So, yesterday I went to the Dr. She gave me a prescription for Prozac and a prescription for Topamax (Topiramate). The Prozac for depression... she agrees it's bad to cry at nothing. And I started crying while telling her I cry all the time, which she thought was amusing. Anyways, the Topamax is an anti-convulsant. It's for seizures. Also used to treat migraines.
I ran into problems filling the topamax, because, apparently, it has been shown to decrease the effectiveness of birth control. (I use NuvaRing, which is a low estrogen kind.) Apparently in clinical studies, the topamax taken in doses of 100, 200, and 400 mg/day, decreases the effectiveness of low estrogen birth control by 18, 21, and 30%, respectively.I would be taking 25 - 50 mg/day. So the pharmacist needed to talk to my Dr. to see if they should really give me that drug. So then it becomes a question of this...
Do I try the Topamax and use a secondary birth contol until I know if it works or not? Or do I switch birth controls? (Problem being I don't do well on high estrogen pills. I get a little nutty. So maybe an IUD? That sounds... awkward.) Or do I forget the Topamax and stick with the Trazodone that I've already got? Decisions decisions!
I think that Hal and I decided that if the Dr. decides that it shouldn't be a problem to give me the Topamax, I'll try it, and we'll use a back up. Not a big deal, but kind of irritating. If it works, then I'll look into a different kind of birth control. Even the chance that the effectiveness will be decreased is not something I want to play. I'm on NuvaRing partly because of the effectiveness! Besides the fact that getting pregnant while on Topamax is not a good thing! It apparently interferes with your body's folic acid, which baby's need, as well as being a killer tough drug! Bad, bad, bad idea to get pregnant accidentally!
If they decide to leave me on the Trazodone, that'd be OK, too.
And, also at the Dr...
They stole my blood! 3 vials of it! They're testing my thyroid, and my glucose levels, and something else. *Sigh* She took a look at my back and noticed all the hair accumulated (I hadn't been "plucked" that day) and asked if it always falls out like that. I said yes. And she asked if I have a thyroid problem... hmm... And we thought since they were drawing my blood anyways, we'd do the prelimary glucose thing, just to make sure there, too. Hopefully, it'll all be good. (Or bad and then they can fix me, but I'll wish for good.)
Anyways, I had a fine Dr. visit. It wasn't as bad as I've been dreading. In fact, she's really nice and listens very well! (Something to be desired in someone trying to help fix me.) I got a kick out of one of our conversations:
Dr.: Would you be OK if I requested that medical record (from my abnormal Pap smear)?
Me: Sure.
Dr.: You'd just have to sign a form. I think it would help me know if there's something else I need to know.
Me: You can have all my records. I'll sign all the forms.
Dr.: I could check your old records? (she sounded a little shocked that I "gave in" so quickly.)
Me: Umm... yeah.
So then my question is this: Doesn't it make sense that your Dr. should have access to your old records? Maybe they'd find something useful in them. Besides, that way they might not have to run the same tests! Why would a person refuse to let a Dr. see their old records? I'm a firm believer that it's important to get as accurate and informed diagnosis as possible, to help heal ME better. If they don't have all the info, how can they know what's wrong? Maybe they'll think they know, but if I haven't told them about some other perfectly relavent information, they could be wrong.
I also learned the importance yesterday of having your prescriptions filled at the same place. If the Dr. misses some interaction, that might not even be a big deal, the pharmacist might catch it. That way if it IS a big deal, you're double protected! :)
Anyways, that's all my thoughts today!
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