Posted by Mitch on October 12, 2001, at 11:55:25
In reply to Re: Depakote personal experience requested..., posted by Renegade on October 12, 2001, at 10:22:19
> > Got a few questions, first. What type of seizures are you needing to control?
>
> The neurologist believes they are febril, not epileptic or narcaleptic, and caused because of how severe my asthma is and the condition of my lungs (nearly always infected no matter what I try and they are permanently damaged from so many bouts of pnemonia which I seem to get regularly for no reason though my GI doc says it may be due to lack of nutrients as I have Crohns disease as well, and its being left untreated for the moment in lieu of the siezure and asthma problems).
>
> >Are you making a switch (cross-taper) from Depakote to a different AED, which one? I am guessing you are being switched away from Depakote onto another AED, otherwise you would lose seizure control, right?
>
> No, just reduced from 1000mg a day to 250mg, and its not just agitation, though that is what seems to be most prevalent. They are wide mood swings like I've never experienced as an adult. I was on Desipramine as a child for rage bouts. I actually crave these pills. I cannot focus on much of anything else, and as time goes by it seems to get worse (I know Depakote is time delay and processed by the liver which may explain that.)
>
> >I was switched from Depakote to Gabitril a couple of years ago and I had a decently uncomfortable agitative withdrawal (and was warned by neuro about it), but it subsided after a couple of weeks. I went from 500mg/day to 250mg/day for a week, then stopped it. When I *stopped* it was when the agitation started. The reason I ask the above questions is that the AED you are being switched to (if any) may be the cause of the anger and agitation instead of Depakote withdrawal symptoms.
>
> >
> > Mitch
>
> It may well be because I'm also on prescriptions that cause excitability and nervousness. Today is day 7. Yesterday was extremely unpleasant to say the least. I've also experienced something since before the medication was lowered akin to passing out. I will suddenly "fall asleep" and when my roomates wake me up (turns out to be more of a trance) I will forget the last few minutes up to an hour. This was one reason for the lowering of the dosage by the doctor as those aren't thought to be siezures by the doctor. That has not stopped. He felt it was too much Depakote for my body causing this. He warned me I'd posibly feel a bit irritated for a few days, but that's it. When I started taking Depakote I was upset at having to take this med (because I may always have to and that I find unpleasant to start with). My first siezure was on Sept 1st (ironically the aniversery of an accident that had me on prescribed morphine for several years). The second was in the hospital and I haven't had one since the people in the hospital put me on Depakote. The reason Depakote may be a lifetime thing is because of my lung history. The siezures were both life threating, caused me to lose breathing and need immediate intensive care. They said several times in the hospital I stopped breathing and my heart stopped but there was nobody to see if it was another siezure. By the time the nurse rushed in, I was fine, but I was also starting the Depakote pills. After about 4 days these things stopped, now they don't want me off the medication. Thank you for your reply.
>
> RenegadeI think your doctor is on track with reducing the dosage of the Depakote. Your mood swings could be a "rebound" effect of reducing the dosage which might settle down after a couple of weeks. When I stopped Depakote I had a rebound effect too, that lasted a few weeks. OH, another thought I just had: My brother has asthma (developed in his early 50's), and he takes steroids for it. Steroids are also notorious for setting off mood instability and hostility. The mood swings may be primarily induced by any steroids you need to take and the Depakote puts a lid on them. If the moodiness persists you might ask your neurologist if he could add another AED that isn't as sedative as Depakote (i.e. lowdose Neurontin, Trileptal, or Gabitril)to see if that helps.
Mitch
poster:Mitch
thread:76493
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011007/msgs/81127.html