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Weight Gain and Depakote
Sun, 02/06/2005 - 09:20Okay so I went to see my neurologist yesterday and he told me some not so good things about my medicine. Well lately I've been gaining weight..but I exercise everyday for 20 to sometimes even an hour a day and I lift weights. I did the no carb thing but that was short lived but I still counted calories and all that and I havent lost any weight.
My neuro was like "ah you gained weight" and I'm like yeah thanks for reminding me. He said it's because of the Depakote..I was pissed cuz I forgot about that side effect. And he said I can never go off of the depakote b/c when I was just on lamictal I kept having seizures. So I heard Topamax makes you lose weight instead of gain like on depakote. I was wondering..if you have JME-can you take topamax instead of depakote???
RE: Weight Gain and Depakote
Submitted by jmmjmm1 on Sun, 2005-01-23 - 13:20
OK. Was diagnosed with epilepsy in 1992. Been on Felbatol, Tegretol, Lamictal, Topamax and Depakote. NOW my regimen includes Lamictal and Keppra. Told nothing about any of the syndromes, learned these in medical school when I had to drop out after one year due to my absence seizures. On Tegretol for 10 years. Contraindicated for patients with absence seizures according to the FDA. Read your inserts. Ask your pharmacist. None of the online literature will state so. But it exacerbates the condition. Was put on Depakote, gained 43 pounds in 6 weeks. If I was not able to eat every two hours, I was about to pass out. I was stunned. It felt like my stomach was a cavern and if you stood in it, and spoke, it would echo. I guarantee it! I felt so down on myself. But learned to deal with it. I had been heavier before and lost over 60 pounds in med school. So I was OK. But I too exercised like a mad woman to try to take the weight off. It only made me more hungry! Topamax caused the opposite effect. I could go days without eating and not feel hungry. Neither were good for me. I took off those Depakote pounds without even trying. Ate whatever I wanted, whenever I felt like eating, and managed to come from 225 to now 175. Not healthy, ladies. Not at all. I lost control of my seizures without the Depakote, had the best control ever with it. I tell my family I would rather be fat than be a vegetable. I had no control and almost lost my job because of it. My personality changed and I drove my family and coworkers nuts. Now I am taking Lamictal and Keppra. Appetite is improved. I eat three meals a day and I even noticed I am gaining a little weight back, but I think it is due to my healthy appetite. The Depakote and Topamax screwed up my metabolism royally. Almost as bad as my Tegretol experience. I have to manage to get some exercise in now and be sure I don't get that weight back on. But I am feeling so much better with the Keppra. I like it. I think! I am not sure yet since I am still titrating up, but I feel so much better, so much more clarity when I think-- only tired more. Sleepiness is a side effect, so I am sure that has something to do with it. But I can deal with that, like all the other meds. I pray for the magic bullet-- the one pill we can take to do away with this disorder, and also be comfortable without the side effects. Hopefully medical progress will bring it soon, in my lifetime. Keep your chin up and speak with your neurologist often. My experience has been that I have had to be a little more aggressive with my doctors than normal people or normal circumstances might require. But I have been successful, even though they think I am a pain. Oh well-- I am not paying hundreds of dollars for his office to blow me off. I stongly encourage you to speak with your doctor about your medications if your weight causes issues for you. There are other options, but I am not certain of your E experience either. What you have been taking may be the very best for you and it will be an adjustment, but you will be fine. I am certain of it. Having E is full of challenges (now 12 years for me!) but I am certain you can make it through them just like I did.
Jamie
OK. Was diagnosed with epilepsy in 1992. Been on Felbatol, Tegretol, Lamictal, Topamax and Depakote. NOW my regimen includes Lamictal and Keppra. Told nothing about any of the syndromes, learned these in medical school when I had to drop out after one year due to my absence seizures. On Tegretol for 10 years. Contraindicated for patients with absence seizures according to the FDA. Read your inserts. Ask your pharmacist. None of the online literature will state so. But it exacerbates the condition. Was put on Depakote, gained 43 pounds in 6 weeks. If I was not able to eat every two hours, I was about to pass out. I was stunned. It felt like my stomach was a cavern and if you stood in it, and spoke, it would echo. I guarantee it! I felt so down on myself. But learned to deal with it. I had been heavier before and lost over 60 pounds in med school. So I was OK. But I too exercised like a mad woman to try to take the weight off. It only made me more hungry! Topamax caused the opposite effect. I could go days without eating and not feel hungry. Neither were good for me. I took off those Depakote pounds without even trying. Ate whatever I wanted, whenever I felt like eating, and managed to come from 225 to now 175. Not healthy, ladies. Not at all. I lost control of my seizures without the Depakote, had the best control ever with it. I tell my family I would rather be fat than be a vegetable. I had no control and almost lost my job because of it. My personality changed and I drove my family and coworkers nuts. Now I am taking Lamictal and Keppra. Appetite is improved. I eat three meals a day and I even noticed I am gaining a little weight back, but I think it is due to my healthy appetite. The Depakote and Topamax screwed up my metabolism royally. Almost as bad as my Tegretol experience. I have to manage to get some exercise in now and be sure I don't get that weight back on. But I am feeling so much better with the Keppra. I like it. I think! I am not sure yet since I am still titrating up, but I feel so much better, so much more clarity when I think-- only tired more. Sleepiness is a side effect, so I am sure that has something to do with it. But I can deal with that, like all the other meds. I pray for the magic bullet-- the one pill we can take to do away with this disorder, and also be comfortable without the side effects. Hopefully medical progress will bring it soon, in my lifetime. Keep your chin up and speak with your neurologist often. My experience has been that I have had to be a little more aggressive with my doctors than normal people or normal circumstances might require. But I have been successful, even though they think I am a pain. Oh well-- I am not paying hundreds of dollars for his office to blow me off. I stongly encourage you to speak with your doctor about your medications if your weight causes issues for you. There are other options, but I am not certain of your E experience either. What you have been taking may be the very best for you and it will be an adjustment, but you will be fine. I am certain of it. Having E is full of challenges (now 12 years for me!) but I am certain you can make it through them just like I did.
Jamie