Topamax and Migraine - a Follow Up After 5 Weeks

I have now used Topamax for Migraine Headaches for five weeks. When my doctor prescribed Topamax to me she was very optimistic about it saying she had seen outstanding results with very little side effects. In this article I would like to describe the headache relief and side effects I have experienced after using Topamax for five weeks.

This article is a follow up to "A Word of Caution for a Popular Headache Prescription" (written January 25, 2009) in which I described my reaction to Topamax after my first two weeks of usage. This is meant to provide an update after five weeks for those who have yet to try Topamax or those who have tried it and have had mixed results.

A little background is in order. I have had a serious migraine headache problem for at least 40 years. I have tried several prescription and natural methods to overcome this problem. I have tried several over the counter, prescription and medical methods to combat headaches over the past several years with very little success. During the past year I tried a different approach. I made great strides against the problem with natural, herbal and homeopathic treatment methods but have not been able to completely wipe it out. I went from having headaches 6-7 days per week to an average of one every 7-9 days, which is a substantial improvement. I am still trying to completely eradicate the plague. So I went back to my medical doctor (who takes a very balanced approach with regard to natural healing) on January 9, 2009 to see if she had any advice. She recommended that I try Topamax, which she said had produced some great results with little to no side effects.

The prescription she gave me was to take 1 pill (25 mg) twice a day for the first week and then increase it to 2 pills twice a day for the remainder of a 5 week period. At which time I was to come in for another appointment.

In the five weeks since I have been taking Topamax I have noticed definite differences. The most notable difference on the negative side is that of fatigue. I have not been able to increase the medication to two pills twice per day yet because whenever I do I just feel too exhausted. On the other hand I think I have felt some differences in a positive direction also. I have had three migraine headaches in the 5 weeks since I have started taking Topamax which is only slightly better than one every seven to nine days, but it is a little bit better. I can definitely say that the pain level of these headaches has not been as severe as it was before I started taking Topamax. It has been on the 70% - 80% level. Which, once again, may not sound tremendous, but for a severe migraine headache victim, it is a real difference.

What about the cost? So far I have been lucky. I have only had to have one prescription filled and my insurance has covered it completely. My doctor told me I was extremely fortunate because Topamax is very expensive. I will find out what the cost of it is and when I give my next report at three months I will report what the cost would be if a person had to pay out of pocket.

Conclusion
The results I have experienced from Topamax so far have not been as positive as what my doctor had said some people have enjoyed. Granted, I have only taken the prescription for 5 weeks and I have not yet been able to take the full dosage either. I am not ready to give up yet as I am still optimistic. The cost factor is going to come into play sooner or later though. After a while, the 100% insurance coverage will run out and I will be paying for a portion of the prescription for the rest of the year. The fatigue factor needs to be taken into consideration also. For some people this would be totally unacceptable. Vitamins, herbs and homeopathics are still probably the preferred solution for headache treatment if possible. They are far less expensive and produces far less side effects. For some many they work wonders. For some people they just do not seem to go all the way, and something extra may be required.


Tom Thorne
http://www.feelingoutstanding.com/

In Times of Peril

Certainly these are hard times, a lot of people are out of work and a lot of people are struggling. I think we need to take some biblical counsel in these hard times though, as it we read in job chapter 5, verse 22, "you will laugh at destruction and famine." Now this passage doesn't mean to be a lunatic and treat hard times as a drunk and just go crazy. What it is saying is to maintain your good spirits, keep a good frame of mind, keep up a happy and joyful lifestyle. Things aren't going to be bad forever. Cycles happen. The good, the not so good, the fortunate, the unfortunate. It happens to all of us. And it isn't going to last forever. By staying happy, by being friendly, by laughing, even in bad times we make things much easier and better for ourselves and others.

Remember to take care of your health. The one thing that you don't want right now is unnecessary sickness or injury.

Here's to better times.
Here's to Feeling Outstanding.
http://www.feelingoutstanding.conm/

Topamax - A Word of Caution For a Popular Headache Prescription

I have made great strides in a migraine headache condition I have had for years but I have not quite been able to knock it out completely. I still come down with migraine headaches periodically. When I went to my family doctor a two weeks ago to see if there was any last steps I could take to eliminate this dreaded affliction she suggested the prescription medication Topamax. I had read about Topamax and was aware of glowing reviews. My doctor also had a very positive outlook on the medication and she confidently assured me there would be no side effects except for potential weight loss, which, she explained, did not happen to every one. In my article I want to describe certain side effects that I did experience from Topamax that people interested in the prescription may want to be made aware of.

First let me uneqivocally state that I am not trying to scare anyone away from starting to use Topamax. Please believe me. I know that a person who suffers from frequent migraine headaches can be in a terrible state. It can be so bad that they are afraid of the next day coming because they don't know what kind of pain the day will bring. My goal is not to frighten people away from Topamax, it is only to make people aware of what I have experienced in the first couple of weeks I have been taking the pills so that they can be ready for it in case they experience similar side effects.

I was instructed to begin taking 1 pill (25 mg) of Topamax 2 times daily for one week and then to increase it to 2 pills (50 mg) twice daily for the rest of the first month. I started taking the prescription on Friday, January 9.

The following were side effects I experienced from Topamax:

• Almost immediately after I started taking Topamax, I began to feel tired. This tired feeling was a very unusual. I would have periods of normal energy for a couple of hours, then I would have periods of being very tired for about 30-60 minutes. I became tired very early at night.


• For about the first three days I also had a mild feeling of intoxication. I had to be especially careful when driving. When I found myself driving on a 45 mile per hour highway that I was very familiar with, before I knew it I was traveling 65 mph. I almost never travel at 65 on this road. I quickly realized I had to be very careful and watch my speedometer often. I also noticed a tendency to swerve toward the middle of the road easy and had to pay special attention and keep my eyes strictly on the road and not to look off to the side. This was a struggle. I was victorious by letting someone else drive whenever possible.


• I was not able to get a good, solid seven sleep for six nights. In fact, for the first four nights I only slept for three or four hours each night. I was very tired for the entire first week after I began taking Topamax.

Eight days after taking Topamax for migraine headache relief I had a serious migraine headache. I expected more help than that. It was a serious migraine, the symptoms were all there. One thing I will say is the pain in the head only reached about 70% of the normal level.

On Monday, January 18 I felt I was able to increase my dosage of Topamax for the first time (actually two days later than my doctor originally advised). I did so in the morning. Almost immediately after I took the two (50 mg) Topamax I felt so worn out that I was hardly able to function until the afternoon. I reverted back to the original dosage Tuesday.Granted, I have only taken Topamax for a week and a half and I am not condemning the medication by any means yet. Many people have had outstanding results with it and hopefully I will too. I just wanted to give people who are thinking of starting to use it the warning that they may have some side effects despite what some people, including your doctor, may tell them. The benefits of Topamax may not be as immediately recognizable on some people as others.

Check out the Feeling Outstanding Causes of Daily Headaches page.

Here's to a headache free life!
Tom Thorne
http://www.feelingoutstanding.com/

Giving May Be More Important Now Than Ever - What is the Critical Enabling Factor?

In these times of uncertainties, nervousness and massive layoffs people are very concerned, and rightfully so. The causes of this economic turmoil will be debated for years but I think it is safe to say that it all boils down to too much risk, to much greed and too much ego at the top. Nevertheless, it is what it is and we have to deal with it. Companies are laying off unprecedented numbers of employees at a time, and this is causing many people to be in a real state of need. In this article I would like for us to consider what areas we give to, how we give and what the critical enabling factor for giving is.

First of all, consider the areas that we normally consider giving toward:

Our Community
Our Country
Our Faith/Charity
Our Family

There are three basic types of contribution: time, financial, labor/work. All three of these have a special area of importance. Consider the following three hypothetical situations regarding giving toward your family.

1. Your niece who has recently had her first child was let go from her job. She and her husband have been struggling trying to survive on one income and are having a very hard time. She has a job interview lined up but has no baby sitter for a couple of days as her normal baby sitter is on vacation. Here is an excellent opportunity for a donation of time to help your niece out in a pinch. No, it will not be easy watching the little 18 month old who is not feeling well for 4 hours from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., right during supper time. Realize, this is what your nice needs right now. She needs help and needs it now. She needs your time.

2. Your cousin, who is married and has two children had a good job but was let go seven months ago. He has been in the house he is living in now for 10 years and has a moderate house payment. Unfortunately he was in a very specialized field that paid well, but with current state of the economy finding a job is hard. His severance package was only for three months and his unemployment benefits ran out after six months. His oldest child is a sophomore in college and his two younger children are both in high school. He has literally done everything he can to cut costs, you have seen it and you are aware of it. Yet, you know from talking with him that he probably will not be able to make his next house payment. He does have several interviews scheduled as he has been diligent in his job search efforts. He just needs a boost. Can anyone afford to give him a financial boost and help him with his rent for this month? He needs financial assistance.

3. Your brother, who lives on the north side of town, could see the handwriting on the wall. His company of 210 employees one year ago is now down to 41. Profits have dropped severely. It was clearly stated that 12 more people were going to be let go within the next month. He has only been with the company for one year and he is almost positive he is next on the list to go. He made a bold, but it sure seemed like a smart move and decided to take a job with a different company south of town. The only problem is that he will have to move from his apartment as the commute would be just too far. He needs some labor assistance. He needs some help moving.

Three types of giving: time, finances, and labor/work are all equally critical at different times. But what is the one enabling factor for all three of these? What is the one thing that makes this all possible? The answer to that is health, good health. Without good health, we don't have time to spare; we don't have the ability to give good effort or labor; and without good health we cannot earn money to share. Let's not overlook our health in these times of economic uncertainty. In fact, let's pay special attention to maintaining and building our health so that we can not only withstand the pressures and stresses that will come our way but also so that we can give to others to help them in times of need.

I hope all is going well,
Tom Thorne
http://www.feelingoutstandig.com/

One Good Thing Leads to Another

Does this sound like a cliché? Like something just too good to be true? Like a fantasy? Or on the other hand, is it a true statement? Let's take a look at this expression with regard to our health.
I am of the opinion that the expression "one good thing leads to another" can be a very powerful statement with a great deal of truth to it with regards to our health. Let me show you how.

When a person is out of condition it often takes somewhat of a jolt or a shock to make him or her aware of the fact and want to make a worthwhile change. Maybe it is a comment from a friend or a close relative, maybe even a spouse or sibling, but something that makes the person wake up. The first step the person might take could be a light exercise program, which is an excellent start. After a few weeks of exercising with some results starting to be realized, the workouts may start to be intensified a bit.

After a few more weeks with some more results it may be realized that diet is a big factor too. Not only quantity of what is eaten, but quality as well, including vitamins and minerals. And do you know what? There are a couple of other factors as well, such as adequate sleep, relaxation and stress management. Before long the entire fitness package is being maintained.

Does one good thing lead to another? Absolutely. The key is that you have to start. Once the fitness process is started and results start to show, motivation will start to work to naturally lead you to the next positive step.

Have a great week!
Tom Thorne
http://www.feelingoutstanding.com/

MigraDefense - A Powerful Headache Natural Headache Medication

Five of the most effective natural remedies for headaches are magnesium, buttebur, feverfew, griffonia and white willow bark. All five of these natural products have been shown to reduce headache pain and frequency for some. MigraDefense (by KAL) combines these five items into one, easy to swallow pill. In my article today I will provide a product review of the nutritional supplement called MigraDefense.

MigraDefense combines magnesium, butterbur, feverfew, griffonia, white willow bark plus other elements. The serving size is 2 tablets. It is best if they are not taken at the same time. The container also says that you can take up to 4 tablets as needed. Realizing that some of the ingredients are used as a preventative, this tends to indicate that MigraDefense can also be used for immediate relief.

This is interesting as most headache medication is one or the other, immediate relief or prevention. Aspirin, B.C. Powder, Goodies or almost any of the other over-the-counter headache medications lay very little (if any) claim that their products can be used for prevention. Immatrex, along with other prescription medications may claim they do, but from my experience, many of them lead to terrible rebound headaches and do a poor job at treating the causes of headaches. Whereas most of the herbal, nutritional or homeopathic medications tend to work toward the long term benefit of frequency reduction and have limited effect on the immediate pain.

The primary ingredients in Migradefense are as follows:

Magnesium

There have been studies showing a relationship between magnesium and headaches. A. Trauninger showed magnesium deficiencies to be common in those who suffer from migraines (Oral Magnesium Load Test in Patients with Migraine, Headache, 2002, 114-119). A. Bianchi found sufficient (but not conclusive) evidence of magnesium's ability to help treat migraines (Vitamin Horm, 2004, p. 297-312).

Feverfew and Butterbur
Feverfew is mainly used for the treatment and prevention of frequent and serious migraine headaches. From a "well-designed clinical trial, 170 German patients took a placebo pill or an extract of feverfew for 16 weeks. Those taking feverfew had significantly fewer migraines (Natural Heath, 2007-03-01)." Butterbur is very popular in Europe as way to minimize neurological discomfort.

White Willow
In 1829, scientists in Europe identified what was believed to be the active ingredient in white willow bark-a compound called salicin. Extracting salicin from herbs was considered to be expensive and time-consuming, so a synthetic salicylic acid version was developed in Germany in 1852 and quickly became the treatment of choice (salicin is converted in the body to salicylic acid). The problem was that it was harder on the stomach. At therapeutic doses, people using the synthetic salicylic acid developed stomach ulcers and bleeding.

The German company Bayer eventually created a synthetic, less harsh derivative of salicylic acid, called acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), and mass-produced it under the name aspirin. Despite this, aspirin is still known for irritating the stomach lining. People take white willow bark instead of aspirin because it does not appear to be as irritating to the stomach lining. It may be because the salicin found naturally in white willow bark is only converted to the acid form after it is absorbed by the stomach.

Researchers have also suggested that white willow bark is more effective than aspirin because of other active compounds that are found in the bark but not the drug. Animal research at Cairo University compared a willow bark extract to ASA and found that a willow bark extract was as effective as aspirin in reducing inflammation, even though the salicin content was lower than an equivalent dose of ASA.

Griffonia
Griffonia seeds are used as a herbal supplement for their 5-Hydroxytryptophan content. 5-Hydroxytryptophan also known as 5-HTP is an important building block for the human body to form serotonin. Serotonin plays an important role in the body esspecially as a neurotransmitter to transport signals between neurons in the nervous system. Griffonia seed have also demonstrated an ability to relieve both the frequency and severity of attacks of migraines in many clinical trials. The 5-HTP content was found to be as effective in treatment and prevention of migraines as beta-blockers or methysergide.

The ingredients present in MigraDefense all have strong records in fighting headaches. If you suffer from frequent headaches, rebound headaches, chronic migraines or occasional migraines MigraDefense looks like a supplement that is very well worth a try.

Visit the Feeling Outstanding Headache Relief page for more information regarding headaches, rebound headaches, headache triggers and causes of headaches.

Tom Thorne

www.FeelingOutstanding.com

How Has Your Winter Been?

How has your winter been so far? Has it been cold in your neck of the woods? It was the coldest November in 30 or so years in Charlotte, NC. The thermometer reads 26 right now, which is cold for this part of the country. Forecasts are for 9 degrees, which would make it the coldest temperature we have experienced in four years.

How has your health been? Have you experienced a cold or the flu yet? I have always taken pride in trying to eat a healty diet with lots of fruits and vegetables and very little, if any, sugar. I've also tried to keep up an exercise program throughout the winter. Yet almost every late fall or winter I would still come down with one cold of varying intensity. I would then load up on vitamins and good foods to see how fast I could get over it.

This year I tried something different that has worked very well. I have been taking one of the Source Natruals Wellness Formula vitamins every morning. So far, I have not even have a hint of a cold or anything like it. I know this is only January, but I'm feeling very good about it. Normally I would have been in the woods by this time of year.

Have a great holiday weekend,

Tom Thorne

http://www.feelingoutstanding.com/