![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1058 to 1082 of 1838. Go back in thread:
Posted by merry on November 6, 2004, at 19:59:16
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking, posted by rainy on November 6, 2004, at 18:43:24
I've finally reached 400mg topomax. It was a long journey. It wasn't easy either. Even though I took it nice and easy and slooowww. It still was a hard road. But it was worth it because I notice that I am feeling better. My moods are much more stable. I still have the tingles in my legs and I don't like carbonated drinks and my sense of smell is as good as my dogs'....now everything stinks. I want to wash my carpet. Oh yeah, I lost a total of 7lbs. Hurrah!
Kat, I'm so sorry about what you have been going through. I hope you are feeling better.Wow, everyone, you sure are a supportive bunch! I have been reading and catching up on the past posts and ya'll have been just wonderful to each other. I just wish we can have a group hug. Ok. Now I think I am being a little weird. But I feel all warm and fuzzy inside right now and I guess that is a positive thing and I shouldn't put myself down because of it.
Anyway, That Lar guy taught me a thing or two about topomax. Very informative.
Well, gotta feed my animals. Glad to be back!
merry
Posted by iris2 on November 6, 2004, at 20:06:26
In reply to can't stop thinking, posted by rainy on November 6, 2004, at 15:06:52
Rainy
Provigil made me shakey and nervous. So bad that I stopped taking it. It did thte same to my girl friend. So it might be that it is making you shake.
irene
Posted by iris2 on November 6, 2004, at 20:14:06
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking » stresser, posted by headachequeen on November 6, 2004, at 17:05:25
Kat,
Maybe you can stop ruminating a little if you think about having the aura and feeling weird before you had the seizure. Perhaps you could just pay attention to how you are feeling and be aware if you start having that kind of out of body type experience.
I have done that with my migraines. I get an aura before so I am aware when I am getting a migraine and not just nauseous or have a small headache.
Hope this might help a little. Now get some sleep:)
irene
Posted by stresser on November 6, 2004, at 20:50:28
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking » rainy, posted by headachequeen on November 6, 2004, at 18:13:03
A fever with a seizure? I don't know much about seizures, but I'm thinking that it's not common. Kat- Yes, your husband must go to the doc. with you, he needs to know what to look for during your sleep, and you need sleep. I'm really curious about the anti-histamine that is banned from your armed forces. I have an idea, but not quite sure what it is. Do we have it here? Have you ever taken Klonipin? I'm sure that is a ditzy question, because you have been dealing with this for years. If it were me (I'm not a patient person at ALL), I would be calling my doc. tomorrow, PRONTO. I think he needs to know how you are feeling and how frieghtened you are. Let us know what you decide to do. -L
Posted by stresser on November 6, 2004, at 20:58:44
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking » headachequeen, posted by iris2 on November 6, 2004, at 20:14:06
Seven pounds is wonderful, and having you back makes it twice as nice!!! I sound like my grandma! Sooooo, did the topamax make you lose the weight? I'm still picking everyone's brains over this blasted drug, because I always think I need an answer to every problem emmediatly. No patience here.....Just waiting for it to kick in for my daughter. Larry is great huh? -L
Posted by headachequeen on November 6, 2004, at 22:33:53
In reply to Re: feeling better, posted by merry on November 6, 2004, at 19:59:16
> I've finally reached 400mg topomax. It was a long journey. It wasn't easy either. Even though I took it nice and easy and slooowww. It still was a hard road. But it was worth it because I notice that I am feeling better. My moods are much more stable. I still have the tingles in my legs and I don't like carbonated drinks and my sense of smell is as good as my dogs'....now everything stinks. I want to wash my carpet. Oh yeah, I lost a total of 7lbs. Hurrah!
>
Merry, seven pounds... and just the beginning...
congratulations...
I feel great for you...
at the hospital they told me that some times the tingling is actually a migraine, especially when it affects the hands and face...
something else to think about...
usually I have found that it is a warning of a seizure to come and I felt that my early warning system had let me down...
but the tingling in the legs is common with topomax and does go away as you become accustomed...
there is hope <g>
glad to see you back with us... don't go away again...
kat
Posted by rainy on November 7, 2004, at 5:51:03
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking, posted by rainy on November 6, 2004, at 18:43:24
I sat through the concert last night feeling as if I had come on very strong in my last comment about it not being the end of the world if you had another seizure, Kat. I'm sorry.
Of course it would be unpleasant at best and send you and your husband for another harrowing ambulance ride and reprise of your earlier experience, maybe with fringes, at worst.
I was speaking out of turn and again, please accept my apology.
rainy
Posted by headachequeen on November 7, 2004, at 9:54:24
In reply to yelling at Kat, posted by rainy on November 7, 2004, at 5:51:03
> I sat through the concert last night feeling as if I had come on very strong in my last comment about it not being the end of the world if you had another seizure, Kat. I'm sorry.
>
> Of course it would be unpleasant at best and send you and your husband for another harrowing ambulance ride and reprise of your earlier experience, maybe with fringes, at worst.
>
> I was speaking out of turn and again, please accept my apology.
>
> rainyrainy you were NOT speaking out of turn..
I have not read the actual post yet... I had gone to bed actually and am reading the posts from the top down this morning <g>
but I have to get balance back in myself and in my life and face these fears...
there will be more seizures, I only hope of a lesser extreme...
the fever with this one was so extreme that one of the concerns was brain damage...
I am not sure how I would cope with that... and I know now, after a long chat with my favourite (and only) son, that my husband was in a long night of terror about it until they told him some time late the next day that the fever had come down quite a bit and was under control. By Thursday morning I was only a few points above normal temperature... and still being given Tylenol to bring it down...no Rainy, you are not speaking out of turn...
logic has to re-enter my life...
yesterday to my great delight, we were out for coffee and he let me walk home alone -- I stopped to pick up bread and croissants at the bakery and a couple of fish at the hobby shop to add to the aquaria in the living room...
he was in the front door a few minutes after I was and I secretly believe he followed me but I had the feeling of doing it alone <gg>
He has been so smothering almost...
but I have been hearing from people how totally distraught he has been and I am now developing a real case of the guilts even though as he says I didn't plan it...
and I don't plan to do another one either...
I can't wait until they get this med thing balanced... it says in the book they sent home with the rules in it that it could take as much as two years!!!!!! LOL that really made my day
kat
Posted by headachequeen on November 7, 2004, at 9:57:55
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking » headachequeen, posted by iris2 on November 6, 2004, at 20:14:06
> Kat,
>
> Maybe you can stop ruminating a little if you think about having the aura and feeling weird before you had the seizure. Perhaps you could just pay attention to how you are feeling and be aware if you start having that kind of out of body type experience.
>
> I have done that with my migraines. I get an aura before so I am aware when I am getting a migraine and not just nauseous or have a small headache.
>
> Hope this might help a little. Now get some sleep:)
>
> irene
>
I certainly shall react the next time - if there is a next time - that feeling occurs. Instead of grumbling about it, I shall seek help...
lesson learned..
I never had auras with migraine either...
they were just there full-blownIrene, when I was at the doctor's on Friday he told me almost as much as you did about Potassium by the way and did blood test for it and magnesium...
first time he had actually told me how it affects so much...
I told him a friend had already explained in detail andthat I was going to be very attentive in the future...
<G>
kat
Posted by headachequeen on November 7, 2004, at 11:15:29
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking, posted by rainy on November 6, 2004, at 18:43:24
> Ms. Kat, it isn't racing thoughts--my parents didn't dub me Slow Poke at my mother's knee for nothing. I can't answer as I'd like becasue we have to go to a hoity toity concert tonight in about five minutes, but I'm a little concerned about you.
> What does sleep deprivation (and I understand your interest in staying awake) do to the odds of you having another seizure? Can your MD help you out here? You don't have to asnwer--I'm just thinking out loud. I know it seriously messes with manic depressive episodes. Also, from a lay person's pont of view, this fever buisness sound like there's something besides a strictly neuro phenomenon going on.
> And finally, while there was a tylenol scare here in the U.S. a few years ago, it seems to have died down and despite having spent five years or so swilling a lot more vodka than was good for any part of me, I still use it because I can't tolerate ASA.
> My liver function panels are always OK. So unless your medical people tell you, specificall otherwise, don't sweat the tylenol right now.
> Here's David, gotta go, hang in there and trust your body. Give up some of that famous control and let sleep come. It heals. If you have another seizure it's truly not the end of the world.
> easy for me to say
> all best wishes and good thoughts
> rainy
Ah, found the post you meant :)If it makes you feel better <g>, at some point last night or early this morning, I fell asleep despite my determination not to -- the med that my own doctor gave me Friday afternoon and the new one the neurologists gave me to go with the lessened tegretol and the unchanged topomax both have sleep inducing side effects and they worked it seemed... I feel asleep earlier then woke up and read for a while then the next thing I knew it was eight or so and I had slept really soundly... forgot to be afraid of what might happen..
as one of the people on one of the epilepsy boards... man are they technical there and not at all like here they have a long way to go to become human... pointed out, it can happen when I am awake too, so now I have to worry about being awake LOL...
seems I am not able to be as in control as much as I planned <GGG>I have the other med, forget what it is called and the neuro told me that if this new stuff does not make me sleep then take it.. but give this new one a day or two to do its stuff...
I am certainly in the same group as you are, rainy, and cannot tolerate ASA now... the things it does when mixed with Tegretol are downright terrifying...
was reading yesterday about two teenagers who died when given a pain patch... seems that one needs to have reached a level of tolerance to pain meds equivalent to at least Tylenol III before being given this patch and their doctors didn't know this...
made me think of my former neuro prescribing aspirin and then the tegretol... he should have known of its effects when mixed with tegretol...
and then I increased the effect by trying to eliminate this pain in my eye area with more aspirin...thanks for the info on tylenol... almost everything else seems to be asa based...
and I always found that tylenol worked...so back to my naps in the afternoon and evening and simply taking it from moment to moment...
I know it is going to happen again, but I hope it will not be on that extreme level...
I never want to put the other half of this partnership through that again...
he says I took thirty years off his life...
I suggested that if he quit smoking it might give him back fifteen...
seems it was not the time to say so....lol
kat
>
>
Posted by headachequeen on November 7, 2004, at 11:34:10
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking » headachequeen, posted by stresser on November 6, 2004, at 20:50:28
> A fever with a seizure? I don't know much about seizures, but I'm thinking that it's not common. Kat- Yes, your husband must go to the doc. with you, he needs to know what to look for during your sleep, and you need sleep. I'm really curious about the anti-histamine that is banned from your armed forces. I have an idea, but not quite sure what it is. Do we have it here? Have you ever taken Klonipin? I'm sure that is a ditzy question, because you have been dealing with this for years. If it were me (I'm not a patient person at ALL), I would be calling my doc. tomorrow, PRONTO. I think he needs to know how you are feeling and how frieghtened you are. Let us know what you decide to do. -L
The name under which I get it is hydroxizin CL and my son was told that it was considered a banned substance...
the team at the hospital in Ottawa were unaware of it and I did not get it the whole time I was there... forgot to ask my own doctor when I saw him on my return if I can take it; have to call tomorrow... itchy eyes, itchy skin where it touches my clothing other than silks and cotton and it is getting a little cold up here, and constant sneezing... soon be into the intense reactions as I am allergic to half the known world and at least half the unknown world -- a redhead thing I think...
my son has the same allergies, food, environmental, and drug.... and is a redhead...
for both of us, this is the only thing that works and is apparently the strongest thing out there...
one of the oldies but goodies...
every doctor that comes along tries to change the med to new and milder but every allergist says if it ain't broke don't mess with it ... the newer ones don't work...
we take the shots and they don't help much so we go back to these little green footballs.
The hospital pharmacist wasn't aware of it either...
she had to look it up and still wasn't aware of it... it is really an oldie but then the doctor who prescribed it originally is 76 and still practising <g>When I first saw this neuro, he is the head of the epilepsy clinic for the region, he was surprised that Stephen had not come with me... Stephen does not do hospitals very well... as he needed info that only Stephen can give him, and insisted he come next visit which was to have been February, so he can find out what the nocturnal seizures are like and what the August and September tonic clonic seizures were like --
now he really wants to see him to find out what happened this time... and I am going to be all ears... I want to fill in the blanks...My son called this morning and says it was the same when he talked to his dad. Each time he would get a little more information... and was careful not to say anything about his frustrations or he might not get any more information... he is a senior warrant officer and used to demanding responses and getting them right then and there from his men, it was hard to wait for bits and pieces <g>
It was from him I learned about the risk of brain damage from the high fever that would not break...
Stephen didn't mention that to him until late Tuesday and has yet to mention it to me...
he *really* operates on need to know <g> and he has always been a civilian LOLWhen I was being released the nurse told me one of the team was still there and if I had any questions she would make sure he came back to answer them... I had none...
I told her I would think of dozens when I got home...Now I have hundreds...
Ain't it always the way...but I am slowly finding my way back to me...
since this thing could happen again any time of day awake or asleep no point being afraid to go to sleep...
and can't be afraid to be awake...
I have missed too much of my life already...and I was thinking of you people while I was in there... wanted my laptop but there is no way to use it there... and one of the rules is no using the computer while they have you in their clutches...
they have rules for everything sigh...
kat
Posted by iris2 on November 7, 2004, at 11:59:35
In reply to Re: yelling at Kat » rainy, posted by headachequeen on November 7, 2004, at 9:54:24
Kat,
What meds are you on now? I think you said they changed or added some? And they decreased the Tegretol?
I really meant what I said about not worrying about having another seizure. If you have an aura before and/or other symptoms then you can probably predict them a little better by recognizing the "precursor" symptoms. Like I said I do this for my migraines.
Second it is definitely a waste of time and energy to worry about something that you have no control over. The best you can do is to take the medication as prescribed and take notice of side effects and any break through seizure like activity including aura stuff or feeling like you are in the twilight zone (cannot think of a better way to define it). Do you get like that, I do
Try to be somewhat aware of the symptoms if you can then you can take whatever immediate action you need to. In your case I would think perhaps it would be getting to the hospital immediately.
Now I am going to ventL
I started taking a medication that is helping my depression a lot. It is Amisulpride. It stops the constant ruminating thoughts of wanting to die and negative self-thinking. It also helps tremendously with the accompanying anxiety.
Problem is that I have an eating disorder of some magnitude for 30 years. The Amisupride increases my prolactin which has made my menses stop and is making me gain a lot of weight around my stomach. Actually it is making me have a rather large stomach but I think in reality I have lost a couple of pounds. I went off of it once for four days and started going berserk because I was so anxious and full of self loathing and wanting to die. But the stomach stuff is driving me mad. I have trouble exercising, as my depression is so bad I have trouble doing almost anything so I am trying to exercise my stomach a little but not having great success at doing it. Not sure how much it would help anyway. I am upset also because I do not know even if I go off the medication if I will loose this big stomach . I am going to try taking a medication that will lower the prolactin which should stop this from getting worse but again I do not know if it will go away. I just started taking a medication called Mirapex for depression, which could also have a lowering effect on the prolactin. Before I try anything else I need to wait and see if I can take this with my bladder ( I have interstitial cystitis), if it helps the depression and if it lowers the prolactin.
I know I am rambling. That should tell you all how upset I am about this ballooning stomach. I have read several posts saying how people would not take a med because it made them gain weight or stay on one because it kept their weight down and some of these people did not even have an eating disorder at least that I knew about. I always said to myself that I would not be so irrational. I have seen people for years go off of medication that was helping them tremendously because of weight gain. I always told myself that I would never be that person. That it was not a logical thing to do. To deal with the weight as best I could and try to keep it under some control. Great control it has made my bulimia start up again. I have started to purge several times a week. I think I am getting that part under control though.
Ok so that is what is going on. Any input would be appreciated.
Thanks,
irene
Posted by iris2 on November 7, 2004, at 12:03:09
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking » iris2, posted by headachequeen on November 7, 2004, at 9:57:55
Kat,
I cannot rmember what I know about the magnesium. I have some to take and for the life of me cannot rmeber waht my reasoning was for taking it. I think a lot was for depression though. Other stuff too. I will look it up on the net but could you babble mail the information your doc told you.
Thanks,
irene
Posted by iris2 on November 7, 2004, at 12:09:09
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking, posted by headachequeen on November 7, 2004, at 11:15:29
Does your husband belong to any kind of supprot group or get any type of support for your epilepsy? It might make him feel more at ease if he can share his feelings with others who go through the same things. Or even if he cannot share it might help just to be more informed about it all so he will not be so afraid. I used to be involved in several self help groups and went to a trianing to start them. It was mostly people with MS but just in the training I think a lot of people felt better because they were not alone and became better informed so they had less to worry about.
irene
Posted by merry on November 7, 2004, at 14:51:00
In reply to Merry, Happy you're back, posted by stresser on November 6, 2004, at 20:58:44
> Seven pounds is wonderful, and having you back makes it twice as nice!!! I sound like my grandma! Sooooo, did the topamax make you lose the weight? I'm still picking everyone's brains over this blasted drug, because I always think I need an answer to every problem emmediatly. No patience here.....Just waiting for it to kick in for my daughter. Larry is great huh? -L
The topomax is making me feel less hungry so I eat less. But at times I feel real hunger I tend to eat too much then I get sick and can't keep it down. That part I don't like. So I have to be careful and just watch out and don't overdo it. Before the Topomax I used to overeat but now I don't feel like eating as much because food doesn't appeal to me right now. I feel more thirsty than hungry. merry
Posted by lorilu on November 7, 2004, at 15:58:10
In reply to can't stop thinking, posted by rainy on November 6, 2004, at 15:06:52
> Lorilu, you wrote that you're on provigil. Have you found that it has any effect on your thinking process besides helping you stay focused? I can't stop thinking today and I'm wondering if it's the medication. (It's not all that interesting, either.) I've been on 200 mgs for a little over a week. I think it makes me shaky, too. Have you noticed that?
> rainyHi rainy
That's my life so I really wouldn't know the difference. My problem is that with my OCD I can never stop thinking! So if I take 200 mg I am focused and get all my work done and everyone at work and home is happy, but then it leaves me up longer at night to worry. On the other hand, if I don't take it or I only take 100mg. I still worry, but I will go to sleep earlier and can take naps.
I take the Topamax and Effexor to make the thoughts "float away", so the docs say. I am going to start taking Adderal with the Provigil because I avoid things and still overthink things. I am hoping that the new med will kick my butt into high gear. Instead of doing some things, I worry about them. It would be faster if I just did them, but they have to be done a certain way, and just right. The Provigil helps, but the problem is I don't take it every day. So, you may ask why take a new med.? Because my pdoc recommended it awhile back and I didn't take it, but after reading about it on this site with Provigil I am interested. I went to my pdoc this week and he said I've got to take my meds faithfully and start the adderal and see what happens. He said if you ask for it you usually need it :)
As for Larry, I agree, I have learned a lot from his posts. I think Topamax has effected my balance a little and like my doc said, I need to wear good shoes with support. No more flip flop, sandals, or slips. If you fall, those shoes will cause the most damage (trust me). Also, on Topamax, the first couple of months I had terrible tingly feelings in my fingers and toes but that went away. I never get that any more. Also, if I take less than 200 mg. of Topamax I get migranes. I take it as a mood stabilizer but I also used to get migranes. Finally, the pdoc said that as I increase the Adderal I may need to increase the Topamax.
Posted by rainy on November 7, 2004, at 16:17:13
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking, posted by lorilu on November 7, 2004, at 15:58:10
Thanks, Lorilu. I'm really confused, though, because in looking up adverse effects of provigil this morning, one site said it was sold in Canada as Alderal or however you spell it. But they aren't the same drug??
Your OCD experience sounds a little like my bipolar II except the same guy who treated me for major depression for 10 years said specifically that I didn't "have it." OCD. Traits, yes, for which he prescribed Luvox from which I piled on pounds and remained depressed, but not the actual disorder.
I've been as obsessive as hell this past week at 200 mgs, to the detriment of my so called real life. well, housework.
To quote someone else on this board, I just want it to all go away.
rainy
Posted by headachequeen on November 7, 2004, at 21:23:49
In reply to Big Stomach:( » headachequeen, posted by iris2 on November 7, 2004, at 11:59:35
> Kat,
>
> What meds are you on now? I think you said they changed or added some? And they decreased the Tegretol?
>
> I really meant what I said about not worrying about having another seizure. If you have an aura before and/or other symptoms then you can probably predict them a little better by recognizing the "precursor" symptoms. Like I said I do this for my migraines.
>
> Second it is definitely a waste of time and energy to worry about something that you have no control over. The best you can do is to take the medication as prescribed and take notice of side effects and any break through seizure like activity including aura stuff or feeling like you are in the twilight zone (cannot think of a better way to define it). Do you get like that, I do
>
> Try to be somewhat aware of the symptoms if you can then you can take whatever immediate action you need to. In your case I would think perhaps it would be getting to the hospital immediately.
>
> Now I am going to ventL
>
> I started taking a medication that is helping my depression a lot. It is Amisulpride. It stops the constant ruminating thoughts of wanting to die and negative self-thinking. It also helps tremendously with the accompanying anxiety.
>
> Problem is that I have an eating disorder of some magnitude for 30 years. The Amisupride increases my prolactin which has made my menses stop and is making me gain a lot of weight around my stomach. Actually it is making me have a rather large stomach but I think in reality I have lost a couple of pounds. I went off of it once for four days and started going berserk because I was so anxious and full of self loathing and wanting to die. But the stomach stuff is driving me mad. I have trouble exercising, as my depression is so bad I have trouble doing almost anything so I am trying to exercise my stomach a little but not having great success at doing it. Not sure how much it would help anyway. I am upset also because I do not know even if I go off the medication if I will loose this big stomach . I am going to try taking a medication that will lower the prolactin which should stop this from getting worse but again I do not know if it will go away. I just started taking a medication called Mirapex for depression, which could also have a lowering effect on the prolactin. Before I try anything else I need to wait and see if I can take this with my bladder ( I have interstitial cystitis), if it helps the depression and if it lowers the prolactin.
>
> I know I am rambling. That should tell you all how upset I am about this ballooning stomach. I have read several posts saying how people would not take a med because it made them gain weight or stay on one because it kept their weight down and some of these people did not even have an eating disorder at least that I knew about. I always said to myself that I would not be so irrational. I have seen people for years go off of medication that was helping them tremendously because of weight gain. I always told myself that I would never be that person. That it was not a logical thing to do. To deal with the weight as best I could and try to keep it under some control. Great control it has made my bulimia start up again. I have started to purge several times a week. I think I am getting that part under control though.
>
> Ok so that is what is going on. Any input would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> irene
>Irene, I shall have to go to the bedroom to get the list of meds and right now that is too much effort... just got comfortable and there is a list of posts I want to read from this board...
not trying to be wise-apple here... I shall send the list later...
they did cut back on the tegretol though and will increase it slowly until they are happy with it..
and I shall be feeding someone's vampire bat on a constant basis with the blood tests needed to keep track.
Much of what you and Rainy have said makes so much sense, now that I have settled down and thought about it..
I know what the aura is now - something I had no recognition of before - and your advice is sound... next time I feel that aura, I am heading for emergency and fastening a seatbelt because I know it is going to be a rocky ride...
advice finally processed, understood and taken...
and I thank you both and Stresser too...
it just takes me longer these days...
and every time it takes me longer to sort through things Stephen wonders if it is a sign of brain damage...
it has indeed been harder on him!Now, this stomach enlargement...
that would be upset me hugely... one of the things that pleases me most about the weight loss is the flatter stomach... so I understand totally...Could this be bloating... you say that the menses have stopped entirely, but that does not stop the accompanying hormonal and internal effects... so it might not stop the bloating effect that accompanies them...
could something be done to counteract the bloating effect???
and this in turn release this stomach enlargement?
and is there not another med that would have similar controlling effects to counteract these negative feelings?this has to be changed for you...
I fully appreciate the urge to stop using this medication no matter how helpful it might be if this is the result...
what does your doctor say about it and its results???this is not the way a helpful med should be...
what have you been told
kat
Posted by headachequeen on November 7, 2004, at 21:29:58
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking » headachequeen, posted by iris2 on November 7, 2004, at 12:03:09
> Kat,
>
> I cannot rmember what I know about the magnesium. I have some to take and for the life of me cannot rmeber waht my reasoning was for taking it. I think a lot was for depression though. Other stuff too. I will look it up on the net but could you babble mail the information your doc told you.
>
> Thanks,
>
> ireneIrene, there would be no point in my babbling the info he gave me because it was an abbreviated form of the info you posted on potassium...
I was almost tempted to ask if he wanted me to print out the parts he missed because my friend Irene had warned me about things he missed <g>
The pharmacist told me that the constant drinking of water which of course leads to frequent urination flushes it out of the system as does one of the meds I take...
she also told me that if the system is low in magnesium then it doesn't matter how much potassium I take it won't stay anyway...
and as the tegretol causes diarrhoea that will eliminate potassium too so there is a need for still more...
they didn't give me potassium tablets while I was in hospital even after all that... which I thought was unusual... I found out why when a nurse brought me that drink of concentrated potassium... will never forget the taste of it... worse even than the swabs they use to wet your lips when you cannot have anything to drink... two of those a day...
I must have enough of the stuff for a whole regiment!
kat
Posted by redscarlet on November 7, 2004, at 22:03:28
In reply to Big Stomach:( » headachequeen, posted by iris2 on November 7, 2004, at 11:59:35
irene ~ How would a person know if their prolactin level is high ? Do you get a blood test or what ?
Thanks
Posted by stresser on November 7, 2004, at 22:12:38
In reply to Big Stomach:( » headachequeen, posted by iris2 on November 7, 2004, at 11:59:35
I just had the time to read all the posts, and I still don't know how to work keeping the questions and adding my own posts after. Duh, I guess I'm tired tonight.
Kat, the girls are right, you can't worry about something you can't control. At least you have a feeling now of what it's like to have a seizure come on, so that's progress. I just wish I could take my own advice, right? Fine for me to dish it out, always talk, talk, talk.....
As for the big tummy, have you even thought you could have Irritable Bowel Syndrom? I have it, and I take Zelnorm twice a day for it. It works very, very, very, well. I can't even tell you what a difference it makes for me. The bloating goes away, and I'm not constipated or anything like that anymore. I'm out of my prescription and am not compfortable until I get another. My tummy really bloats out, like I'm pregnant or something. That may be something to look in to. Keep me posted on that one.
Take care,
get some sleep, being a walking zombie won't help you at all Kat,
Nite, Nite, -L
Posted by lorilu on November 7, 2004, at 23:46:29
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking, posted by rainy on November 7, 2004, at 16:17:13
> Thanks, Lorilu. I'm really confused, though, because in looking up adverse effects of provigil this morning, one site said it was sold in Canada as Alderal or however you spell it. But they aren't the same drug??
> Your OCD experience sounds a little like my bipolar II except the same guy who treated me for major depression for 10 years said specifically that I didn't "have it." OCD. Traits, yes, for which he prescribed Luvox from which I piled on pounds and remained depressed, but not the actual disorder.
> I've been as obsessive as hell this past week at 200 mgs, to the detriment of my so called real life. well, housework.
> To quote someone else on this board, I just want it to all go away.
> rainy
>
Hi rainy,
All I know is my new prescription is Adderal XR 10 mg, but I will start at 5 mg. for a week. I do not know if Adderal and Provigil are the same med, but I've been reading that some people take as much as 600 mg. of Provigil a day so maybe this is a legal way of taking more of the drug. I am pretty sure my pdoc would have told me they were the same drug. Maybe Larry Hoover can answer this question?p.s. at 200 mg. of Provigil my classroom is organized but forget the housework! I've got an Indian Guide Meeting Tuesday at my house and until my anxiety gets high enough I will barely clean. That means my husband is downstairs cleaning right now and he thinks I am writing an IEP for work right now so I better go. I work better under stress. P.S. I better take my night dose of 200 mg. of Topamax now :)....Wait...After I write the IEP....can't be stupid....
Lori
Posted by bridgey1128 on November 8, 2004, at 9:13:40
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking -Larry H. help?, posted by lorilu on November 7, 2004, at 23:46:29
Lorilu why are you on the Topomax? Are you bipolar? And why are you taking the Adderal? I am confused. You aren't ADHD are you? From everything I have read you cannot be both ADHD AND bipolar at the same time. I didn't know if you were on Topomax for a different reason other than bipolar or you were just taking it for a mood stabilizing drug other than for bipolar. Adderal is a HORRIBLE HORRIBLE drug and personally I wonder why it is still on the market. It caused my son to have horrible anxiety attacks and he is only 7. He was 5 going on 6 at the time. I guess everyone is different but I have known lots of people to take it and everyone I have known has quickly gone off of it because of it's very negative side effects and risk of psychosis. I would have NEVER started our son on Adderal had I known all this. He took the XR as well and man it was awful. When he was ON it, it seemed to work ok, but coming off it he cried for no reason and was extremely paranoid and irritable. We even backed down his dosage, thinking it was too strong, but then it didn't work on his ADHD during school hours.So we KNEW it was the Adderall affecting him. He now takes 54mg of Concerta and a regular Ritalin in the afternoon when the Concerta wears off. I just really have reservations about this drug(Adderall) and it's effects. I just wasn't sure why you were taking both. As for Irene? I think you said you were having problems about a med that was making you gain around your tummy. You're right, I personally wouldn't take a med that made me gain weight, but I also have never had problems with bulemia or anorexia. So those cards were never in the deck. It sounds to me like a hormonal thing since it's right there in your abdomen and you said you had stopped having your period. WhenEVER an otherwise sexually healthy woman would stop having her period because of a med, I would say that would give me pause about taking a medication. You said there was another med you were looking into that might help the suicidal tendencies and depression? I know that's really hard. It's a Catch 22 sometimes. You get rid of one symtom and create another less desireable one. So which do we pick? Fat or suicidal? Don't we all wish we had millions so we could just go to the plastic surgeon and have them suck out the excess!
Posted by Larry Hoover on November 8, 2004, at 10:25:43
In reply to Re: can't stop thinking -Larry H. help?, posted by lorilu on November 7, 2004, at 23:46:29
> All I know is my new prescription is Adderal XR 10 mg, but I will start at 5 mg. for a week. I do not know if Adderal and Provigil are the same med, but I've been reading that some people take as much as 600 mg. of Provigil a day so maybe this is a legal way of taking more of the drug. I am pretty sure my pdoc would have told me they were the same drug. Maybe Larry Hoover can answer this question?
Absolutely not the same drug. Adderal is mixed amphetamine salts. Provigil is modafinil, which promotes alertness, but via a very different mechanism. They're not even totally sure what Provigil does in the brain, as it affects parts of the brain not previously associated with the action of stimulants.
They're apples and oranges. There's no way to compare them, apart from how well they might or might not work for you.
Lar
Posted by iris2 on November 8, 2004, at 11:05:21
In reply to Re: Big Stomach:(, posted by redscarlet on November 7, 2004, at 22:03:28
To know if your prolactin is high you get a blood test. I also had it indicated because my period stopped and the medication had it as a major side effect.
irene
Go forward in thread:
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.