The only real bad side effect I can say
i've had from depakote (was taking 1000 mg
a day - recently went up to 1500 because
of a couple of seizures) is pretty bad
memory lapses, trouble concentrating on
anything, a feeling of general confusion
most of the time. I like to say that it
makes me feel "spaced out" but not in a
good way :lol: I wouldn't mind it so
much if it was merely making me feel
"high" (kinda embarrassing to admit that
but whatever) but it's more than that. It
makes me feel distant and just really out
of it.
I've been taking it since I was 14 and am
32 now. Seizure control is pretty good
for me. I've recently noticed that i'm
losing some hair but that might be normal
for me at my age. It isn't coming out in
clumps or anything. I haven't noticed any
other serious problems. Maybe a small
amount of weight gain but not bad. I was
a very active kid so I never had to worry
about gaining much weight until I hit my
20s.
Overall, I think i'd still rather live
with the side effects than seizures. I've
had enough of them that if I never have
another, it'll be too soon.
|
shorty1825
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 27
Deprokote Memories Posted: 05-24-06 11:04am
Hi, I agree that enduring some bad side
effects are better than putting up with
seizures.
Deprokote, for me.............Was one of
those medications that had too many down
side effects. After taking it for quite
some time, I was @ the point of saying i'd
rather put up with seizure activity than
have to deal with all the side effects I
experienced. Side effects like "feeling
out of it", always sleepy [i'd fall asleep
during a sentence - this was most
frustrating to my husband]. The weight
gain was considerable and my gums didn't
overgrow (as my neurologist suggested they
might) it did just the opposite [that's
probable due to the fact that my neuro
told me to brush extra well] - my dentist
told me to never listen to a neuro about
things involving dentistry, always consult
a dentist [good idea]. I now have
sensative teeth. :(
deprokote was years ago for me, i've since
been taken off it [because regardless of
the side effects, it did nothing to
control my seizures].
Since deprokote, i've been place on and
taken off of dilantin and klonapin. Two
medications I never want to take again.
Talk about side effects! :!:
i'm currently taking felbatol and keppra
for seizure control. This seems to be a
better solution. :d the side
effects are minimal -- weight loss
[weighed 140lbs when started taking
felbatol, 3 months (of living hell) later,
I weighed 115 lbs - I lived on apples (the
only thing my system would keep down,
every thing else came back up); I do have
days where I become dizzy easier; I have
to stay away from greasy, fatty foods
(they don't seem to react well - gives me
major stomach pain - this has only
happened since taking felbatol],,
headaches & nausua seems to be a side
effect of every medication on the market.
The good thing is that I don't have this
cluster of days where all I have is
partial-complex seizures! Since
felbatol, I still have a good number of
seizures; but, they have been downgraded
to "simple seizures". These are easier
to deal with (they can still drive one
looney; but, at least there's more
control.) my neuro added keppra ~ 3 years
ago to see if it would help further reduce
# of simple seizures. It's done fair.
Side effects are bearable - nausea,
headaches, dizziness (sometimes), losing
your train of thought among others
(sometimes). The addition of keppra seems
to have some further control on seizure
activity [except during that time of the
month ].
Good luck and take care!
|
tsproing
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 5
Posted: 06-07-06 16:07pm
I just started having seizures and just
started taking depakote and lamictal. I
want to get pregnant soon, but the doctor
said lamictal would take a while to build
up in my blood, so he started me on both.
I will gradually increase the lamictal
and then stop the depakote. How long
will it take to increase the lamictal?
How long does it usually take to gain
weight on the depakote? I am having
memory problems and a general feeling of
being out of it. I don't like it at all
and I don't want to take it any more.
I'd definately rather put up with the
seizures! The first week on it was the
worst. Nausea every day and vomiting!
The problem is I won't be able to see a
neurologist again until after I move (over
a month away). What do I do until then?
Can my regular doc take me off the
depakote?
|
shortypants19762002
New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 8
Posted: 06-21-06 16:13pm
tsproing
wrote:
i just started having
seizures and just started taking depakote
and lamictal. I want to get pregnant
soon, but the doctor said lamictal would
take a while to build up in my blood, so
he started me on both. I will gradually
increase the lamictal and then stop the
depakote. How long will it take to
increase the lamictal? How long does it
usually take to gain weight on the
depakote? I am having memory problems
and a general feeling of being out of it.
I don't like it at all and I don't want
to take it any more. I'd definately
rather put up with the seizures! The
first week on it was the worst. Nausea
every day and vomiting! The problem is
I won't be able to see a neurologist again
until after I move (over a month away).
What do I do until then? Can my regular
doc take me off the
depakote?
it really depends on your body for one.
And you need to be very careful taking
seizure medication and becoming pregnant I
was fortunate that I dont get the grandma
seizures because they took me off my
medication during pregnancy for the babys
sake and the depakote is a steroid I was
taking it and due to that fact that is why
someone had gained the weight but all in
all I didnt like it or anyother seizure
medication it makes me sit in a trance all
day in and out of sleep I thought I was
the only one who had this problem but if
someone else does id like to hear about it
because I feel like im on a high when on
any of the medication. With the tegratol
I walked into walls with the trilepital I
slept with the keppra I am not with the
world and fear traveling any advice
