HELP !! new diagnosis of chronic migrane V.CONFUSED

Hello ! I just got diagnosed with chronic migrane today but the doctor was in a rush and didnt give me much information at all. He prescribed me some medication called topiramate which is usually used to treat epilepsy. I am 20 years old and have always had pressure / tension headaches for aslong as I can remember. In the past four weeks I have experienced quite intense visual distortion, colored flashes and blobs and these continuos sort of "floaters" (apparently the jelly of my eyes which i can now see ??) , along with this I have experienced headaches, intense nausea normally in the afternoon, pressure behind eyes and skull, sensitivity to light (especially direct sunlight) and difficulty focusing. Although the symptoms arent paralyzing they are pretty constant and really getting me down. I am about to go abroad on a residency for a month and am worried about how to deal with the problems, I am also concerned about taking these meds, its a six month course and the side affects can be REALLY extreme (weight loss, dizziness, depression, anxiety ect... ). Can any one advise me on how to proceed, its all a bit new and scary

Thank you !!

R

Well your symptoms certainly sound like chronic migraine, and are quite common around here.
The drug you have been prescribed is commonly called Topomax. If you check the threads here you will find that a lot of people have experienced significant side effects, including mental slowness, hallucinations, psychosis, and severe nausea.

It has worked for some people though, so it might be worth a try I recommend watching carefully for side effects though. If you have them, contact your doctor ASAP. It is recommended you wean off rather than stopping cold turkey if you need to discontinue. I would be worried about taking it if you will be away for 6 months. You may need medical care in that time period and usually need to get checked to see how you are doing and adjust dosages. That would be hard to do if you are out of the country.

Good luck!

You may have to adjust your dosage upwards to get relief. On this forum alot of side effects are reported. Success is low also.

You were given a preventive med. You need an abortive med also. Mostly you need a new DR. To give you a new diagnose,

and new med without discussion is terriable. You may not get relief quickly.

No wonder you are confused! Is your Dr a Neurologist? If not I would get one soon, at least consult with one. You can also talk to your pharmacist about your medications. I would do some research, this site is a good place to start, but continue on your own. Research Dr's in your area and your medications. The topomax is commonly prescribed for migraines, sever anti-seizure meds are. Also, anti-depressants, anti-nausea, anti-psychotice, Narcotice, SSRI's and on and on.

Don't be frightened by the label of anti-seizure, or any of the others. The drugs work on brain chemicals and aren't necessarily prescribed for the class they are in. Post questions as you think of them, someone on here has surely tried your med, or procedure. Just keep in mind that things work differently for all of us. What might not work for me, might be a miracle for you!!!

If I were you I would also go to an optometrist and get your retina checked. The floaters are not something usually associated with migraine - that's potentially an eye problem. If there is something like detached retina going on you would need to get it checked out asap. The rest sounds migrainey but pain and pressure and eyes and lights and pretty hard to distinguish and some doctor giving you 20 seconds is hardly a diagnosis I would trust. Not for a minute.

Good luck!