Chronic Pain Support Group

I`ve been taking this drug but not at a high enough dose to see if it can really be as benificial to me. I have been upping the dosage and I just recently found out as of January I will not have prescription drug coverage any longer and I will have to stop taking this drug because its VERY expensive. Darn...

I do not have insurance and I went on the company website, then took the forms to my Dr and they gave it to me free for a year. Maybe you can do the same Roseann. As far as what it does for pain, I am not sure. I take for migraine prevention and it seems to help me there alot.I had to up the dosage slowly as the side effects at first were hard to take. But I did adjust and stuck with it. It has helped me with migraines, It is a different type of drug then Neurontin(Gabapentin) or Lyrica. They are for nerve pain. Topamax was originally for seizures and has proven beneficial for preventing migraines in some.another side effect is weight loss which I will always take. :)
Deb

Topamax is an anti-epileptic, also used as a mood stabilizer, in binge eating disorder, and in the treatment of migraines.

Side effects can be a real bitch. Make sure your doc increases your doses slowly. And if you start having eye pain or blurry vision, call your doctor to get off of it IMMEDIATELY. Topamax can cause increased pressure in the eye in some people, enough to cause permanent vision loss.

If the side effects of Topamax are too much for you, try Zonegran, which is in the same class as Topamax. It has also been shown to be effective against migraines and neuropathic pain, but generally has less abrupt side effects. (still has them, just not as horrible)

Lyrica is an FDA approved medication for Fibro which I would call the ugly sister of Myofascial Pain Syndrome. That is what I am on. It helps to lower my need for a breakthrough med. I have not tried Topamax but another anti-epileptic drug with no effect.

Ouch

Hmmm, seems strange to prescribe an anti-seizure med for trigger point pain, unless your TrP are causing nerve compression. Is your pain nerve pain, or mostly muscle/joint pain?

Hi,
My pain is mostly trigger point pain, with really tight muscles and lots of muscle spasm, and some joint pain. When it gets really bad, I think I get nerve-like pain that travels down my arm. I'd be willing to try anything that would help, but you're right it doesn't sound like it's for the specific pain that I have. I do not get migraines and I don't have seizures.

I take topomax even though I don't get headaches. So I thought I would wean myself off of it. WOW- Now I know why I'm on it. It enables me to wear clothes, put a sheet on my body, and keeps the burning pain in my feet to a managable level. I have never had any side effects from it.

Are there any good myofascial trigger point therapists in your city? Someone that will really work w/you--go easy if necessary, treat you at your own pace?

I have taken Topamax for about 10 years and am now tapering off also due to the costs. I started taking it due to extreme migraines which it controlled wonderfully. No other meds would keep my migraines from coming but Topamax. I've already had some miigraines since starting to tapper off and if they come back like they used to, I will have to eat the huge cost! Why do drugs have to be so expensive anyway???

I was on Topamax for migraines. It made me very nauseaus and when I increased the dosage it caused my hands and feet to go numb, tingle and feel extrememly swollen. I felt as if my hands were 4x there normal size. That I could not deal with. I tend to have problems tolerating meds though. Like others, I am not sure how Topamax would help with your particular pain.