hi everyone its been awhile i need advice about my depakote levels they are very low. - Epilepsy Message Board

vickie45 · 10-29-2008, 09:01 PM

hi its been awhile since i been to the boards but alls i do is sleep 24/7 i been on depakote er 500 am 500 pm since dec 07 had my levels checked back in april in a hospital after i had a seizure it was 58.9 normal range is 50 to 100 well last week i went and had my levels checked again its a 3 they said its very very low like im not taking any medication at all but iam i take them everyday and iam so tired no energy she said after allmost a yr the tiredness should have gone away by now i had depression cried alot i dont understand why its a 3 shes calling me tomorrow after she talks to the dr they also put me on topamax i took 25 mgs 1 wk the 2 pills 2nd week 3 pills 3rd wk then 4 pills after that i start 2 pills sat its for my headaches i guess .also i need some good advice can taking 4 to 5 1 mg xanax a day cause my seizures ? and i take 4 darvocets im due to go to rehab on nov 7th do you think im making the right chiose ?? cause if it is the xanax causeing this i want off asap i went to a neuro dr once and he told me no xanax wouldnt do that but the rehab im going to said its possible but said they cant be sure since i had them as a baby but just cause i have seizures dont mean i need xanax does it??but my head hurts horribly even with the darvocets i just want to feel better i do have thyrold disorder my tsh is 7.9 is that high to where id sleep like i do im on levothyroxine 50 mgs and the cytomels 25mcgs and back in jan 07 when i first found out i was hypo it was 9.2 and i slept the same as i do now but i want to know about the levels does it mean the depakote isnt the right brand or does it mean maybe its not seizures at all im so confused i had to go on zoloft to stop my depression cause i didnt know what was happening and some of the drs i been to never seem to want to check in may my tsh was a 2 its now allmost nov and it jumped up to a 7.9.
any advice would really like to hear from someone as im so tired all the time i never leave i sleep non stop but could that be the xanax making me tired i took them in 2006 and i never felt like this not till 2007 when i found out i was hypo but within 2 weeks i felt great i been on the meds again now for about 2 mos see back in june i stopped taking them that was june 07 cause i thought the thyrold meds were causeing me to fall and at that time i wasnt taking any darvocets and i only took 2 1/2 to 3 xanax a day and was passing out so iam so very confused i dont know whats happening to me weather i should go to rehab or what .im scared if i come off the xanax i may need them and wont have one to calm me down if i have a spell but i so want to be better i pray so much to get my life back .
someone please reply back with some advice ,
vickie

soccerschmee14 · 10-29-2008, 10:55 PM

my situation is quite similar to yours, minus the depression. im currently on 1000mg of depakote er (500am,500pm like you) and also 250mg of topamax. i also have the headaches as well. i kinda had the reverse problem as you though, my levels were too high(in the 140s or 150s i think). it did cause me to always be tired though. i would sleep 12 hrs at night and then nap all day it seemed. i also had other side effects(really shakey hands was the worst). my szs were under control though so my dr was leary to do anything about it, but we eventually lowered the depakote to what it is now, the 1000mg. im tempted to say it could be the depakote for you too but i dont know sense your levels were so low, but then again the 50-100 thing is just a guideline. my dr is ok with my levels always being what most ppl would consider "toxic." ive never had experience with xanax so im not much help there, but i know how you feel on the depakote.

ncch · 10-18-2010, 08:48 PM

have you had your vitamin d levels checked? i started taking b vitamin complex, d, selenium, and zinc. Nutrition helps a lot on the meds. I take xanax as needed for the nervousness i get on the depakote. I take 500 two times a day as well. I dont take xanax everyday. My neurologist has warned me that xanax does affect your levels..Coming off of xanax can make you have seizures as well. That is why i use it sparingly...it is highly addictive as well so i try to keep away as much as possible. Exercise helps a lot!!!! If i dont walk or do something i get very lethargic..I also get pretty bad if i dont drink enough water...usually about 8 glasses or more. I hope this helps..I still have to fight with myself not to lay around..the meds make you lazy..It is not you!!! By the way I cannot take darvocet as it makes me very nervous and angry have you tried something else for the pain? Xanax is for PANIC DISORDER AND AGROPHOBIA