![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by WelshKat on February 10, 2002, at 11:35:26
Hi~
I've learned so much by reading this board. Decided it was time to
try to get some feedback on my personal situation. I was diagnosed
with bipolar I about 6 years ago. I am 40. I quit all meds about 3
years ago. I have been just getting by without the meds.
Just had my usual manic period this past Oct to Dec.
Then, crashed big time. After, once again, causing some mild?
havoc all around me. I have decided it's time to try some
of the newer drugs. But, I have no insurance and haven't really
worked in four years. So, paying for a regular pdoc is
not a real option. I have started the rounds of the local
free clinics. What an experience. :-) Thanks to a doctor
I saw this week at a free church clinic, I got a script
for Klonopin for my extreme anxiety. Cost me $78 to fill it, but
that was ok. I have started on a low dose twice a day.
Today, I will have a total of 1 mg. It does seem to keep
the dreaded tight chest feeling at bay. :-)
Anyway, I am waiting to hear if I will be accepted into
a 12 week Topamax clinical trial. Not completely sure
if I want to do it. They will be starting the subjects
(who don't get the placebo) on 400 mg and 600 mg a day.
And getting them up to that level in one week. That doesn't
sound like much fun to me. But, I could get free Topamax
for two years and that could be a good thing. Assuming the
stuff even works for me.
I am just managing to get through life one day at a time right now.
Reading this board has helped a great deal.
Thanks for listening,
WelshKat
Posted by JohnX2 on February 10, 2002, at 18:25:19
In reply to Topamax Clinical Trial and Me, posted by WelshKat on February 10, 2002, at 11:35:26
Hey.Good luck with the Topamax!
400 - 600 mg is a pretty strong dose.
Hopefully you get to taper into it to
help deal with the side effects.
I'm doing pretty well at 400 mg.
I just tapered down klonopin from 6 mg
to 0.75 mg using the Topamax as a replacement
medicine.Regards.
John
> Hi~
> I've learned so much by reading this board. Decided it was time to
> try to get some feedback on my personal situation. I was diagnosed
> with bipolar I about 6 years ago. I am 40. I quit all meds about 3
> years ago. I have been just getting by without the meds.
> Just had my usual manic period this past Oct to Dec.
> Then, crashed big time. After, once again, causing some mild?
> havoc all around me. I have decided it's time to try some
> of the newer drugs. But, I have no insurance and haven't really
> worked in four years. So, paying for a regular pdoc is
> not a real option. I have started the rounds of the local
> free clinics. What an experience. :-) Thanks to a doctor
> I saw this week at a free church clinic, I got a script
> for Klonopin for my extreme anxiety. Cost me $78 to fill it, but
> that was ok. I have started on a low dose twice a day.
> Today, I will have a total of 1 mg. It does seem to keep
> the dreaded tight chest feeling at bay. :-)
> Anyway, I am waiting to hear if I will be accepted into
> a 12 week Topamax clinical trial. Not completely sure
> if I want to do it. They will be starting the subjects
> (who don't get the placebo) on 400 mg and 600 mg a day.
> And getting them up to that level in one week. That doesn't
> sound like much fun to me. But, I could get free Topamax
> for two years and that could be a good thing. Assuming the
> stuff even works for me.
> I am just managing to get through life one day at a time right now.
> Reading this board has helped a great deal.
> Thanks for listening,
> WelshKat
Posted by WelshKat on February 11, 2002, at 15:52:41
In reply to Re: Topamax Clinical Trial and Me » WelshKat, posted by JohnX2 on February 10, 2002, at 18:25:19
>
> Hey.
>
> Good luck with the Topamax!
>
> 400 - 600 mg is a pretty strong dose.
> Hopefully you get to taper into it to
> help deal with the side effects.
> I'm doing pretty well at 400 mg.
> I just tapered down klonopin from 6 mg
> to 0.75 mg using the Topamax as a replacement
> medicine.
>
> Regards.
> JohnHi John,
I agree that those doses seem a bit excessive to begin with. Especially when it is only taking a week to get there.
That's one of the reasons I may decline the study. But those free drugs! lol Topamax doesn't seem to be cheap. I may go ahead and see
if this clinic doc will give me the script for Topamax. I can come up with the $ for the first script.
And try to see about the free med program from the drug company. It's just so hard to handle all of this stuff while
fighting off daily mood swings. The klonopin is helping with the anxiety and I'm only taking .5 mg every 12 hours.
Thanks for your feedback and listening to my ramblings. :-)WelshKat
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.