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Depakote--How long does it take?
Fri, 07/29/2005 - 23:37I 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 kwgreulich on Wed, 2005-08-03 - 10:52
I took Depakote for several years starting about 1988. It reduced my siezures from about 80 to 20 per year when they started it. Because of problems with meds prescribed interacting and the neurologist wanting to "eliminate" seizures they had me try some other meds instead. things got totally out of hand and even by changing medicine back in 2003 i had 650+ seizures by July 15. On that date they did my 3rd brain surgery. They did a left temporal lobectomy. MRIs showed dead brain tissue on both sides of the brain caused by lack of Oxygen during grand mals and other tests showed the right hemisphere of the brain was able to function at only 10%. ( In 1956 & 1957 they removed 18% of the right hemisphere. )
I am back on Depakote (1500 mg 2 times a day) and Primidone (a total of 1000 mg per day).
Yes, i am tired all the time and i still have seizures, but i am doing better than before the last surgery. In fact i work for the US Forest Service as an Ecologist and in the last two days was in the woods 18 hours.
I have been told repeatedly to wait 2 weeks after a change in Depakote dosage prior to testing for blood levels, thus i assume they level off about then. They do have the side effects as people have mentioned of making you tired and as a result being less active and gaining weight. That is the main thing i have seen. If the patient gets too much in the system the hands and body tend to tremble.
Hopefully, this will help. If you have furthur questions based on experience with it feel free to send me a personal message. ( kgreulich@fs.fed.us )
I took Depakote for several years starting about 1988. It reduced my siezures from about 80 to 20 per year when they started it. Because of problems with meds prescribed interacting and the neurologist wanting to "eliminate" seizures they had me try some other meds instead. things got totally out of hand and even by changing medicine back in 2003 i had 650+ seizures by July 15. On that date they did my 3rd brain surgery. They did a left temporal lobectomy. MRIs showed dead brain tissue on both sides of the brain caused by lack of Oxygen during grand mals and other tests showed the right hemisphere of the brain was able to function at only 10%. ( In 1956 & 1957 they removed 18% of the right hemisphere. )
I am back on Depakote (1500 mg 2 times a day) and Primidone (a total of 1000 mg per day).
Yes, i am tired all the time and i still have seizures, but i am doing better than before the last surgery. In fact i work for the US Forest Service as an Ecologist and in the last two days was in the woods 18 hours.
I have been told repeatedly to wait 2 weeks after a change in Depakote dosage prior to testing for blood levels, thus i assume they level off about then. They do have the side effects as people have mentioned of making you tired and as a result being less active and gaining weight. That is the main thing i have seen. If the patient gets too much in the system the hands and body tend to tremble.
Hopefully, this will help. If you have furthur questions based on experience with it feel free to send me a personal message. ( kgreulich@fs.fed.us )
Re: Depakote--How long does it take?
Submitted by jaquarius on Mon, 2008-09-22 - 19:07
MY SON JUST TURNED 10YRS OLD. HE STARTED HAVING SEIZURES ABOUT A YEAR AGO. HE WAS FIRST PUT ON KEPPRA. HE WAS DIAGONISED WITH GRAND MAL SEIZURES.(PARTIAL).. THE KEPPRA WASNT WORKING. I HAD TO PICK HIM UP FORM SCHOOL ALMOST EVERYDAY BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE THEM SO FREQUENTLY... HE IS NOW ON DEPAKOTE AND HE STILL HAS SEIZURES BUT NOT THAT OFTEN. HE TAKED 6PILLS A DAY AND ITS A LOT. HE MIGHT HAVE TO GO UP ON THE MEDICATIN BECASUE HE STILL HAS THEM EVERYDAY. IM STILL TRYING TO FIND A BETTER MEDICATION TO PUT HIM ON..THE MEDICINE WORKS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.. I HOPE YOUR DAUGHTER FEELS BETTER AND HOPE THAT SHE CAN ADJUST TO TO MEDICATION..
MY SON JUST TURNED 10YRS OLD. HE STARTED HAVING SEIZURES ABOUT A YEAR AGO. HE WAS FIRST PUT ON KEPPRA. HE WAS DIAGONISED WITH GRAND MAL SEIZURES.(PARTIAL).. THE KEPPRA WASNT WORKING. I HAD TO PICK HIM UP FORM SCHOOL ALMOST EVERYDAY BECAUSE HE WOULD HAVE THEM SO FREQUENTLY... HE IS NOW ON DEPAKOTE AND HE STILL HAS SEIZURES BUT NOT THAT OFTEN. HE TAKED 6PILLS A DAY AND ITS A LOT. HE MIGHT HAVE TO GO UP ON THE MEDICATIN BECASUE HE STILL HAS THEM EVERYDAY. IM STILL TRYING TO FIND A BETTER MEDICATION TO PUT HIM ON..THE MEDICINE WORKS FOR DIFFERENT PEOPLE.. I HOPE YOUR DAUGHTER FEELS BETTER AND HOPE THAT SHE CAN ADJUST TO TO MEDICATION..
RE: Depakote--How long does it take?
Submitted by prkj170 on Mon, 2005-08-01 - 09:33
I have grand mal seizures and my doctor tried me on depakote. Within 2 weeks I had gained 20 pounds and had 2 seizures. I wasn't planning on having any more kids but your daughter might want kids some day. Depakote is known to cause serious birth defects. Please really think hard before starting her on it. I was taking off of it and put on Topamax. I have been on it for 7 months and I have only had 2 seizures because I forgot to take my meds. I hope your daughter's seizures can get under control without having to put her on Depakote.