blackbird Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 So my bulimia is out of control, I want the p-doc to prescribe topamax for me as I have heard good reports about it being used for treatment of bulimia. He won't do this. I need anecdotal evidence of success and if you have any studies to show me that would be great as well. Yours in appreciation Blackbird x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borzage Posted June 9, 2006 Share Posted June 9, 2006 I recovered from extreme out of control bulimia through counseling. To this day I have not relapsed, and it's been about seven years. I don't see how you can recover through drugs only, without therapy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazychic Posted June 27, 2006 Share Posted June 27, 2006 I was on Topamax to treat my bulimia for about.. 7 months?? I went up to about 100 mg or so & it seemed to work for a little and then stop. Your binging is ultimately not going to stop when treated with drugs. You binge because you are bored or lonely or scared or unloved or feeling sad or feeling tired and you can't just expect to pop a pill and binging will go away. I wasted a lot of $$ on that stupid Topamax. If you really want to get on it tho there ARE reports of success from people being treated with it and it helped.. you can google it & I am sure it will come up. ~cc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Doc Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 There are multiple success stories of people with bulimia being treated with Topamax and therapy. Please don't discount the hopes of others because your story was unsuccessful with one or the other. 100 mg is sometimes not enought to treat bulimia. 100mg is a mid range therapy and your doctor should know this and you should have sought a second opinion. Sometimes therapy and pure will power is not enought to treat bulima. Bulimia is a type of seizure that comes from the temporal lobe. This is why treatment of bulimia with Topamax IS successful. Do more homework. If your current doc doesn't want to give you a prescription, THEN GET ANOTHER DOCTOR! Take control of your life. I HAD BEEN bulimic for 19 years. And without Topamax I would still be fighting the endless cycle day after day after day. There are side effects but the side effects adjusts when you find the proper dosage starting at 25 mg per day for one week. The 2nd week you take 50 mg. 25 mg in the morning and 25 mg in the evening. The 3rd week you take 75 mg. 25 mg in the morning and 50 mg in the evening. The 4th week you take 100 mg. 50 in the morn, 50 in the eve, you get the picture. Take selenium, zinc, potassium before you start to take Topamax because one of the side effects is hair loss. So to PREVENT hair loss quintiple up on these vitamins before you start taking Topamax. Take B6 to prevent the side effect of numbing and tingling sensation. There is a memory loss side effect which comes back when you adjust to the medication. Use your common sense and let the drug work for you. The full effect of this drug can take up to 16 months. I was bulimic for 19 years. You don't think I'm going to give 16 months of my life? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SashaSue Posted November 15, 2009 Share Posted November 15, 2009 Here's a lit review, which seems to have found topamax helpful in both bulimea and binge eating disorder: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18774432?itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum&ordinalpos=8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscillateWildly Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 So my bulimia is out of control, I want the p-doc to prescribe topamax for me as I have heard good reports about it being used for treatment of bulimia. He won't do this. I need anecdotal evidence of success and if you have any studies to show me that would be great as well. Yours in appreciation Blackbird x Isn't topamax an appetite suppressant? If the doc has any idea at all about eating disorders he'll be likely to think you'll use topamax to stop bulimia to foster anorexia. Topamax for binging is not appropriate for someone with anorexia (type 2 binge purge), or a history of anorexia nervosa (type 1 restrictive), especially if actively eating disordered symptomatic. Going by this post: http://www.crazyboards.org/forums/index.php/topic/33742-hardcore-anorexia/ It sounds like the disease wants you on topamax so you can starve without b/ping. If you are presently dealing with the anorexia voice, a lot of the binge/purge stuff will go away if you eat more normally, without starving for prolonged periods. Topamax will just help you relapse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted November 16, 2009 Author Share Posted November 16, 2009 I am currently rx/ed topamax to deal with alcohol cravings as I have a massive alcohol dependence habit and topamax is the only thing that kills the cravings. blackbird x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted November 16, 2009 Share Posted November 16, 2009 Bulemia is a seizure in the temporal lobe? Could you please post where you got than information from, I have uh, never heard THAT one before. Topamax CAN be an appetite suppressant, but it's also used off label for addictive behaviors, from time to time. As best I remember, it has shown some moderate success in some folks, but it's not like a panacea or anything.... anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riseandshine Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 When my bulimia was at its worst last year, I tried Topamax. I believe my highest dosage was 200 mg. I noticed an initial improvement in the frequency of my symptom use on a daily basis. I recall that my appetite, not my urge to engage in behaviors, was reduced. In all honesty, the side effect of appetite suppression allowed me to restrict my intake, which in turn led to rampant b/p cycles. My eating disorder really ran amok while on Topamax. I know you were looking for anecdotal experience to support the use of Topamax for bulimia, but I thought I would share my experience anyway. Unless a person is honestly confident that he/she would not fall into calorie restriction or abuse the side effects of the drug, then I would highly discourage its use for bulimia. Just my two cents. In any case, good luck. I am glad you are looking for ways to help yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonsum Posted November 17, 2009 Share Posted November 17, 2009 about a month ago i was prescribed topamax for impulse control stuff. essentially the impulse to eat and throw up. so far it has been working quite well. the frequency of my b/p episodes has decreased form as much as 2 or 3 times daily to twice in the past month. it's been a miracle for me. i couldn't stop on my own. willpower didn't cut it as much as i wanted to stop i just couldn't. granted, my pdoc thinks it has something to do with my current nasty manic episode. i had to all but beg him to keep me on it. it has done so much good for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest er Posted January 24, 2010 Share Posted January 24, 2010 topomax is actually widely used to treat bulimia. it doesn't just reduce appetite - it also reduces binge urges. i'm currently on 300mg of topomax and it's very helpful, in combination with therapy of course. i was started on topomax when i was inpatient at the ucla eating disorder program. the psychiatrist there starts many of the bulimics on topomax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 I have been taken off topamax due to the weight I was losing. I am still losing weight so I don't believe it was topamax related but it definitely reduced my bingeing and vomiting. I have binged and vomited 2 times since christmas and I do not have any alcohol cravings. My weight is very low (BMI 16.9) but thats through eating 800 calories a day. blackbird x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest blah Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 I have suffered from bulimia for 7 years. Therapy didn't help, multiple hospitalizations didn't work, nothing did until I went on topamax. It saved my life. Many doctors specializing in eating disorders wont prescribe it because they assume your trying to get on it to lose weight or that you are anorexic. If your doctor wont prescribe it, find a new one. My gynocologist currently prescribes it to me! I don't have to go in monthly for stupid weight checks nor am I required to have a therapist. My family doesn't want to believe that a simple medication made all the difference but it did. I think many cases of bulimia are biological in nature rather than phsycological. Afterall, how mentally ill could I have been if all it took was a medication to cure me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LunaRufina Posted June 8, 2010 Share Posted June 8, 2010 I think many cases of bulimia are biological in nature rather than phsycological. Afterall, how mentally ill could I have been if all it took was a medication to cure me? One has nothing to do with the other. You also seem to have really wanted help, half of the problem. Many MI seem to be nature AND nurture. Though I am not completely certain if this is the case with all eating disorders, bulimia in particular. I understand it is different from anorexia, though as I understand it there are both environmental and biological factors at work in that particular case. Bulimia? Not so sure. But MI? Yes, it can be biological. Still means it's an MI. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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