Topamax being used for nerve pain in diabetics

My mom recently started Topamax to see if it would help with her nerve pain from her diabeties. While at the pool I found out a friend of ours has recently started taking it also for nerve pain.

It has done wonders for mine but my nerve pain is from damage from the nerves due to radiation, surgeries, hydrocephalus and where my brain tumor was.

One side effect of Topamax is brain fog or just plain forget. When I say forget I mean really really forget. I wont say which one of us this happened to but one of us was typing up something and was needing to spell need. But forgot whay "N" looked like. It is funny but it is not. She could say M and know it was suppose to look kinda like M but was N...lol

Ok so it might not have been me this is the reason I wanted to go up on it really slow so I could control how fruity I would be all at one time...

Welcome to the world of the crackberry

So some very interesting things have been happening. Number one Topamax is really helping this time. I'm not hurting all the time so now I am able to get up and exercise. I am loosing weight. I am meeting new people. I am becoming more active with my friends. I have met a new friend. Maybe more who knows. But I am really enjoying life and not dreading everyday waking up.

I can make plans days in advance without having to worry so much about headaches all the time.

Topamax may be helping my fatigue

When you read the side effects of Topamax fatigue is one of the side effects and it is also advised to be taken at night because it may cause drowsiness. But I have had a boost of energy and actually been working out. I decided to step on the scale this morning which I knew would not be real accurate because I am still real sore from starting my workout back up and my muscles are inflamed. I was so excited to see I had lost nearly 7 pounds. I grabbed out a pair of too little pants and WOW!! they fit!! I could not believe it.

I'm still around

Sorry if anyone missed me. Three days now I have been on 75 mg of Topamax. My headaches are doing good as long as it does not snow.

I have been inspired to get up and workout. Plus the Topamax helps my pain. I met a friend from high school that has given me some pointer on working out. Kinda the reason I have not blogged. I hope to do better.

But I am feeling better I think that is a good thing.

One month on Topamax

Since I have been having such a bad time with "Weather Doppler Headaches" I called my neurologist ( I know Liz is cringing right now) to ask him to up the dose. I am currently taking 50 mg. I am so pleased I am not having many major side effects. Sugar does taste a bit off but that wont kill me.

So the doctor called back and they are going to up my dose another 50mg. I'll take it easy and just try 25mg at a time because we all know what dopamax can do...

Brain Freeze

I know everyone from as a kid chugged a slushy and got that Hugh headache from the cold. But I wonder if you notice you still have issues with it or maybe you have more issues with it.

I have become more sensitive to cold drinks in the past few years since the past few surgeries.

We have nerve endings in the roof of our mouth that when the cold comes in contact with causes the headache or "the brain freeze."

It's another snow day

I knew my niece should have just stayed last night. But I was knocked out when her mom came to get her. I barely remember Steph telling me they were leaving.

I'm taking 50 mg of Topamax I was hoping it would help my headaches more but it can not compete with the "Weather Doppler Headache" But I can still add more to it the 50 mg. It has defiantly helped my tremors and I don't think my daily headaches are as bad but we keep having snow every other day so it is really hard to tell if it is a daily headache.

Wintertime blues are real

POSTED: 10:20 a.m. EST, January 29, 2007
By Judy Fortin
CNN
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(CNN) -- It's the time of year when people start complaining about the winter blues. Up to 18 million Americans suffer from a serious form of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. Dr. Norman Rosenthal, psychiatrist and author of "Winter Blues," spoke to CNN about the condition.

CNN: What is SAD?

Rosenthal: SAD is a condition that occurs year after year when the days become short and dark.

CNN: How does it differ from the winter blues?

Rosenthal: Winter blues differs from SAD just in that it is milder. In this condition people will have a reduced quality of life, they will have less sparkle, less fun, less productivity, but they won't be impaired to the degree that they can't work or their relationships suffer. (Watch what you can do to help the winter blues. )

CNN: What are the symptoms of SAD?

Rosenthal: People develop a very typical cluster of symptoms. Low energy, difficulty waking up, dragging yourself along, concentrating becomes a problem, work, relationships, all of these are difficult. Sleep increases, appetite increases especially for sweets and starch and people become sad, depressed, down. It really can become quite bad at its extreme.

CNN: What happens when the symptoms are extreme?

Rosenthal: In severe cases people with Seasonal Affective Disorder can be disabled, unable to work, unable to keep their commitments to other people, even suicidal. At its extreme it really needs medical attention.

CNN: What causes it?

Rosenthal: SAD results from three causes: genetic susceptibility, environmental factors like lack of light, and stress can bring it out if you are vulnerable. Lack of light is crucial. The light is providing us with certain chemicals in the brain and when we take that away in susceptible people the changes are not occurring and then you get the whole cascade of symptoms.

CNN: What are the treatment options?

Rosenthal: Get more light either by walking outside on a bright winter day or bringing more light into the home. This can be done with regular lamps, but if you have it badly you're better off getting a pre-made standard light fixture. Reduce stress, exercise, modify diets. If it's really bad, antidepressants can be helpful and cognitive behavior therapy can all be useful.

CNN: What if you don't do anything?

Rosenthal: You have to be active to combat SAD. You can't just be passive, otherwise it engulfs you and you're like a hibernating bear all winter long.

Something besides hydro

Watching the news the other night they were talking about we had had 40 something days of no sun to very little sun which could cause the winter blues. I think I got them. I take a vitamin D supplement but I don't think it is the same as direct sun light.

This would explain why I'm wanting to sleep so and bummed out feeling. I just feel tired and can't get going. So I am hoping to see the sun shine soon.

Fatigue caught me again

I have been taking several supplements for fatigue hoping I would not have major side effects from doing things out of my daily routine. Well, fatigue still gets me. My niece has stayed with me a couple days this week and she helps me with everything and I even layed down during the day and napped but it still worked on my energy.

I pushed myself Wednesday to get grocery shopping done because I was repairing for another storm coming in. But Thursday and Friday both I napped on and off all day. Which is something I often do after a trip to my doctor in South Carolina.

I wonder what I have to do to get my energy back.

My niece was very understanding with my weather related headaches. With her being 11 I think she can understand a bit better now that she is older.

Sewing class

I went to my first class and was really looking forward to another class. But with all the crazy weather I have decided to cancel the class until later in the spring. I will have a portable sewing machine and Mamaw's set up and everything I need for the class.

A different kind of week

With all the snow days this week I got to keep my niece for two days and nights. It was the first time I have been totally on my own with her. Which is a good thing she can see how I am not as healthy as I should be and what my handicaps are because you don't see things right off.

She got to see Pepper at his best doing his job taking care of me. She thought it was funny the first night when he started whining for me to go to bed but the second night I was having more of a headache he started at 9:15 instead of 10:00. And when I would not make it to the bedroom fast enough he would bark like he was scolding me.

Not snowed in...

Just a quick message I am not snowed in but have had a couple of snow days and been having my niece staying with me. I have some great things to blog about and how Pepper still Knows best even with company.

I have had tons of fun but I am beat and will have to save the blogging for tommorow. I don't have children of my own but am blessed to have a great niece to get to spend time with.