Posted by Ritch on October 20, 2002, at 13:59:53
In reply to Getting Off Topamax? See Pdoc this week - Help! ! , posted by Jet on October 19, 2002, at 11:57:09
> I have been taking Topamax for a year now. I would like to stop taking it but when I tried to very slowly taper off, began to feel anxiety at a level that I have not experienced before.
>
> Anyone gone through this that has been on Topa and gone off felt this?
>
> I went back up to my normal dose of 350 mg and will see my pdoc this week and will see what he thinks. Just wanted to see what you all thought so I could bring that to my next app. He is usually willing to let me try meds in combination and I may have to do that while getting off the Topa.
>
> I am also taking: Provocol (daily) & Ambien (as needed). Any advice of what to add while getting off of Topa to lessen the anxiety? It is very very bad whenever I decrease the dose - even if I make sure to do it slowly, which I always do.
>
> Thanks for the help. I see my pdoc very soon.
>
> Jet
You could add a small amount of a long-acting benzo like Klonopin. I had similar problems in the past whenever I tried dose-reduction/discontinuation of Depakote. It probably is due to their GABA-ergic activity and you get rebound anxiety and restlessness when you decrease the dose. If he doesn't like the idea of adding a benzo you could ask about taking Neurontin while you are tapering the TOP.
poster:Ritch
thread:124252
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021019/msgs/124378.html