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Depakote
Tue, 01/02/2007 - 12:08Topic: Living With Epilepsy - Youth
Hi!
My daughter had her video EEG last week. I will know the results this coming Friday. The doctor decided to put her on depakote and take her off topamax. I am wondering if any of you have tried this medication, and if so how did you or your child do? What were the side effects?
Thanks!
Mindy
Comments
Hi Mindy, Truly, how others
Submitted by solis on Tue, 2007-01-02 - 14:29
Hi Mindy,
Truly, how others reacted has no bearing on your daughter's situation as everyone reacts differently and what is the worst AED for some can be the best (complete controlling) AED for others.
I've had had E for a very long time & took Depakene (works identically to Depakote) the first year the med was available & all the reactions I had (which were ignored by my specialist) are now listed as either common or serious side effects.
But, if we all reacted the same to meds, it would be far easier to control people. You can be sure that the drug is being taken by many.. conclusion it does 'work' for some.. otherwise it wouldn't be being made.
Let me give you some info re: Depakote.
http://www.epilepsy.com/medications/b_depakote_side.html
http://www.epilepsy.com/medications/b_depakote_serious.html
Same info.. in more detail
http://professionals.epilepsy.com/medications/p_depakote_commonside.html
http://professionals.epilepsy.com/medications/p_depakote_seriousside.html
hope that helps,
~sol
Re: Hi Mindy, Truly, how others
Submitted by Holly Sox on Thu, 2007-01-04 - 21:57
It's so true that the responses to these meds are so different for each person. Cody has been through 6 meds.. Depakote was the 3rd med tried. It did a decent job at controlling his grand mal seizures, but nothing whatsoever for his complex partials (which were unidentified at the time) He was diagnosed with ADD and emotional disturbances, when it turned out he was having multiple seizures every day.
On Depakote he developed a very bad hand tremor and VERY poor fine motor control. In 5th grade he was no longer able to tie his shoes or use a pencil functionally. He also began having some really bizarre delusions and statements. Since then we've been on Trileptal, Keppra and Lamictal,,which gave him the bad reaction.
It would be so nice if they all worked the same for everyone.
Holly
Re: Depakote
Submitted by angel_lts on Tue, 2007-01-02 - 12:25
Hi Mindy I was on it for a very short time, probably a month or so. Felt so sick in the stomach all the time. So I got off. My neice was on it from age 13-18. She got osteopenia from the med. She was taken off for one day she wants to have children and you cant be on it then. Make sure that your child gets a dexascan done if he/she goes on it. Talk with your doc about vitD/calcium too. take care Lisa http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/epilepsyapproach/