Hoping for any information on Depakote

Eilidh1

Hey Nikki

Depakote is a widely used drug which usually controls seizures well. However it is also well known for it's side-effects, depression and weight gain being a couple of them. However many women choose not to opt for depakote if they are considering having children, as it's thought that (some doctors don't believe it) there are increased chances of facial deformalities, learning difficulties and spina-bifida in children borne by mothers on depakote. So although most drugs have side-effects this one is perhaps a big one to consider if you're a woman of child-bearing age. There's a lot of info on this site about depakote (aka sodium valproate and epilem).

Good luck
Eilidh
x

buliem

Besides weight gain, depakote can have adverse cognitive side effects. Children who take it can have an actual decrease in IQ. Adults too from what I read. Even after going off it a person will most likely not regain the lost cognition. I know Dilantin has similiar side effects. My son takes depakote and did experience a bit of weight gain but that seems to have leveled off after being on it for a little over a year. The problems with attention and concentration haven't however. I'm thinking of asking the doctor to replace it with a newer AED. My son also takes Keppra. Depakote didn't control his TCs even at very high doses, well over therapeutic.

Good luck with the switch. Every AED has side effects from one extent to the other and every person experiences them differently.

Julie

EthanF

Hey Nikki

I am 28 and I started taking depakote a little before my teenage years. I hate it. I heard somewhere that it doesn't cause learning disabilities but it increases a lot of the symptoms of them. It also tends to slow down the process of turning thoughts into words for your voice. I used to have a college roommate who was a fellow epileptic who was on a bigger dose than I was and his voice was slower than I can describe. Worse of all it also causes weight problems. I have noticed that my weight issue developed only a bit after I got into depakote and even today my mom won't accept how possible it is that depakote could be connected to the development of my weight issue. The only good thing I can think of is that it did slow down my seizures. You might also want to know that depakote is also used as a mood stabelizer drug so you might want to try to monitor how it effects your mood and behavior.

I just had brain surgery to cure my epilesy and they haven't taken me off the drugs yet. But belive me. A lot of epilepsy drugs have psycological side effects. That is only one of the reasons Im worried about them reducing my med and eventually taking me off.

But enough about me. I want to say the best of luck to you and wer always there for you


Sincerely
Ethan

buliem

Ethan,

I wish you continued good luck recovering from your surgery. Hopefully you will be off all meds one day. My son has idiopathic E so no surgery for him. I agree depakote doesn't cause an actual learning disability but it is associated with a decline in cognitive function. If you do a search you may be able to find the article. It is very recent and is a summary of years of research. The jest of it was that because of this cognitive decline children should not be given older AED's unless absolutely necessary. Newer ones are better.

When you say your roomate was a slow talker what do you mean? Slow to respond or the actual speed of his speach? My son just has a hard time responding right away. It's like his brain can't process things fast enough anymore. Word retrieval is sometimes a problem too. Breaks my heart. Oh well we just gotta forge on.

And Nikki, Please come here as often as needed. There are some great folks here.

Take Care,
Julie

EthanF

Hey Julie

My college roommate was very interesting epilepsy case. He always knew what he wanted to say. He just had difficulty transfering the word from his brain to his mouth. He knew what he wanted to say but would pause between words. In my heart I wouldn't be surprised if his depakote had something to do with it cause he was on a high dose.

Thanks for the good luck wish. The brain surgery post headach has gone away and tomorrow (10/18/05) is my first check-up with my neuro surgon after the surgery. I nervous in some ways and excited in others. I used to look good balled when I shaved my head for the surgery but now I think it looks ugly cause of the scar on my head and am so impatient about it growing back

Enough about me. How are things going for you Nikki and everyone else?


Wish you the best
Ethan

jnjdav

Thank you all for your responses. I suffer from the memory loss and ability to finish a sentence already. I guess the Dilantin causes that also. I am starting to think that all of them do. I feel horrible everyday on Dilantin. I go through anxiety attacks and apparently the Depakote could help with that. That is what the doctor says. My husband and I have three children and my tubes are tied so I am not concerned about having children. ( I hope I am done....hehehe)

Thanks again and I will let you know how it goes.

Nikki

neurowreck

I had horrible hand tremors (in the days when I had to write most of my work, before computers made it easier)...had to go off of it (was actually on it for the autonomic disorder- which I STILL think is related to the seizures)....anyway, didn't do well on it. Had been on 700 mg of Dilantin every day (yeah, that's 700)...but that was screwing up my liver and thyroid tests, so had to go off of that....it's a process of trial and error. And very frustrating. Some people do great on Depakote....I won't ever go back on it.