Posted by AMenz on June 9, 2001, at 21:09:10
In reply to Re: topamax, posted by Carolyn S. K. on June 9, 2001, at 18:23:38
Hi, did you start noticing the dulling at 200 or above? I'm not clear. How long did it take to clear up?
> > What kinds of doses are working for you ladies? I've seen everything from 100 mg per day to 600 mg per day in the studies, but the studies also indicate that the higher doses make people cognitively dull. I have only one patient on it now (at 100 mg) and she's still got a little bit in the way of hypomania so we're slowly going to go up to 150 mg. She's very bright and in graduate school so I'm being cautious because I don't want to dull her intellect or creativeness, but at the same time when she's manic she doesn't get a whole lot of useful activities done either. I'm hoping we can find a happy medium with the Topamax.
>
> Toby:
> I am a practicing attorney who was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder approximately 1 year ago. I am taking Topamax at 400 mgs. a day - 200 mgs. a.m. and likewise at bedtime.
>
> I started off at 25 mgs. in the a.m. for two weeks and my doc added another 25 mgs. in the evening for two weeks. He added 25 mgs. to the dose once every two weeks for quite some time.
>
> Around the time we hit 200 mgs. a day, Doc started increasing the dosage a little faster because I started racing toward a manic phase. About the same time I noticed a major mental dulling that made it difficult for me to work. Doc and I struggled for a while with my refusal to agree to switch to Depokote (sp?) or Lithium due to my fear of gaining weight (I'm already overweight) and his fear that I was about to lose my battle with keeping "superwoman" locked in the phone booth.
>
> Somehow we made it through that rough period and the mental dulling has passed. Doc and I believe it was just an adjustment to the medication as was my appetite loss. I now have very level moods - no more fighting to keep superwoman from leaving the phone booth. I have regained my cognitive abilities and unfortunately, my appetite.
>
> I hope this anecdote helps you in the treatment of your patient. Carolyn
poster:AMenz
thread:5053
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010605/msgs/65956.html