Posted by JESSsMom on July 20, 2008, at 20:51:00
In reply to Re: Obesity - Anxiety - Depression - Headaches, posted by Racer on July 20, 2008, at 16:08:24
Racer, thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to address specific medications. I appreciate your thoughts and will carry them with me tomorrow.
Upping my Topomax is definitely a consideration. I am on that tiny dose from way back when the headaches started and were migraines (they no longer are migraines but still painful headaches - down to two or three times/month). There is a possibility that that small 25mg/night dose is keeping the headaches from becoming migraines and has been helping just a bit to stabilize my mood all this time. I know that when I started taking it 2 1/2 years ago I felt my mood elevate, my depression lift, and my anxiety diminish.
At one point during the trial and error migraine therapy the Topomax dose was upped to 50mg/night and I got a case of the "stupids" the next day. That was hard to tolerate. I have also watched a friend take it at a much higher dose for seizures and really get the "stupids." You know, "Dopamax." It's so true. Word finding problems, memory problems - lots of cognitive stuff.
I am not adverse to discussing a very, very slow titration up of Topomax with my doctor, though. There's one idea. :)
I know exactly what you mean about feeling as though you will twitch out of your skin with Prozac. Horrible feeling. I *think* this only happens to depressed people with a coexisting anxiety disorder. Deeply depressed people without anxiety are thankful for the activation. Also, as you said, Zoloft is worth talking to my PDoc about but Zoloft is a known weight gainer.
Lamictal, as I understand it, would be a replacement for Topomax, but without getting the dreaded "stupids?" I don't really know much about it. I need to read up.
Regarding Meridia - I, too, thought it was the perfect med for me in that it would address two of my problems (obesity and depression) but the reading I have done on it says that it is pretty much a failure as far as treating depression (just reporting what I have read when googling - I have never tried it). This might very well not be the case for me, although I have to say that I don't read much about Meridia success in treating depression. Mostly small amount of weight loss info comes up when googling. It is worth a try. Anything is. We are all so different. It's another option to have in mind when I see my PDoc tomorrow. That would just be the best thing ever - a med that lifted my depression (in turn helping my anxiety) and helped me lose weight.
Taking notes here when it comes to your success with Buspar, too.
I really appreciate your time and good suggestions.
Meg
poster:JESSsMom
thread:841086
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080718/msgs/841157.html