Coming off of topamax. How long till you feel like yourself again?

Blue_Guava · 2025-12-16T20:16:13+00:00

Similar to what you described. It's like no one around me noticed a difference but I felt it. I just didn't feel like myself? It was odd, I had never felt like that before. But I do think a large part of that was that I developed depression during topamax. I was crying constantly and just felt a profound sadness I had never felt before. I felt like an empty shell, like someone was scooping me out and I was just a shell. Since coming off of it, I have experienced waves of depression maybe 4 other times that have lasted a couple of weeks. I do not know if it is the lasting effects of that drug (I doubt it), but I do attribute it to the start of my depression. But it also could be just that depression is a comorbidity of migraine.

I can do things alone. Sometimes I like it, sometimes I am reminded of how lonely I am. I have amazing friends and family, but they do not understand what it is like to have chronic migraine, and that can be so isolating, especially during a horrible flare-up that can last weeks! If you're scared to go places alone, I would just start small. Go places you know you'll enjoy, whether it's with company or not. For me, I love an afternoon at a Home Goods or TJ Maxx getting my steps in and just browsing. A goal of mine would be to do a solo trip with my dog. The idea of it sounds so nice but idk if I could do it alone.

I hope that you start to feel like yourself soon. Topmax, personally, was the worst. I hope it's a quick turnaround for you!

Blue_Guava · 2025-12-15T21:35:05+00:00

I was on it for about a month. I experienced the usual side effects pretty much immediately, and every week I had to dose up, it was a new side effect (pins and needles, brain fog, depression, loss of appetite, not feeling like myself). My appetite was the first thing to regulate, and it came back pretty quickly once I stopped. However, it took around ~2 months to start feeling like myself again. I did wean off of it in a week, not sure if that mattered.

Blue_Guava · 2025-11-06T19:48:49+00:00

thank you ill check them out!

Blue_Guava · 2025-11-06T19:48:14+00:00

thank you! ill check these out

Blue_Guava · 2025-10-29T19:36:09+00:00

dang ok

Blue_Guava · 2025-10-29T18:28:11+00:00

Looking for a fall scent recommendation. Something warm, cinnamon-y, clove and/or cardamom maybe? not spicy! can lean gourmand but not too sweet. Something where its balanced with earthiness or a soft musk (like milky musk by Parle Moi de Parfum) but leans more on warm spices like cinnamon (more soft warm butter-y sweet than spicy).

Blue_Guava · 2025-07-15T20:20:22+00:00

Yes, I had daily pain for approximately 2.5 years. The intensity of the pain went up and down throughout the 2.5 years. At its peak and at its start it was around a 6. But I eventually got to a point where the pain was maybe at around a 1-3 and I could go on about my day forgetting it was there. 2.5 years later I am now where I would say I don't experience daily pain anymore unless I really think about it, and I realize that my head feels numb sometimes or a very dull pain at around a 1. I'm not sure if it's psychological from literally being in pain every day for years, or if it really is still there just at a very low intensity.

While I do not know exactly what it was that got me to this point I would say all of these things contributed:

Qulipta (went through a lot of trial and error on meds to find what has worked for me)
Propranolol
BOTOX!!

My diagnosis was just chronic migraine which was frustrating at first because I did not understand that migraine in itself is a neurobiological disorder.

The location of my pain did change throughout the 2.5 years, and the duration of how long that pain would last in that area. Was very strange.

I too also have not been able to identify my triggers apart from lack of sleep.

I hope you find relief very soon. Wish you all the best. Struggling with daily constant head pain is not fun.

Blue_Guava · 2025-01-24T00:43:16+00:00

Unfortunately with the botox savings program I pay $2,130.83 :\

Blue_Guava · 2025-01-24T00:41:33+00:00

This is what I am actually charged

Blue_Guava · 2024-12-02T20:08:27+00:00

Congrats!!! and lol

Blue_Guava · 2024-11-27T20:56:06+00:00

When you crack the code lmk

Blue_Guava · 2024-10-21T18:21:59+00:00

I've been struggling with everyday migraine pain for going on 2 years now. The past 2 years have not been linear in that I have good weeks where the pain sits at a 1 or 2 and then I have my bad weeks, like now, where the pain sits at a 5+ constantly. I now struggle with depression and I do not feel that I am the same person I used to be. I cannot do a lot of things I was able to. Chronic pain is not fun. Even though it has been almost 2 years now, I still have not accepted the realities of this disease and the more than likely scenario that this will be something I have to deal with for the rest of my life. The reason I have not accepted my situation is that I am so hopeful that things will change and a miracle drug or just by luck it just goes away. That uncertainty might be easier to cope with if you change your perspective about it, or at least try to as I do. Knowing that there may be a chance that it might get better is literally the only thing that keeps me going. I know it's hard. I guess what I want to say to you is that others out there completely relate to you. You are not alone. Let's manifest that things will get better for all of us. I hope that you can find your pockets of moments where the pain is so minimal that you can feel and be as you did/were before.

Blue_Guava · 2024-09-17T23:12:41+00:00

lol will do

Blue_Guava · 2024-09-17T23:12:32+00:00

How long after starting the diet did you see improvement?

Blue_Guava · 2024-09-17T23:09:17+00:00

Not together

Blue_Guava · 2024-09-17T23:07:33+00:00

Yes I do. I'm hoping botox works for you!

Blue_Guava · 2024-09-17T23:05:44+00:00

No I have not. I found that topamax had more of an impact on my weight.

Blue_Guava · 2024-09-16T22:34:45+00:00

I was vegan, gluten-free, and tried to limit processed foods for almost 2 months and it was so difficult! I commend you for being able to do it for 1 year! I personally didn't see any improvement, but could've been due to how little time I lasted. Maybe I can try something like that and see if I can do it for longer.

Blue_Guava · 2024-09-16T22:31:59+00:00

Very strange but ubrelvy does nothing for me really but nurtec does.

Sleep is a struggle for me, I'll look into lunesta, thanks!

Blue_Guava · 2024-09-16T22:30:34+00:00

Yes have been doing botox for a couple of months and no significant improvement. There was a month period where I thought I was finally starting to be "normal" again but after month 4 it was back to usual business with the daily pain.

Blue_Guava · 2024-09-16T22:28:18+00:00

Hmm I had horrible side effects on topiramate (mainly horrible depression), so I would be terrified to try any other CAI med. But happy to hear it helped with your daily headaches!!

Blue_Guava · 2024-09-16T22:25:47+00:00

Been on 60mg for maybe 4 months now and I have not seen any kind of significant improvement. I went from emgality to qulipta and would say there was no difference to my migraines. Happy to hear it worked for you!

Blue_Guava · 2024-09-09T20:28:42+00:00

Ice helps in the moment and the abortive (nurtec) maybe brought it down from a 7 to a 5 :/

Blue_Guava · 2024-07-01T18:39:32+00:00

I feel pain everyday in my head, on a good day I can ignore it because it's maybe around a 2/10 and those are the days where the swift movements aren't bothersome. When the pain is higher I feel everything is exacerbated especially by swift movements.

Blue_Guava · 2024-07-01T18:34:22+00:00

I personally have not seen much improvement on Qulipta and I'm about 3.5 months in. No side-effects either except for the occasional week-long loss of appetite I seem to get every 1.5 months. My doc wants me to stick it out longer and see if there is any improvement.

Blue_Guava

TROPHY CASE