Posted by barbaracat on December 11, 2004, at 14:55:38
In reply to Re: Other new meds for alcohol cravings » owenus32, posted by jujube on December 11, 2004, at 10:11:39
Thanks for the post. I'll check this book out - it looks interesting. I have some definite questions about the theory of 'washing away excess dopamine', however, since it's actually a disconnect in the dopamaminergic system that's implicated in cravings. Generally too little, or receptors that are not functional, rather than 'excess dopamine'. However, there is a 'spiking' and 'phasic' mechanism, one of which just may hang around too long and need a mop up. The whole subject is so complex and fascinating that I'd appreciate learning anything I can about it.
The reason Topamax has been suggested in alcohol rehab is that it is a weak dopamine agonist, so washing excess away would go against it's intended effect. The extra dopamine is also why Topamax, of all the mood stabilizers, has weight loss as a side effect and rest are porky meds.
I tried Topamax at the beginning of my hunt for bipolar meds and it made me feel absolutely horrible. Anxious, squirmy. It wasn't a good med for me.
> I posted this on the Substance Abuse board the other day. May be of interest to you.
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> > I just came across a book called "Dr. Isadore Rosenfeld's Breakthrough Health", in which he states that researchers at the University of Texax Health Science Centre have discovered that Topamax (topiramate), an approved antiseizure medication, appears to be much more effective in helping alcoholics quit drinking than any other drug available. According to their paper, published in the journal The Lancet, Topamax works by washing away excess dopamine, a chemical in the brain that enhances the craving for alcohol.
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> > The researchers studied 103 heavy drinkers (men who regularly consumed more than five drinks a day and women who took more than four), all of whom had already tried and failed Alcohol Anonymous, drug therapy, psychotherapy, and rehabilitation clinics. 55 subjects were given oral Topamax; the remaining 48, a placebo. At the end of the study, 24 percent of those taking the topamax had abstained completely for 1 month, compared with only 4 percent of the placebo group. Another plus for topamax was that it improved abnormal liver function caused by alcohol excess in some patients. It also lifted mood and relieved anxiety symptoms.
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> > Patients on topamax do not have to abstain completely. However, if they do continue to drink, they do so less than before.
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> > Tamara
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> > I take lexapro and klonopin and I think any drug that reduces your symptoms will help decrease aclocol cravings but you also need something like outpatients alcolol abuse group or aa or something on top of it.
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poster:barbaracat
thread:425696
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041211/msgs/427790.html