Another & another Topamax question, Cam

Hi Cam,
Here I go again:
Does Topamax raise Lactic acid levels, causing muscle and joint pain?
Reason I ask my joints in my hands, especially my fingers are really achey, like arthritis I'd imagine to feel like, many of the "older" people in my family have arthritis and say maybe I am starting to get it, I do get bouts of scleritis on my eyes sometimes which is a form of arthritis, the opthamologist says most people with arthritis can get scleriitis because the sclera is made up of the same tissue and is prone to the same thing.
Next question Does Topamax change the ph of the saliva, which would contribute to the gum bleeding the drug mongraphs mention? I fortunately haven't experienced that "yet" but was interested because I do have to pay extra special attention to oral hygeine due to the drying some of the meds I take and "my age", ha!ha! and excessive talking when I am in a "happy" mood, when I am "down", naturally I refrain from talking and socializing except here. When you have a chance please let me know your view on these questions. Other than that, how are you and the family doing? Can you please send us an Albert Clipper down this way to cool things down a bit?
Take care,
"darkeyes"

Ebony Orbs - Just curious, what dose of Topamaxª (topiramate) are you taking?

I have had a few people come to me complaining of aches and pains after taking Topamax for awhile. I seem to remember that 3 different people phone me about this in one week; but I have only dealt with it sporatically since then. I did research the aches, trying to find something in common with those 3 people. Two of them were taking 200mg and the other was taking 300mg daily. All had been taking the drug for more than a month when they complained of aching.

One of the people said that it felt like when one has a cold or flu. The pain seemed to be more in the joints (more so than in the muscles; except lower leg muscles in one person) and was worse upon waking (ie. sort of a stiffness that had to worked out by moving around). Different parts of the body were affected in each of the three, but all had lower back pain and stiffness.

The week in which I got these 3 calls was in late summer and it had been raining most of the time (ie. high humidity). I had wondered if the humidity or air pressure (or the change in these) made the pains more noticeable, but I really didn't find that out.

All of them were taking their Topamax in one daily dose. I had them try to split the drug into 2 doses per day (ie. 100mg twice daily; and for the person taking 300mg, I had take 100mg in the morning and 200mg at bedtime). This seemed to help 2 out of 3; one had to stop taking the Topamax because of the aching.

I would hazard a guess that the Topamax may make normal aches and pains more noticeable. So, for you it may be that you may have the start of arthritis and the Topamax is exacerbating the condition. Before giving up on the drug, try spliting the dose (if possible). Also, you could try an anti-inflammatory/analgesic like ibuprofen (eg. Advilª, Motrinª, etc.; 600mg [3x200mg tabs] 3 times daily - maximum, relatively safe, dose is 600mg four times daily).

In other words, I am not really sure if it is the Topamax is causing your pain; but it is a good guess.

Topamax can cause changes in vision, as well. I have seen this in one person who had been taking the drug for about six months and had an eye test. The eye doc changed this person's eyeglasses prescription (worsening astigmatism, if memory serves me). Shortly after getting the new glasses the doc changed this person's meds from Epivalª (Depakoteª - divalproex) and Topamax to Epival and Lamictalª (lamotrigine) because of a worsening depression. The person's eyesight began to blur and when this person tried the old eyeglasses, the vision cleared again. Hmmmm......

Topamax has been known to cause nystagmus (jittery eyeballs) and this may result in diplopia (double vision). The dryness could have something to do with the eye changes, as well. Topamax can weakly inhibit carbonic anhydrase and drugs that block this (Diamoxª [acetazolamide] and Neptazaneª [methazolamide]) are used to treat glaucoma. This could contribute to the vision changes when taking Topamax.

As for the bleeding gums, dryness may be a part of the problem. Topamax is known to cause nose bleeds in a few people, but I have never seen this. The drug can also cause purpura, which usually manifests as bleeding into tissues causing purple spots (blood leaking into skin). These conditions may be caused by decreasing the body's ability to clot properly (possibly due to decreases in platelet levels). I would hazard a guess that this may be contributing to the bleeding gums. You could ask the doc to order a blood test to make sure that your platelet levels are normal.

As for the weather, we having been in the 30's C (high 70's, low 80's F) for about a month now. The motel I am staying at when working has no air conditioning. Being the Eskimo that I am, this is fairly uncomfortable. The only good thing is that my lawn isn't growing and there is a water ban on, so I don't have to cut it very often (it is messing up my wife's garden, though; this year I haven't even had to pee on the tomatoes to get rid of them - I hate tomatoes).

I hope that this is of some help to you. I really can't say that I am able to definitively answer your questions. The above is a bunch of educated guesses, rather than hard scientific fact. Sorry for that. - Cam

<font color=blue>"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened." - Winston Churchill</font color=blue>

Thanks Cam,
Really appreciate you taking the time for my questions and got a kick on how you "manage" tomato growth in your wife's garden, bad boy, ha!ha! Is Gordon Lightfoot popular in your area, and do you like his music?? Don't laugh, I use to and just started listening to his "old" tunes again, and thought of Canada, it has been ages since we've been up there but if it is not any cooler these days I think we'll wait a while.
Take care now,
"darkeyes"

DE - Is he still alive? He's got a good beat, but I can't dance to it. Actually, I am not a big fan; I would not buy individual albums, but I have a Greatest Hits CD (I think you have to have at least one CD each of Gordon Lightfoot, Anne Murray, and "Stompin'" Tom Connors to be able to live in Canada).

Actually, my tastes run more to The Tragically Hip, Big Sugar, and The Arrogant Worms. I also have over 60 Grateful Dead concerts on tape and CD (overkill, huh?). My tastes do run from "Mississippi" John Hurt to the Ramones to Lyle Lovett to Merle Haggard, and pretty much everything inbetween (even certain early rap - Beastie Boys and Run DMC). Right now I am listening to Bob Dylan's "Blonde on Blonde" album.

I do draw the line at hip hop, gansta' rap, and all of the Britney-type/boy band genre. The music has to say something either musically or lyrically. Electronic music (except for some Kraftwerk) really bothers me, too.

BTW, I just bought tickets to an intimate little show with the Arrogant Worms. They are a Canadian comedy trio. They are heavy into audience participation (don't make eye contact). They have songs like "Jesus' Brother Bob", "Me Like Hockey" "Malcolm Solves His Problems With a Chainsaw", and "Vegetable Juice is Murder". They make fun of the way we Canadians are so nice; no stereotype is safe.

They are not above taking shots at the Yanks (eg. lyrics like "... it's not that we're better, it's just that we're less worse".

In the RCMP song where a couple of American tourists are snickering at the "squirt gun" carried by our cops and commenting on how many guns they own:

RCMP: "Where do you keep that many guns?"
Yank: "In our tank."
RCMP: "You've got a tank?"
Yank: "Well, we didn't walk here."
RCMP: "Where'd you get a tank?"
Yank" "Walmart."

When I met bptoo I took him the Worm's live CD ("Live Bait"). I don't think he was too impressed, though. You guys can take yourselves way too seriously; especially when we make fun of your patriotism. Just remember, we kicked your butt in the War of 1812 (you know, the last time we actually had an army, eh). I think I am going to shut up now before I dig myself any deeper.

Love Cam



<font color=blue>"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened." - Winston Churchill</font color=blue>

Hey I like Dylan, BIG time , he really sings my "world" if you can understand me (I can't) many, many, years ago I was into Tull, Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, Cat Stevens, CSN&Y, Beatles, of course! Remember Phil Collins, ha!ha! See I'm not that much a "fuddy duddy" 45 yo!! In fact when Black Sabbath first came to the states I saw them back in the '70's, actually I now find Ozzie rather gross looking and sounds "retarded" when he speaks, but then thats me, the "opinionated" one, ha! ha! My parents use to say "Its that music" that caused you kids to have "this illness"!! Yeah, right, try the dysfunctional family they furnished us with, ha!ha! Well take care, nice to hear from you, way up north, you lucky people.
"darkeyes"

Me like Sergei Federov...
Me like him better if head were off!!!

Me Like Hockey!!!

hee hee...I couldn't resist! : )

".....me thinks they cheat...use glowing puck."

<font color=blue>"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened." - Winston Churchill</font color=blue>

Hey Cam, ya know, half of those names I was sitting here thinking, "HUH?!" Finally towards the middle or the end I recognized some. The Arrogant Worms would be interesting to hear, LOL! From what I've read from the song titles, they should be kinda funny. Maybe not what I would want to make my regular music, but I am open to something that will make me laugh. I wonder if there is a place online where I could download or listen to something of theirs?

Favorite night is Saturday night...
'Cause me can watch hockey fights!!!

ME LIKE HOCKEY!!!!

Thanks for the laughs, Cam...it's been ages since I listened to that song, but I just had to play it after reading your post.

mj

"... Swedish players must be geeks ....because they all got own real teeth....heh, heh

<font color=blue>"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened." - Winston Churchill</font color=blue>

No fair!!! That was the line *I* was going to quote next!!! ; )

Actually, though, my very favorite line is "what's a Teemu anyway?" I often find myself asking that very question. : )

mj

DE - I was waffling between those two lines!

<font color=blue>"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened." - Winston Churchill</font color=blue>