Cognitive impairment symptoms and conditions

I finally stopped taking Topamax because of the side effects. But the worst was getting kidney stones from it. I only drink water and drink a lot, but I still got stones. The first time I was in so much pain that I could barely stand it. The second time, I had the pain and with it a kidney stone that was too big to pass. I could barely urinate. Had to have emergency lithotripsy to remove it. The doctor did a CT scan recently and it showed I still have many stones in both kidneys. I can't take another one of these attacks because they are so painful. My neurologist gave me a natural remedy for migraines called Petadolex. This stuff works! It has made my headaches much less severe when I have them which is not very often and my daily low level headaches are gone. This stuff is made in Germany and can be found in most health food stores and pharmacies. It also cost a lot less than Topamax.

When the generic Topamax (topiramate) came out, my insurance company wouldn't cover the real Topamax and it was costing me $400 a month if I wanted it over the generic. The generic was the worst drug I have ever taken. It is NOT the same as Topamax. I got so ill off of it that I had to get back on Topamax. I am finally off of Topamax completely after decreasing the dosage over many weeks. I was on 200 mg a day. I had all the side effects too like tingling hands, cognitive impairment and depression along with some others. This drug is poison and I am so angry the manufacturer didn't state all the possible side effects when they knew damn well it had them. There is a class action lawsuit against this manufacturer for not disclosing some of the horrible side effects.

I am a 51 year old woman and have been taking Lisinopril for 8 months. I have a total lack of sex drive now and have felt sad and depressed often. I also have trouble going to sleep and staying asleep. I had severe dermatitis (rash on trunk and back) about four weeks ago that required medicine to clear up. I thought it might be my bra, but now, after reading a few posts, I'm thinking it's the Lisinopril, too. Shortly after the rash my thick hair started thinning quickly. I, too, am afraid to step into the shower, as so much hair comes out it clogs the drain. It feels and looks very thin now. I have not added any new routines or products to my life to be causing these symptoms, except the Lisinopril. I went through menopause at age 43, I plan to visit with my Dr. next week about switching meds.

Lithium Carbonate nearly killed me. My doctor knew I was bulimic and he prescribed it any way, in combination with Geodon and Lamictal, even though I've been medication intolerant of 34 psychiatric drugs since I was 15. I am now 23. One year ago my boyfriend said he didn't like how I was changing in personality, that I was "different". I couldn't conceive his perspective. After only 2 weeks exactly of taking the Lithium at 900mg a day, I landed in the ICU where I was fighting for my life for 5 days. I had what looked like seizures but they were not. I had a dystonic reaction to the drug. It all began with a hand tremor on my left side. Ever since then, I get "episodes" where my ENTIRE right side goes dead and my left side extremities jerk and twitch and it hurts like hell. My neck snaps to the left and my lungs freeze long enough to where my lips turn blue. I live back home now. I cannot live alone. These episodes come out of nowhere. I have not been the same since that April Fool's day (how ironic right?)...I am to go to Johns Hopkins to find out what happened. They believe it may be a drug induced movement disorder. I also lose speech during these episodes or at random on its own while in class or talking with a friend. It's scaring the living hell out of me. To think that my central nervous system very well may have been POISONED makes me sick to my stomach...this doctor was reckless and used me as a lab rat. And now I pay the price. He went to med school at age 17 and did 4 years brain research on monkeys post graduation....I trusted him...if HE could do this to me, imagine what a D.O. or typical M.D. with little training could do with this toxic stuff?! I almost died. And I fear that I eventually will...The symptoms of muscle spasms and cognitive impairment have only worsened. I get annoyed with outer stimuli very easily at times, followed by hours of confusion and I cannot understand what people are saying to me nor can I finish a thought or even identify an object (nominal aphasia). If you ask me, stay AWAY from this unnatural form of help, you're better off with homeopathic medicine and breathing techniques. I learned the hard way. I just hope this helps at least one of you from starting this horrible drug. It can have PERMANENT side effects on WHO you ARE, i.e. your personality. My perception of reality has forever changed and I cannot go back. Do your research. And REALLY think about the risks before you begin taking this drug....or any of them for that matter....
On youtube you should watch this eye opening documentary that my friend found for me about big pharma. It's...jaw dropping. search "big pharma big bucks" on youtube.com and you will see what I mean.
Hope this helps. I will post the outcome of a final diagnosis, because as of right now, I cannot go to the ER when these episodes occur because they AUTOMATICALLY assume it's "in my head" simply because of a history of depression and PTSD. So all they do is give me NO pain meds for the muscle pain or even any tests ordered to find an answer, and call for a psych consult...HELLO?! talk about breaking the Hippocratic oath "FIRST do no harm". I'm a responsible, smart, and determined young woman who's been in in-patient treatment before and is very aware on how to handle my day to day strives. But these doctors...sigh....they just don't listen...it's ALL about liability for them. And it angers me. So I wait at home crying because I can't talk to anyone, in agonizing pain, and await for the moment my lung muscles freeze and I cannot breathe...it frightens me to my very core. NO ONE should have to go through with this...NO ONE. So, do your homework. Please. For you and your loved one's sake.
-H.

I've been taking 150mg of topamax a day for the last 10 months for trigeminal neuralgia. I haven't found any improvement in terms of appetite or memory in this time. Side-effects haven't lessened at all. Tingling in feet and hands, emotional instability including anger and grief, cognitive impairment in terms of slowed though-processes, spelling problems, and general intellectual functioning haven't improved with time. It seems as though I'm still walking in a haze all day long. I can pass ridiculous amounts of time by just staring into space and thinking about nothing. It scares me sometimes but it's taken away a lot of the pain and has allowed me some sort of normality. I'm 28, I want to live and work and build something for myself. So, for now, it's a trade-off .... side-effects vs life with pain or jumping off a balcony with my hands in my pockets some night when I can't take it anymore. It all comes down to the degree of debilitation that your particular disorder imposes and your ability to deal with it. I couldn't physically handle the pain or isolation anymore so I opted for the side-effects. I just wonder what the long-term implications of Topamax will turn out to be in five or 10 or 20 years from now.

Is anyone experiencing confusion, trouble thinking, trouble concentrating, decreased cognitive function, mental sluggishness, trouble solving problems or situations which require logical thinking and sequencing, and memory loss? Would love to hear from anyone experiencing any these symptoms and if so, how long were you on the drug.
Thanks!

Stay away from this !!!!!!. I took this for 2.5 months and during the middle of it I started to feel nausea and fatigue. I than started to get light headed during the day for no reason. I started to relate the pills to my symptoms and stopped. I have been off for 2 months now and I still experience light hotheadedness. It is now just starting to get better. Hopefully this will go totally away over time?
I also believe this brought on Anxiety as well?
Anyone else experience this?

A.

This will not be a report on side effects because I have never taken this kind of medication (similar side effects with all lipid lowering drugs).

I don't work in the health field.. I am just an ordinary women I my sixties who is discussed at what I see around me and the stories that are told here.

The pharmaceutical companies and the brain-washed medical staff has really managed to convince the public, all over the world, that they need to lower their cholesterol levels.

Are you sure that they are right?

I am not convinced after reading lots of different books (please see suggestions in message November 3rd, 2007).

I have also visited many different sites on the Internet with other opinions.

Lipitor - and others - are the most prescribed medications in the world.

Many users are ignored when they want to discuss benefit/risk or side effects. The situation is the same if you live in the U.S. or in Sweden, where I live.

I think it`s time that people educate themselves and make up their own mind about this issue.

Also search for "Stopped our statins".

There are some very good article under "print articles". You can take them along to your doctor.

There is one that I particularly recommend - it`s from the Weston Price Foundation, Dangers of Statin Drugs.

In it you will find information about side effects - such as:
muscle pain and weakness, neuropathy, heart failure, dizziness, cognitive impairment, cancer, pancreatic rot, depression etc.

There is also a lot of information about different studies.

Hope I have encouraged you to learn more about this issues.

It`s the pharmaceutical companies that have the money - that`s why you seldom hear about different views.

Good luck!

My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's last year. It has been in the mild stages until last week when she was hospitalized for diverticulitis.
Upon being discharged she was prescribed Levaquin 500mg to be taken once a day for 12 days. Because the cost of the drug was $132.00, I had them cut the rx in half.
Since taking this drug my mother has had morning sweats and worst of all it has made her combative and belligerent. I know as Alzheimer's progresses that some patient become this way but based on the fact this she did not become this way until she began taking this medication, I believe it exasperated her condition. And since taking her off of this drug, she has become more calm but it has had to work itself out of her system over the past 6 days.