[(JD)]

Cam, I recently had a severe reaction/side effects from Topamax. (in 5 weeks of trial I gained 20lbs, had increased eye pressure, double vision at times, etc etc along with the weird firings in the brain of smelling things without names and which don't exist, remembering conversations that never were, creating events and ppl that weren't EVER... etc etc)

NOW I have to try Gabitril. What are the odds I will have similar side effects, and if I do, how long should I try the med before stopping it. (5 weeks is entirely too long, I almost jumped off a skyscraper building roof)

Just want a 3rd opinion (haven't asked for the other 2 yet)

PS the topamax worked great for the tremors, migraines, vertigo but did nothing for the pain.

[gardenergirl]

Hi,
I used 4 mg of Gabitril for a brief period to try to stablize my sleep patterns. I was having early awakening and was really really missing my sleep. I have been on an MAOI for about a year now, and increasing the dose led to the sleep problems.

I was on a very tiny dose, but I did have a side effect of heartburn start almost immediately. I also had this terrible bout with edema. I gained over 10 pounds in just a few days. Nardil can cause edema, but I've never had it this bad. I suspect that somehow it was interacting with the Gabitril. So that is why I stopped taking it.

I know this isn't much help. Gabitril is supposed to be relatively benign as far as side effects. Hopefully you will do well.

Take care,
gg

[(JD)]

k. well I will take 2 mg for 3 days and then 2mg 2xday for a week... heartburn? yeah bad. hmmm and ran 3 red lights tonight since takin it couldn't reacti to the yellow lights.

[krzyk101]

Sky,

I have not taken Gabitril, and so far the way it sounds I will have to put it on my list of meds I won't take.

About your experience with Topomax, I had very negative experience. My pDoc had me on it for bipolar and the effects of the Topamax nearly cost me my life.

While on Topomax, I would drive down the road and not know where I was going, I would try to get people to go with me so I would remember where it was I was going.

I had severe headaches, and have bone spurs on the vertebra of my cervical spine, which Topomax caused severe pain in my neck and upper back.

I quit taking it before seeing the pDoc when I was taking a trip to my mothers out of town on a road I drove every week. I became so confused that when I stopped at a stop sign of a 55 mph crossroad, I mistakingly proceeded thinking it was a 4 way stop, if the truck would not have blew his horn as I crawled across the road and looked he couldn't have been 1000feet from my side.

I decided after that I would NOT ever take Topomax again, and list as a drug allergy. Sorry I didn't have any advice on Gabitril, only wanted to share some of my Topomax horrors.

[CamW]

SBd- I am terribly sorry, I have absolutely no experience with Gabitril, and I don't think that I could even fake it by reading the drug's monograph. I do not feel comfortable answering questions on medications I have never seen being used.

My apologies - Cam