One word symptoms and conditions

Okay, my Dr. switched me to Topamax because I was taking my Relpax too often (3 x a week on average, but it actually stopped my headaches) which I did not realize meant that I had chronic migraines. So far I am less than impressed :(

I've experience a little tingling in one hand, the left, have no idea of why it hasn't occurred in the other. No weight loss. I am under great stress at work (I have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder that's being treated with 40 mg Paxil and 150mg (?) Buspar. The side effect that's killing me is the confusion and memory loss. You have no idea of how long its taken me to write this post. My mind will think of one word, but my fingers will type another. I will go back to correct and the same thing will happen. I can't really afford to be stupid at work. At home no one really cares if I'm stupid. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but at least I have some place to be stupid.

The worst thing is I still have the freaking headaches. I want my Relpax back and they can keep these Topamax (and yes, I see why they call it that). I'm just to the point where I'm supposed to up my dosage to 25mg in the morning and 50 at night and I'm not sure if I'm going to do it or step the dosage back down. How long is this stupidness supposed to last, on average. At what dosage do you know if its working or not for your migraines? I'm very frustrated and about to toss in the towel.

Thanks for any help,
Just call me Dopey

My dad has been taking metoclopramide (Reglan generic) for about 8 weeks for delayed gastric emptying. About 2 years ago he suffered a freak infection that left him paralyzed from the chest down. 3 surgeries and A LOT of therapy later, he has made good progress, until he started taking this medication. He has been struggling with ongoing fatigue, muscle weakness, minor episodes of confusion, and a few depressive episodes. I realized the connection when my mom had said he started having more trouble walking over the past 3 weeks or so. He has fallen 3 times in 2 weeks. He went to his primary care doc today and he immediately took him off of the meds. He told my dad "I have one word to describe this med. Nasty." We just pray that he gets his strength back after it works out of his system.

Discontinuing Lisinopril:

Like many of you good folks that have been taking Lisinopril, I have discontinued taking the med after 10 days usage.

ONE WORD OF CAUTION: Please, please, please, go to a local drug store and purchase a blood pressure cuff. It doesn't have to be anything fancy... the manual-inflate, analog-dial type costs around $15 at CVS. If you don't know how to take your own BP, then let either a nurse or your local rescue squad show you how.... It's really quite simple. Different people act differently to meds and there is a real possibility that your BP could go very high. You need to check it several times a day. Also, after discontinuing many BP meds (including Lisinopril), your potassium (and possibly calcium) levels may drop, causing some really nasty side effects.

I've been an EMT for 25+ years and have seen quite a few patients (including my mother) "stroke out" due to HBP.... please don't let it happen to you. Discuss it with your doctor; there are many other HBP meds out there and one of them will no doubt work for you without causing side effects. Just don't disregard your HBP.

(Disclaimer: the above is a personal opinion and not offered as any type of medical advice.)

Here I am again (ED) The hospital and the maker of levaquin still refuse to answer me. I can't get one word out of them. If any one else has any luck getting answers please post them on here. Thanks Ed.

One word and one word only -
Sick...............

I take Clonazepam for sleep. Basically it is an anti-anxiety pill for me, because it calms me down if I'm panicky. I have a hard time falling asleep and staying asleep, and 2mg a night at bedtime relaxes me enough so that I can sleep well. I called a hotline once about Clonazepam and pregnancy and they said the risks were very minimal and only in the 3rd trimester. They had no cases were taking Clona affected the fetus at all. It all depends on how much you are taking, is the real question. One word of caution, this drug is an anti-seizure drug as well, and you would be well advised to come off this drug EXTREMELY SLOWLY as it is moderately addictive, and will cause shaking, trembling, and severe muscle spasms when you try to come off it. I noticed even long after I had stopped the drug I was still experiencing great difficulty with this. Eventually I simply had to go back on it, since other "sleeping" drugs did not work as effectively. NO other side effects have been noticed by myself. Good Luck to you all.