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Depakote--How long does it take?

Fri, 07/29/2005 - 23:37

I will be starting my 8-year-old daughter on Depakote tomorrow (she was diagnosed with absence ep. Wednesday).  I was just wondering if anyone can tell me about how many days it takes for this drug to get into your system.  Her ped. neur. said "a few days," but I was hoping for a few specifics (2 days? 4? 10?...) 

Thanks so much!

Comments

RE: RE: RE: Depakote--How long does it take?

Submitted by x0adamo0x on Sat, 2005-07-30 - 22:27
Adam,Do you remember about how long it took the Depakote to start working for you? My daughter takes (generic) Ritalin (she was diagnosed 2 years ago with Adhd, but I'm kinda hoping her behavior is due to absence and I can eventually take her completely off the Ritalin). I was just wondering, because I'm really eager to see how she'll react and if we can take her off her Ritalin (and the clonidine she takes at night to help her sleep). Also, does the Depakote help you to sleep? Well my name is Casey and im a girl lol. well like i said before i started off on a low dosage and then they worked me up to a higher a dosage. i think it took about 2 weeks or so to work. i got a blood test and it showed that my blood level was good. but you have to be careful with the side effects of depakote because it makes you feel hungry and a side effect is weight gain and it did happen to me and i am a very active kid as well i never stop exercising. i play soccer almost everyday of the week. luckily i lost the weight i gained and i am still trying to lose some more. For me, Depakote help me sleep very well. it actually gets me into a dead sleep. before i was on Depakote my mom used to be able to wake me up like right away now i can barely hear her when she tries to wake me up. the medicine doesnt make me tired though. i can stay up til whatever time but when i fall asleep i am out like a light lol. but i think the medicine is working pretty well. best wishes. Casey

It sounds like you’re dealing

Submitted by Udbassist on Sun, 2018-12-30 - 01:17
It sounds like you’re dealing with Autism. Have you ever had her checked? Get rid of the Clondine. My daughter took that for her “ADHD” and it turned her into a little monster. Always angry. Instead of that, use Melatonin if she is having sleep issues. 5mg. You can buy them in Gummy form. My Daughter is Autistic with absence and myoclonic epilepsy and she’s currently on Depakote, Kepvay(cousin to clondine), and Melatonin. That combo does her extremely well. Best of luck to you and your little one.

RE: RE: Depakote--How long does it take?

Submitted by mexican_fire on Sat, 2005-07-30 - 18:20

You have JME and the Depakote for her child should take anywhere from 2 weeks to 4 weeks to get into her child's system.

I would expect to see more seizure activity, until it does.  Drugs do not work like magic, they take a while to get enough into you so it can control it.

Absence epilepsy is relatively easy to control.

I have JME, and am having a devil of a time controlling mine.

I have mainly T/Cs about 85-90% of thie time, and Myolconic jerks along with some Absences.  THe Myos and Absences seem to surface when I am fatigued, lacking sleep, sick, stressed or sometimes by flashing lights or hard fast breathing.

I take 1500 mgs of Depakote ER, and have been on this for over one year.  It does work, but does have side effects.  Mostly losing hair, hand tremors, headhaches, and sedation as it is begining to work.  These may wear off with continued treatment, as mine has done--DON'T stop the drug due to side effects give it some time to see if it does work, then the doc will do a blood level and do one every week to two weeks to monitor the level and adjust it as needed to her seizure control.  All I have left are the hand tremors.  But, then again, I take next to the most amount of this crap.  I also take 3600 mgs of Neurontin, which is uesed in conjunction to control the T/Cs as a secondary use of the drug.  That one is primarily used for partial epilepsy.

Nancy

You have JME and the Depakote for her child should take anywhere from 2 weeks to 4 weeks to get into her child's system.

I would expect to see more seizure activity, until it does.  Drugs do not work like magic, they take a while to get enough into you so it can control it.

Absence epilepsy is relatively easy to control.

I have JME, and am having a devil of a time controlling mine.

I have mainly T/Cs about 85-90% of thie time, and Myolconic jerks along with some Absences.  THe Myos and Absences seem to surface when I am fatigued, lacking sleep, sick, stressed or sometimes by flashing lights or hard fast breathing.

I take 1500 mgs of Depakote ER, and have been on this for over one year.  It does work, but does have side effects.  Mostly losing hair, hand tremors, headhaches, and sedation as it is begining to work.  These may wear off with continued treatment, as mine has done--DON'T stop the drug due to side effects give it some time to see if it does work, then the doc will do a blood level and do one every week to two weeks to monitor the level and adjust it as needed to her seizure control.  All I have left are the hand tremors.  But, then again, I take next to the most amount of this crap.  I also take 3600 mgs of Neurontin, which is uesed in conjunction to control the T/Cs as a secondary use of the drug.  That one is primarily used for partial epilepsy.

Nancy

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