Anyone taking Depakote???? - Epilepsy Message Board

shutang · 11-15-2004, 02:58 PM

I recently found out that I have epilepsy. I just returned from a week long stay at the hospital for 5 different episodes I had and was just wondering if anyone has or is taking Depakote? I'm not sure what the side effects are. I was taking Dilatin, but it proved to not work worth a damn. I know I'm not alone, but I lost my job last week because of this and am freeking out. I figured that it might be good for me to talk with people who are in the same boat as me I would really appreciate any help anyone can give me!

buliem · 11-15-2004, 05:31 PM

Hi Shutang,
Sorry you are having to go through all this. My almost 10 year-old son takes Depakote for Absence Seizures (Petit Mal Epilepsy) So far he hasn't suffered any serious side effects. He's only been on it for just under two months. At first he was pretty tired and he had some tremors in his hands. From what I've read the common side-effects are hair-loss and weight gain. My son is taking a multi-vitamin with selenium to counteract the hair-loss. The neurologist said weight gain is usually caused from over eating. The depakote can irritate the stomach and cause a person to think they are hungry when they aren't. I don't know if this is true as some people say they didn't eat anymore but still gained weight. My son hasn't gained much is any as of yet and he's always been a big eater.

There are some other rarer and very serious side effects. I'd talk to your doctor. You can also do a web search on side effects. We aren't allowed to post websites here. The info is out there.

I hope your employer didn't fire you because you have E. I believe that is illegal. At least in the USA it is.

Anyway hang in there. Stress can make E a lot worse. Make sure you get plenty of sleep. Better said than done, I know.

Take care,

Julie

ritamymom · 11-16-2004, 02:36 AM

Hi there Shutang and welcome to the boards!!

I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis and how it has affected your life.
I know how stressful and depressing it can be!
I took Depakote for only a very short time. It made me very dizzy and sick to my stomach. I do know that one of the main side affects of it is weight gain and for that reason alone, I may have had an upset stomach from that! I, for years, had anorexia as a teen and to this day the thought of being heavy or gaining weight scares the heck out of me. I knew from the start that Depakote was NOT going to be the drug for me!
Not EVERYONE gains weight from Depakote though!!! My niece is on Depakote and Keppra and also a stimulant and she has lost about 20 pounds!!!! She is 18 years old and doing awesome with her seizure control. You may want to ask the doc about the stimulant.
Please keep us posted as to your progress and how the Depakote is working for you!! Don't get discouraged!!! Give it a chance and most of all, give yourself a chance too.
We are all here for on another and this is a great place to ask questions or, just to vent!!

R

mnt89 · 11-16-2004, 11:25 AM

Hi, I take Dilantin and do well on it, but my cousin takes Depakote. He has gained a signigicant amount of weight and his hair is thinning, but other than that he seems to do well on it. Sorry to hear about your job, that happened to me about 11 years ago. I made it through and am a very happy and productive employed person. You'll come out on top in the long run. Why exacty did you lose your job, was it absences due to the seizures or what?
Mike

rocket56 · 11-16-2004, 05:23 PM

well my daughter was taking depakote when she became pregnate the first time and she lost the child due to severe birth defects, From the med. If you are in childbering years or concidering having a child think twice about this medicine.