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Fear of Depakote
Fri, 09/11/2009 - 23:06Do you have to medicate absence seizures?
My son, 5.5, was diagnosed with Childhood Absence Epilepsy this summer. Reluctantly, I gave him Zarontin. Eleven days later, he had a drug reaction (rash). Now the ped-neuro wants me to give him Depakote. But fear gets in the way.
Please, tell me what side effects your elementary school aged children experience while on Depakote. Hair loss -- when, how much, grow back? Weight gain -- when, how much? Tremors -- when, what kind? Low platelets -- bruising, bleeding? Liver disease? Pancreatitis? Behavior issues? Omg.
Is it true that untreated absence seizures can result in long-term epilepsy (vs. childhood)? Is it true that untreated absence seizures result in tonic-clonic and other seizures? Is it imperative that you treat absence seizures with medication? Can absence seizures be treated with a low glycemic index diet or keto diet?
PS. I'm still waiting to see ped-neuro, hence all my questions.
Comments
Re: Fear of Depakote
Submitted by winstonjay on Tue, 2010-03-02 - 06:05
Depakote and Epilum
My son was on Epilum (200mg twice daily) for his absence seizures but he ran out and I had to switch to Depakote (250mg twice daily). We switched back to Epilum because he said he was getting headaches sometimes with Depakote.
At these levels of medication his absence seizures were controlled without any side effects. i see on this website people with such high doses. I guess it's needed but i would recommend starting with a low dose.
before the meds my son was having numerous seizures every hour some lasting 6-10 seconds. Since the epilum I can't notice any and his last eeg only showed two short ones during his sleep period and none when he was awake or stimulated with a strobe.
I can't tell you what will work but this was our experience...all the best
Depakote and Epilum
My son was on Epilum (200mg twice daily) for his absence seizures but he ran out and I had to switch to Depakote (250mg twice daily). We switched back to Epilum because he said he was getting headaches sometimes with Depakote.
At these levels of medication his absence seizures were controlled without any side effects. i see on this website people with such high doses. I guess it's needed but i would recommend starting with a low dose.
before the meds my son was having numerous seizures every hour some lasting 6-10 seconds. Since the epilum I can't notice any and his last eeg only showed two short ones during his sleep period and none when he was awake or stimulated with a strobe.
I can't tell you what will work but this was our experience...all the best
Re: Fear of Depakote
Submitted by CroninS on Wed, 2010-04-07 - 14:27
My daughter is on Depakote ER a total of 750 mg a day. She takes a 250 mg pill and a 500mg pill everynight, she is 10 years old and has been on Depakote now for almost a year. It is the only drug that seems to be working for her but it alone doesn't stop her seizures. She now has tonic clonic seizures as well as her absence seizures and she has ADD. She is also on Kepra 250mg twice a day.
She gets into constant fights with her sisters, is either extremly moody or extremly depressed but according to her ped-neuro this is part of her tonic-clonic seizures not the medication. I asked her this morning about it.
When my daughter was on Topamax she lost 30+ lbs in 2.5 months and started getting bald spots on her head. As soon as we stopped using conditioner in her hair and took her off the Topamax her appetite came back and hair started growing back.
I am not sure if this helps you or not but we have not seen anything but good with the Depekote.
My daughter also has Chronic Renal Disease so they have to be extremly careful on what medication they put her on.
My daughter is on Depakote ER a total of 750 mg a day. She takes a 250 mg pill and a 500mg pill everynight, she is 10 years old and has been on Depakote now for almost a year. It is the only drug that seems to be working for her but it alone doesn't stop her seizures. She now has tonic clonic seizures as well as her absence seizures and she has ADD. She is also on Kepra 250mg twice a day.
She gets into constant fights with her sisters, is either extremly moody or extremly depressed but according to her ped-neuro this is part of her tonic-clonic seizures not the medication. I asked her this morning about it.
When my daughter was on Topamax she lost 30+ lbs in 2.5 months and started getting bald spots on her head. As soon as we stopped using conditioner in her hair and took her off the Topamax her appetite came back and hair started growing back.
I am not sure if this helps you or not but we have not seen anything but good with the Depekote.
My daughter also has Chronic Renal Disease so they have to be extremly careful on what medication they put her on.
Depakote questions
Submitted by sallylutz85 on Mon, 2009-12-28 - 17:55
A few years ago, my pediatric neurologist at the time wanted to try to take me off of my medication (for about the 3rd time since being diagnosed when I was much younger in grade school). I am 24 now, and was about 21 at the time when my doctor and I discussed and began the weaning process. I had been weaned off of my Depakote before, showing only signs of extreme exhaustion and clumsiness as side effects- but I was also still very young and hadn't completely gone through puberty yet. However, this time was completely different and quite traumatic. I am not sure if it was because my hormones were different at this stage in my life or if it was a change due to my personal life at the time (seeing that at age 21 life can be a bit different with more responsibilities and stressors than it was when i was originally weaned at about ages 11 and 14 or so... ) but once I had been off of the Depakote ER for about two weeks I became an entirely different person and began experiencing terrible Obsessive Compulsive tendencies which ruined my life for the next few months until we got my medication levels back in check again and eventually... I went right back to my regular dosage that I had been on before we had begun the weaning process. I was just wondering if this has ever happened to anyone before or if anyone especially anyone who has been on Depakote for an extended period of time has experienced OCD symptoms once taken off of the heavy-duty brain altering medication. I am not sure if it has something to do with where I was personally in life/my hormone levels or if it was something to do with the seizures but I wanted to confirm that maybe it wasnt due to the medication as well. If anyone has any information on this I would greatly greatly appreciate it! best wishes..