I’ve not had a soda since I began treatment with Topamax because it makes all carbonated beverages taste like complete crap! I never used to drink water, I did live on Mountain Dew though. So, that’s a good thing, it’s forced me to drink water now and give up the “Dew”. I can laugh about that.

From what I understand, Topamax’s main method of action is on the temporal lobes of the brain. Which could be one of the reasons why it messes with the memory to such an extent. Again, I’m not a doctor, so take this all with a grain of salt.

I also research any and all medications before I take them. I work closely with my neurologist, psychiatrist, endocrinologist, gp and pharmacist. I know what meds interact with other meds, have the potential to interact with my conditions, know what OTC meds will/or may interact with my prescription meds or conditions AND I have no problem calling my doctors on something if they suggest a medication that I think may interact. I know they are human beings, not gods.

For what it’s worth, I’m totally against Topamax being used as a weight loss drug.

Mainly because I don’t want one of four anticonvulsants that I can use to control my seizures to be YANKED off the shelf because some people sued because it screwed them up when they weren’t even supposed to be taking it. (It’s an anticonvulsant, not a miracle drug! Sue the doctor that prescribed it to you OFF-LABEL!)

Secondly, it’s not the drug that’s bad. It’s when it’s used improperly or for the wrong purposes that it causes problems. What I mean by improperly, I mean at the wrong dosage (it is a very dosage specific medication) or for the wrong type of seizure.

I can’t comment on it’s off-label use for migraine, since I’ve never had one. There is some information out there that some migraines may be a form of seizure activity. Which may be the reason why some anticonvulsants relieve some migraines and others don’t. I can’t answer that. (Again, not a doctor)

Sorry that I went completely off-topic. A site that I use to research some of the medications that I’m on is http://www.crazymeds.us .

Yeah, especially given that they said the unpopular girls still mostly fell into the “normal” range of BMI. Which, according to their own stupid charts, means the 11 pounds wasn’t excess weight, it was just weight. And that’s normal during adolescence. Even according to the most ridiculous weight standards, you’re not supposed to stop gaining weight until 25.

Also, the difference between the average weight gain of the popular and unpopular girls was 4.5 pounds. A difference of 4.5 pounds over two years and this is supposed to be significant?

It’s so frustrating when a medication that’s supposed to make you feel better actually makes you feel worse, but I’m glad that making life way better was as easy as NOT taking a pill.

Things got very clear when my GP asked me what I’d eaten in the past three days. I was floored to discover the answer was “fewer than 1200 calories total.” We stopped the Topamax and life got WAY better. (Also I can sleep again.)

good job decent ment exist and prefer some rumpy pumpy with WOMEN in general, and not just acceptably thin ones, eh?

Oh, come now, Apricotmuffins, we can easily propagate the species without heterofucking. Ever heard of turkey basters?

BMI increases normally through the teen years. The bog-standard BMI-for-age CDC charts can be found here. BMI dips to a low around age five or six, then increases progressively through age 20, with velocity peaking around puberty. 2 points is about what the population in general is currently statistically expected to gain between age 10 and age 17, but of course this is predicated on extremely accurate and consistent weighing and reporting, and does not apply AT ALL to individuals. Tiny differences in measurement/reporting can make a big difference in the BMI number on a page.

Plus, it’s all bullshit, for all the other reasons mentioned above and elsewhere on this blog.

As I read it, they called it “excess weight” because it’s an increase of BMI, rather than gaining weight and height, keeping the same BMI. But yes, the choice of words is insane, and I hope the AP was just screwing up the study results.