[perpetuallysad]

I tried topamax about 2 years ago and it actually worked well for me, but when my pdoc ran out of samples I had to switch to something else (tegretol, I think) because I couldn't afford the $$$ hundreds of dollars for the monthly prescriptions. Anyway, last visit we decided to try them again since they are in generic now and I actually have prescription drug coverage (yea me!) now. I started last week with 25 mg once a day and this week 25mg 2 x a day, next week up to 100 mg 2x a day (I think?)...I digress.

I've also gotten sick with some other chronic problems I have and am having symptoms I've never had before, STOMACH CRAMPS! I'm talking bad like I'm having extremely bad period cramps. (But I am definitely not.) Did anyone else have stomach cramps with topamax? Did they go away? I didn't have cramps the last time I took them, but who knows...I'm trying to figure out why I am hurting so badly. I went to the MD yesterday and, well, he was pretty much useless and I just might as well just drove down the road and threw $119 out of the window.

So, while I'm on antibiotics for this other crap, I'm going to stop the topamax and start again in a few days, that way I can try and see what is actually causing this pain, but in the meantime if anyone has any experiences with this I'd love to hear them...

Thanks.

[cocos421]

Hi, I've been taking Topamax for about 3 years continuously. I've had some stomach cramps twice that I went to the doctor complaining about. Each time they sent me for x-rays. First time, nothing. The second time, which was just a month or so ago, I had an x-ray, then a CT scan. They said I had a small kidney stone in my bladder. By the time they gave me the results, my aches were gone, so they said I must have passed it. They never gave me any advise or anything and I still had some pain after I spoke to them on the phone. Topamax does have a side effect of causing kidney stones in some people.
It doesn't make me want to stop it, though. I really like Topamax.
Hope you feel better soon.

[jassel77]

I too am on Topamax and went to the doctor complaining of the cramps. I also had a small kidney stone. If that helps at all. Have a great day!!

[perpetuallysad]

I'm having excruciating cramps and pain in my back/right kidney area as well as bladder pain (though not urgency) and I'm extremely nauseated. I went to a walk in clinic yesterday because my regular doc couldn't work me in until the afternoon and I have commitments in the afternoon I couldn't miss...anyhow. The walk in place said I have a "minor" bladder infection and gave me antibiotics and pyridium. I tried to explain that I've had UTIs before and I'm certain this isn't one, but he really didn't seem to believe me or have the time to listen to me. So now I am here feeling like my back is being axed in half-but more of a constant axing, it doesn't come and go any more. I did look up the antibiotic (cipro) and its supposed to work for a lot of things, so maybe it will help??? I don't know. Maybe my kidney will just go ahead and implode or whatever its trying to do and I can get the doctor to take me more seriously. This hurts majorly bad. I mean like 2 aleve don't even touch it. Wahhhhhhhhhhhh. This feels like when I had back labor.

[BNLsMOM]

You might want to go to the ER if the pain is that bad. A kidney infection can be dangerous, and a kidney stone may have to be treated as well if it is too large to pass.

I hope you feel better soon.

[Moreta]

So I started Topamax a couple weeks ago, and I've been having these cramps too! I went to the dr, and she thought I was crazy. She did address the sinus infection though. The only thing now is that I have no voice and I still keep having the cramps. I even specifically told her that I had just started taking Topamax, and I was wondering if I was having some weird reaction to it, but she just dismissed that whole notion....grrrrr....It's not like I didn't provide her with detailed notes and a list of symptoms and medications I take, along with some other vital health history....(Yes, I keep a notebook, b/c I can't remember anything).

[grizmom]

I found these links: http://www.healthcentral.com/migrain...x-45003-5.html

http://www.essortment.com/all/kidneystones_rclg.htm

I hope you will go back into the er and demand a test for kidney stones...and I hope you feel better soon!!

[perpetuallysad]

Oh my god, I took my notebook with my daily notes of how I felt with me too and the dude actually looked at me like I had two heads when I tried to read it to him!

I know I probably need to go to the ER but they freaking suck worse than the stupid drs office does. And right now I am so disgusted and disillusioned with the medical establishment that my kidney is going to have to fall out or I am going to have to be unconscious before I go to the dr again. I tried to imagine a situation where I could see a dr that would sit and listen to me and actually take care of me and I cannot even fathom what that may be like.

I do know that the topamax is out for now. There is no way I am going to take something that makes me HURT like this. I would seriously compare it to childbirth. I'm trying to remind myself that no one dies of pain, right? It will have to eventually go away...either that or I will finally jump over the line to crazy town and then maybe I won't care about the pain anymore??

Going to heat up my heating pad...Thanks for all the replies, I feel less crazy now.

[Amazonmom]

If you stop urinating you HAVE to go to the ER. Some stones are too large to pass and can seriously damage your kidneys. I would say to go to the ER anyway. In nursing school we were taught that a woman who says the pain was worse than or equal to childbirth was probably dealing with kidney stones.

[BNLsMOM]

My best friend is prone to kidney stones and she told me that having her baby was easier than having a kidney stone.

[perpetuallysad]

I believe it. I started peeing blood today. I know tmi. But, maybe this means its almost out?

[kadesgirl09]

ive had kidney stones a few times. go to the er. please. its so very painful and they can help but you have to go... and it is worse than childbirth (I have two kids) please please please just go to the er... even if its almost out they can help

[perpetuallysad]

I feel so frustrated and ignored. I've already spent nearly $150 on the dr and the meds (that haven't worked one iota). The ER will be outrageously expensive. I just don't have any more money.

[kadesgirl09]

i will pray for you then and hope for healing from you soon

[IndigoRose]

I've been on Topamax on and off for 10 years. I never went higher thsn 150 mgs and drank TONS of water. Seriously, I could have swam to Australia. I've never experienced any of the problems people are talking about here from this medication, but I can relate because other medicines have made me equally as miserable.

You definitely need to hit the ER and let them treat you because you don't know for sure what this is. Most of them will bill you later and you can always go through the process of having them write it off. Legally, with or without insurance, they MUST treat you. It's better to be safe than dead, trust me.

[grizmom]

Originally Posted by IndigoRose

You definitely need to hit the ER and let them treat you because you don't know for sure what this is. Most of them will bill you later and you can always go through the process of having them write it off. Legally, with or without insurance, they MUST treat you. It's better to be safe than dead, trust me.

If for some reason they won't write it off (although if you are low income they usually will), then you can always just make small payments...I had a huge bill at one time (over $20,000) and I sent in $10 a month...it was all I could afford at the time. They tried sending it to collections, but when I showed the collections agency proof that I'd been paying every month, they sent it back to the hospital because a judge would throw it out of court because I was making a "good faith effort" to pay it off. I don't want you to suffer more than you already are...please go in (pretty please?).

[susan888]

I was on Topamax for about 2 months for migraines. It made me constantly sick to my stomach....I would even have dry heaves after not eating. My neurologist told me that one of the more beneficial side effects was weight loss....but I got to the point where I would be in the middle of a conversation and just start gagging. I did lose weight though! LOL!! Didn't stay on it long enough to really have an impact on the migraines though.

[Amazonmom]

Peeing blood is VERY VERY BAD. There is serious damage being done to your kidneys and urinary tract. I've been in the place where I have no insurance, no money, but needed ER care. It stinks. Losing your kidney stinks worse.

I hope you get better soon no matter what you decide.

[perpetuallysad]

You guys are all very kind.

I sort of slept last night. And I got to eat a bit last night as well...those are good signs right? Gradually, yesterday, the pain transitioned from the agonizing pain in my right kidney to moving down to the (what I think is) top of my urethra (where it leaves the bladder). It seems to have just settled there. I can still pee, so I don't think its blocking things, but I'm not positive its moving real fast either. I'm drinking water by the swimming pool size, because I have some fantasy that this will help somehow. My husband got mad last night because I won't go back to the doc and actually sort of raised his voice at me (he didn't really yell, because he's extremely mild mannered, but for him this was extremely upset mode). I didn't know what to say so I just heated up my heating pad, crammed it between my legs (yep, tmi) and tried to sleep for a while. So far today I am less nauseated than I have been for over a week. I don't want to jinx myself though, so I don't want to get all flowery thinking everything is better yet. Of course, my back/kidney now just feels like someone kicked me there about 400 times and its all bruised or something. Anyhow, thanks for listening to my complaining.

[BNLsMOM]

I am happy you are feeling a bit better. Still, please take care of yourself. If it is a kidney infection rather than a kidney stone, it can spread throughout your urinary tract and eventually spread to your blood. That is called sepsis and is fatal if it is not treated.

I reallly think you should get treated.

I am thinking of you.

[IndigoRose]

BNL'sMom is right.

[grizmom]

How are you feeling? Please let us know how you are!!

[perpetuallysad]

Sorta better, sorta not. I don't know. I feel like I've been beat up for days, my body is sick and bruised feeling. The pain in my kidneys isn't a sharp pain anymore, now its back to the dull throbbing pain that I had earlier on in this. I'm going to sleep as much as I possibly can this weekend.

Oh ya, no more blood. That, I know, is a good sign.

Thanks for being so caring. It means a lot to me.