I know most of you have it much worse than I do, so I apologize if I'm complaining too much. I explained about a month ago that I had an "out of cycle cycle". I normally cycle in the fall, and this year, as my cycle ended, I immediately went into another one as I was tapering off 200mg Topiramate. I've been back on 200mg for about a month (first time taking it in the summer), and it's been awful. No nighttime HA, but getting daytime HA, I believe due to my constant drowsiness, dizziness, etc. The side effects have been terrible this time, which I attribute to my general lack of ability to deal with heat. I sleep 8-10 hours a night (luckily I've been working at home a lot), and I've been miserable. I decided today to taper and will hit 150mg tonight and start the weekly taper down to 0.

I'm going to try an abortive method instead. Since I hit my deductible on my insurance plan in January, I refilled my Sumavel and have 24 injections, I have an O2 tank, I run a lot, which helps almost as well as O2 (for some odd reason, that oxygen uptake of exercise works well for me), and I have Cambia. I just don't think I can take the Topiramate, though I think it's a seasonal thing, meaning it's because of the summer months with the heat that is exaggerating the side effects.

Mike

I assume from the meds you're describing you're working with a decent neuro. Might be time to re evaluate your prevent of choice and look at Verapamil or Lithium. Assuming you've read the oxygen info link on the left. If not, check it out, make sure you're getting the maximum benefit from your 02.

And don't worry about the occasional bitch session/pity party, high cycle sucks. :'( Just remember to get back on your horse and be ready to battle beasty. ;)

Joe

Thanks. I use O2, and have read it, yes. It's effective, very effective for me, as even the oxygen uptake in high levels of exercise is very effective, which is actually how I was first led down the road to diagnosis to CH. I feel like a medicine cabinet right now, and want to go "cold turkey" as I've been on topamax, cambia and sumavel over the last 9+ months. My head is feeling like scrambled eggs. That's why I'm thinking maybe get off the Topo, let my head clear and reassess where the pains are coming from, particularly since I'm getting no night pains, only daytime hits. Then I can manage those with sumavel and cambia only. particularly since I have a nice cache of shots now :-)