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Depakote--How long does it take?

Fri, 07/29/2005 - 23:37

Topic: Medication Issues

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: Depakote--How long does it take?

Submitted by angel_lts on Sun, 2005-07-31 - 08:02

It is about two weeks. Depokote causes decrease of bone. Please be careful. My neice was on it at at age 13 till 18 and she has osteopenia already. Plus she got a new doctor and she told her to get off of that. For one day she will want to have children and it is very bad. Make sure she takes calcium and magnesuim too.

take care

Lisa

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/EpilepsyApproach/

take care

Lisa

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/EpilepsyApproach/

RE: Depakote--How long does it take?

Submitted by jenni on Sun, 2005-07-31 - 13:13

my son is 6 years old and has been taking depakote since he was 1 he still has seizures on a daily basis they can not get it controlled so they just keep increasing his dosage i feel his is on too much for his age and weight i also feel that you get immuned to depakote because his seizures have not stopped when you stop,start,decrease,or increase depakote there will be a lot of ups and downs from my experiences with my son somettimes he gets real tired,irritable,sad,hungry all the time,mean stc he has had a lot of different reactions from being on depakote i am not for the drug i think that is just the answer the doctors give when they can not find another cmpatable drug this drug is not even fda approved

RE: Depakote--How long does it take?

Submitted by pdonahue on Sun, 2005-07-31 - 13:32

I was on depakote for years and its a good drug but the only thing is one of the side affects of it is weight gain so watch your daughters weight closly it also can make you tired but all in all it worked very well when I was young. It takes roughly two weeks to get fully into your system. If you go onto the internet and just type depake you will find all the information you want to know about the drug. That is what I usually do when I am prescribed something so that I know what I am taking and everything about it because the doctors don't always have the time to answer all of your questions or there may be questions you forgot to ask when you were in the office. I have been on every aniconvulsant that is out and now am on the last resort Felbatol with Zonegran at very high dosages and I also have a VNS implanted in me be cause I don't qualify for surgery. I wish I did because I would love to have it. Maybe it would give me a chance on normality.Good luck to you and your daughter:)Pam

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