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Weight Gain and Depakote

Sun, 02/06/2005 - 09:20

Okay 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???

Comments

RE: Weight Gain and Depakote

Submitted by fishfry on Mon, 2004-08-16 - 19:02

Hi,  I also have jme.  From all the literature I have read, topamax works very well for it.  While I couldn't stand taking it, topamax is well suited for jme.  Of course ask your neuro.  As for me, depakote works fine.

 

Hi,  I also have jme.  From all the literature I have read, topamax works very well for it.  While I couldn't stand taking it, topamax is well suited for jme.  Of course ask your neuro.  As for me, depakote works fine.

 

RE: RE: Weight Gain and Depakote

Submitted by ktamos on Sun, 2004-08-22 - 21:31
My daughter just started taking depakote 3 days ago.  I am worried about side effects.  Do you have any problems with this medication?  You hear so many complaints about it- I'm sort of looking for some positive feedback from people who have taken it.  Thanks,   Karen

Re: RE: RE: Weight Gain and Depakote

Submitted by rbackfisch on Wed, 2006-06-21 - 16:43
My son has been on Depakote for almost 10 years now, and I have to say our experience has been very positive. For one thing, I was initially told that Depakote had a lower incidence of cognitive side effects (i.e. many drugs effect "thinking" more dramatically), and I believe it. My son has been on Depakote throughout schooling (since 1st grade) and his only poor school performance has been motivation-related (not liking the teacher, etc.) -- overall he tests very well (while on Depakote), was admitted to the gifted program while on Depakote, and generally makes A's and B's (except in those instances noted above!!!). It has controlled his seizures VERY well (only 10 in almost a decide) with one exception -- when he entered puberty, things changed (as we had been told could happen) -- his body was apparently a little too accustomed to the Depakote and started "dumping" it (very little was retained in his bloodstream). He had 3 seizures in 7 months -- which is VERY frequent for him (prior to that he went 29 months without one). At that point, his neuro added Lamictal "on top" of the Depakote, and he's been virtually seizure-free since (he's had one in over a year, and that was after forgetting his medication for two nights in a row). He's on 1250mg per day now, due to his being a pretty big 14-year-old (weighs 145lbs., which may indeed be partly due to the Depakote). I'd say that's really the only "side-effect" we've had any evidence of (weight gain). That's something of an issue for him, but not too much -- it may, of course, be more important to a girl! Good luck!

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