodone is a sedative anti depressant. When it comes to migraines, sometimes its hard to tell what the triggers are. These meds will help the person sleep the headache or migraine off - which is often the only way to get rid of that severe of a head ache (sleeping, that is). If they are stress headaches or migraines being triggered by stress, it may help level that out.

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Answer 6

http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/top1541.htm