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Depakote

Tue, 08/10/2004 - 21:50
Hi, I am new to this comunity, and I need some support.In December 2002 my husband had a scheduled aneuryzm surgery. 3 days later he had a stroke, was in coma for 15 days, and paralized on his left side. Doctors put him on Dilantin 300mg a day. This medication worked pretty well at the beginning, and he did not have seizures, but later on his Dilantin level was very unstable, and every time it was out of the therapeutical level he had seizures. As you know the free level is therapeutical btw 1-2, and the total level is btw: 10-20. These seizures lasted sometimes 30, 40, and 50 minutes, so we ended up at the ER, and in the ICU with status epilepticus. Every time they knocked him out, because they were not able to stop the seizures otherwise. What was stange in this seizures, he was always conscieus, you talked to him, and he aswered your questions. In 2003 he was more at the hospital, and rehab centers than at home. They changed his medication several times. First Dilantin, than Keppra, than Dilantin again, than they added Topomax to his Dilantin. This last combination was on for a long time, but because he was still having this long seizures, some doctor called it grand mal, some other partial tonic clonic seizure, doctors changed again medication. Left him on Dilantin and added Trileptal. This combination was no good either, then they eased him off of Dilantin and added Keppra. I think the best combination for him was Trileptal and Keppra, because he acted like as he was before the surgery. But doctors changed again (in my opinion for some mistake,because they thought he had a seizure, and he did not) and we ended up with Depakote and Keppra. Now he is taking 1250mg of Kepra 2x a day and 500mg of Depakote 3x a day. He is very sleepy, sleeps from 8PM to 8AM every day, sometimes longer, and takes other naps during the day, and now lately he has difficulty walking with the cane, or walker and has difficulty transferring to the wheelchair or bed or toilet. The last time we checked, his Depakote level was 100.33, still acceptable, because the therapeutical level is btw. 50-100. I kind of don't like Depakote, but I am afraid of a change, because he still has some seizures, about every 2 weeks, but they are now 2 min or less. He was disabled after the stroke, but rehabilitation get him back, almost as he was before. Then the seizures started, and he was not able to walk again, he is very week. Doctors say, that the scar tissue in the brain causes these seizures. He cannot be left alone, I have a lady who is watching him during the day, when I work. He stilll has therapy, but if it is after a seizure it seems that he made 1 step forward and two steps back. His Neuroligst gave us Diastat, what is a great medication: it is a rectal gel (valium), it has to be given only if the seizure is longer then 5 min. Wherever we go, I take it with me. I had to use it one time, and have to tell, it stopped the seizure instantly.Sorry to bore you, but perhaps sombody has some suggestions, and support for me.ThanksK

Comments

RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: Depakote

Submitted by mexican_fire on Mon, 2005-03-07 - 00:25

DOn't use the Ativan that is from 2003.  IT is no goo anymore.  Use the Diastat to rbing him around during a seizure that goes BEYOND 5 minutes.

YEs, facial paralysis and leg or arm paralysis can be a normal part of the seizure after it is over for some people/  That is called Todd's paralysis.

I am glad taht his drugs are no working and he is much better to be around, than he was before.

THings have slid a litlle for me in the last 6 months.  I still have the same 6 types of seizures, and in the last 6 weeks the Grand Mals have made themselves known.  I used to take 750 mgs of Depakote and since january 6th, it has been bumped up twice to double that, and I now take 1500 mgs.  PLus the 3600 mgs of the Neurontin.

I was diagnosed in Novemeber as having Juvenile Absence Epilepsy where Absence seizuers are the main type and then followed by PRimary Generalized TCs.

I have TLE, as well, with all 4 of the partial seizures.

So, it has been a real battle for me with that.

Nancy

DOn't use the Ativan that is from 2003.  IT is no goo anymore.  Use the Diastat to rbing him around during a seizure that goes BEYOND 5 minutes.

YEs, facial paralysis and leg or arm paralysis can be a normal part of the seizure after it is over for some people/  That is called Todd's paralysis.

I am glad taht his drugs are no working and he is much better to be around, than he was before.

THings have slid a litlle for me in the last 6 months.  I still have the same 6 types of seizures, and in the last 6 weeks the Grand Mals have made themselves known.  I used to take 750 mgs of Depakote and since january 6th, it has been bumped up twice to double that, and I now take 1500 mgs.  PLus the 3600 mgs of the Neurontin.

I was diagnosed in Novemeber as having Juvenile Absence Epilepsy where Absence seizuers are the main type and then followed by PRimary Generalized TCs.

I have TLE, as well, with all 4 of the partial seizures.

So, it has been a real battle for me with that.

Nancy

RE: Depakote

Submitted by USMALE on Thu, 2004-06-17 - 12:47
Katalin, I just found this page. It's the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) Epilepsy Information Page.http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/disorders/epilepsy.htmI don't know if it'll have any info you don't, and, for all I know, you've already checked it out, but I figured I should forward it to you just in case.USMale.

RE: Depakote

Submitted by ermeszter on Thu, 2004-06-17 - 20:07
Hi USMAIL,Thank you for this page, I was never on this page, but I read in other places about this research and the VNS.Yesterday I answered your previous message, but at the time I was posting it my computer acted up, and lost everything.Thank you againKatalin

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