Has anyone given their child depakote?

Stephen - posted on 03/05/2013

No but certainly worth looking at this before you make a decision.... http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/blo...

Candelaria - posted on 02/24/2013

my son was on depakote from the time he was 3 .it helped him

Sally - posted on 02/18/2013

my son has taken it since he was in 3rd grade. He is now 26 years. it has changed him a bit. he has been talking to me about times that he wanted to take his life and how his friends have noticed a difference. he say's his mind races such as if I am drinking from a glass he can tell all the sides I have drank for. I feel he is changing now. he had always been a little on the quiet side until he graduated from high school.

not sure what to do!
Sally

Colleen - posted on 02/17/2013

My daughter gained weight and lost alir of her hair . She did become toxic on it and weaned her from it. But I know people that it works great for.

Sally - posted on 02/17/2013

my son is very mean to his sisters and can be very aggressive. He does have saver
mood swings and its easy to tick him off. he enjoys being alone and doing his own thing.

Sally - posted on 02/17/2013

my child has been on depakote since he was in the 3rd grade. he used to be very active and he enjoyed football. once he started taking depakote he became a different child. he is slow and sleeps a lot. he is now 26 yrs old and we had a heart to heart discusssion.
he is starting to have suicidal thoughts and his mind is always racing. he said no one can understand what has been going through his mind and how it works. he said he feels different from other people. please pray for me, he is epelectic and he has to take them.
be very patient with your son and give him a lot of love and support. it will seem like he is lazy but that is the way it makes you feel, they also cannot handle mom and dad complaining at the same time about something he should be doing and hasn't done it.
you will always treat him like a child. best of luck sally

Kari - posted on 09/22/2012

My son was on depakote got his seizures and had severe mood swings I took him off but to this day he still has mood swings. He has been diagnosed with several mood disorders but I have always wondered if its a lasting affect of the medicine.

HESLINE - posted on 09/22/2012

Hi Jennifer Clark, my daughter has been using this medicine about 7years . I think is the best medication she is on for Seizure Disorder...yes! at time she gets sleepy but usually she will take a nap. I do hope everything is ok with your son .

Hesline Burgin

Danielle - posted on 10/06/2010

My husband is on Depakote and has been for MANY years. It worked wonders for him, so my daughter's doctor tried her on it because she inherited her seizures from him and they thought it would work for her also. She was only on it for 4 weeks and had to be removed from it because of the severe nausea it caused. She threw up for the entire 4 weeks she was on it and had to be on anti reflux medication for a year after that. This was the only side effect we saw in the short time she was on it. Best of luck to you.
Danielle

Jody - posted on 09/28/2010

My son has been on Depakote for 7 years. On his 7th birthday he went into a seizure in the middle of the night while everyone was sleeping, it caused an anoxic brain injury and 4 years now he's still trying to recover from it. He was on Depakote and Dilantin before his injury. One of the side effects of being on Depakote for a prolonged time is that it makes their ammonia levels low, they found it with Logan on a blood test. Now he's currently take Levocarnitine to level it out. His nuerologist just introduced a new medicine he's been on called Vimpat. It's fantastic, he's trying to say more words and not as aggresive with his little 4 year old sister Aryan. He also has a VNS implant which I think has helped. Good luck!

Colleen - posted on 09/24/2010

My daughter is on it. She has hair loss and you must drink on it.
Colleen

Daphne - posted on 09/24/2010

my daughter was on depacote she gained alot of weight on it and she got toxic on it to so be very careful

Brittany - posted on 08/30/2010

My daughter has taken Depakote for at least 5 years. We tried Trileptal, Keppra, Topomax and Felbatol, but with no such luck. She is now 9 years old and on Depakote and Lamictal. She is doing very well. No weight gain or hair loss. The doctor has just started talking about trying to decrease her dose to get her off Depakote before she hits the teenage years.

Mary - posted on 08/29/2010

My daughter was diagnosed w/petit mal/absonce generalized seizures when she was 18 mos. old (We think she'd been having them since about 9 mos. old) They tried absolutely everything out there: Lamictal, Trileptal, Keppra, Topomax, and Phenobarbital. The only one that had even a slight effect was the Phenobarbital. We had to wait until she turned 3 to try the Depakote because of issues w/liver function - which is why they have to have the quarterly blood work. She is now 8 years old and is still on the Depakote. It has been the only thing that has worked the best w/little to no side effects. She still has seizures throughout the day, but not as many. She was recently diagnosed likely Lennox Gastaut Syndrome which isn't very promising. We know that she can't stay on the Depakote forever and that her body will eventually acclimate to it, but it's been 5 years now and it's the only one of the many we tried that would even take the edge off.
Good luck with your son and just keep on top of the latest developments, research, etc.

Paulette - posted on 08/18/2010

My child has taken depakote for years now and it has really helped here she also has to take a couple more with it. So far we have had no side effects.

Kaydee - posted on 08/18/2010

Depakote has all kinds of side effects. With my 3yr old daughter, behavior, elevated her liver functions, and hair loss alot for a little baby girl. We are weaning her off of in now.

Shelby - posted on 08/17/2010

My daughter's neuro just put her on Depakote, after being on Topamax for 2 yrs. She is 3 also. I am also nervous about the side effects, esp on the liver.

Donna - posted on 03/13/2010

Can cause serious dental problems.

Teona - posted on 03/12/2010

My son is or should Is ay, kind of on depakote...He was prescribe depakote in 2005 and his seizures were under control finally... I actually started weaning him off the medicine about a year ago because I did not see any seizures. When he had an EEG done,the doctor said the seizures are showing while he is sleeping.I give hiom his medicine every other day now...he has not had a seizure in my presence for about 2 yrs... Very happy about this. I still give him the medicine though every other day because its not safe to just stop the medicine.

Carol - posted on 03/09/2010

Jennifer, the more I think about it, it wasn't Depakote my daughter was on, it was Depakeen. Depakote is a different version of the same one. Again I say however you have to go with YOUR gut feelings. YOU are the one given inspiration for your child NOT any dr!

Carol - posted on 03/09/2010

Dear Jennifer, you won't like my response. I had a bad feeling aobut Depakote when my daughter was just a baby. I was talking to one of the Neurologists who was one of the top drs in Utah at the time, he mentioned Depakote and the fact that 17 people had died as a result at that time, back in '80, I got a real bad feeling and decided at that time I wouldn't have Linda take any of that medication. Sure enough almost 2 years later while I was working and had her dad take her to the dr. one of the top drs in AZ at that time, I had told this dr. we would try any thing BUT Depakote, sure enough since I wasn't there to stop him he put her on it. I decided well maybe it would work out ok. Well it didn't work out ok. After 3 weeks she started to have projectile vomiting, her liver had suffered and she continued to have projectile vomiting for 2 years! That whole episode was a nightmare! It took a REAL miracle to get her over the projectile vomiting. I learned you have to stay on top of the care of your child and don't let drs intimidate you. YOU are the one who will be receiving inspiration for
your child NOT the dr.

Melynda - posted on 03/07/2010

This is the only med. that worked for my daughter's simple absance seizures. She is doing wonderful on it. Her seizures are much more controlled on Depakote. I haven't seen anything as far as side effects. We have been through 2-3 other meds. I noticed side effects with others.

Michelle - posted on 03/06/2010

Hi my name is Michelle Motsinger.I am 30yrs old and when i was 10 months old the drs put me on depakote for a seizure disorder I had,I took it morn,noon and night.I even tookit at school at luch time.My mom told me the effects I had from the med was sleepeness.She said it controlled my seizures.It helped me and I would recommended it to anyone.I out grow my seizures when I was 13yrs old and have not had one since.My daughter i six and she has partial seizures,she takes another med for hers,my dr told me they do not use that anymore for the kind of seizures she has.Well hope it works for you.Write me back at michellemotsinger@yahoo.com

April - posted on 03/03/2010

Also, just as a side note, since testing cannot legally be done on a minor, no med is really proven to be safe for a child!!! And just as someone else posted, my daughter was put on Depakote at the age of 7.

April - posted on 03/03/2010

The current problem we are having is this, the Depakote is the only med that controls my daughter paranoid schizophrenia hallucinations but it causes siezures in her. She will be 17 in 3 weeks and takes no meds. It is a hard decision to make. Though she was never prescribed it for siezures it caused them. We now live with me currently in a wheelchair because I am unable to walk because she beat me up 5 weeks ago and then last week pushed me over our coffee table backwards. It comes down to a parental decision. No matter what choice is made, something is being compromised, each family has to look at their circumstances and do what is best for everyone. Though we have medical risks for her, the rest of us are at a risk for our safety daily because of her condition. Like I said, she is currently on no meds but if we could get to her to take the Depakote, I would give it to her, as much as it scares me. She is not having any type of positive life right now, we know it and so does she.

Kari - posted on 01/17/2010

My son has only Absentee seizures or Pety mal seizures. He is 9 now. When he was first diagnosed at 7 they put him on Depakote. As one of the respondents above said it was like my son was the devil. His mood swings were horrible. I couldn't take them after 9 months and told the doctor to take him off or I was going to quit giving it to him. Depakote as a later came to find out is also used to treat bipolar and psychologists will not give depakote before 12 years of age. Needless to say the doctor did change his meds to zarotin. which is much better for Dyllan but it only treats absentee seizures which is what he has.

Virginia - posted on 01/14/2010

Well I am 52 yrs old and I took depakote for years and my hair got really thin.My son is also epileptic and he is 28 and has taken depakote for abt 7 yrs. and it has not bothered his hair and it controlls his seizures real well.Since i have been taken off Depakote my hair has thickened back up.

Amy - posted on 01/14/2010

Knock on wood, my daughter has been on depakote for several years and she has never had any trouble with it, it has been great!

Charlene - posted on 01/13/2010

My son was on Depakote. We had to take him off because his platelet count got very low.

Patricia - posted on 01/13/2010

My daughter was on Depakote for about 6 years (age 10 through 16). The most noticeable side effect was her lack of energy, it made her very lethargic and depressed. Her days consisted of headaches and sleep (and still, dark bags under her eyes), but for the most part grand mal seizure free. Also, she went from being a straight "A" student, to a "B" and "C" student. She was also "slow to respond", even when asked a simple question. Her Dr. finally changed her to Lamictal - best thing he ever did. Her grades went back-up, joined the cheer squad and graduated with 30 credits over. She is doing great now, no grand mal seizures and is generally much happier. Hope this helps.

Katrina - posted on 01/12/2010

my daughter is on depakote and i think for her she is doing will whith her seizures. she was on other meds before she was put on this one and i foud that this one helps more. before she would have about 10 or mored little seizures that lasted less than a min. but now she only gets one or two a day and the big ones that make her whole body stiffen she has not have one of those for a long time

Amy - posted on 01/12/2010

My Daughter started on Depakote when she was 1 and continued it for 5 years,we gradually took her off and she has been seizure free for 4 years now. The Depakote worked well for her, but she is 9 now and having some social issues and troubles with speaking what she is thinking, so I'm not sure if this was associated with the Depakote usage or not...

Beverly - posted on 01/12/2010

Be extremely careful with his blood work & watch his platelet count! My daughter's platelets went well below what it should have. She is back on it & has been on it for about 4+ years & no problems now. When she was on it before when she was 2-3 yrs old that is when we had problems. Good luck on it! :)

Kiku - posted on 01/12/2010

My daughter did not respond well to depakote but every child is different. I hope it does work for you since it is one of the older medications on the market! Good luck!

Jennifer - posted on 01/12/2010

thanks so much. he is starting the depakote today.....praying that it helps!

Sandra - posted on 01/11/2010

My son has been on Depakote for the last 15 years. He hasn't really had any side effects and Depakotte is still the only drug that controls his seizures. He is now 18 almost 19.

April - posted on 01/11/2010

It was not given for epilepsy but rather schizophrenia and it caused seizures.

Shelly - posted on 01/11/2010

Also what about the ketogenic diet? Or a VNS Vagal Nerve Stimultor? Has that even come up for a trial? We looked at these before brain surgery.

Shelly - posted on 01/11/2010

Hello Jennifer
Our neurologist would not put Megan on Depakote. Reason being he stated it had a high mortality rate on babies. Megan has been on tegretol, lamictal, dylantin, topamax, lorzenapam, phenbaratol, and one other. I'm sure I didn't spell all of these correctly. But I hope that helps. If Megan had to be on one that I thought was ok I would go with Tegretol, there is now one that is a "sister" to this one, just can't remember the name. After Megan's brain surgery to help control seizures she came home on Lamictal. It was ok, but she knew I was hiding it in her food and quit wanting to eat so we stopped the medication. She had a partial left hemisperectomy (they removed 85% of the left hemisphere to stop seizures) she has been seizure free since 2001!! I hope this information has helped a little.
Shelly Howell

Jennifer - posted on 01/11/2010

Thanks for all the replies.... he has been on lamictal, keppra, phenabarbital, trileptal. Dr wants him to take keppra & depakote. none have helped so far. start the depakote tommorrow.

Doris "Annie" - posted on 01/11/2010

Wait I just noticed, 3yrs old?! Why depakote? My grandson is 1.5 yrs old hes on Kepra its more suitable for young kids. Why the heck is yours on depakote? Mine wouldnt be.

Doris "Annie" - posted on 01/11/2010

Oh God yea! My oldest was on it for a while. It made her very tired couldnt function. Then she was put in a hospital for a few days and they overdosed her. Ive seen people on it but it isnt for my daughter. I dont like the drug personaly. To much can happen with it. You have to be carefull with all mind altering drugs. I have seen people go crazy on some of them.

Stacy - posted on 01/10/2010

Zackery is 10 and has been on depakote ER for the last 5 years, no hair loss, some moodiness but tolerable. He only weighs 58lbs but is an active happy child (most of the time).

He is currently on 3 twice daily seziure meds: Depakote ER, lomictal, and valium.

He was having between 300-400 seziures a day per EEG now they are not even noticable (havent had an EEG in thie last year to determine if seziure activity still exist).

Kimberly - posted on 01/10/2010

Hi Jennifer, My son was on depakote for seizures and we did not have luck with it. In fact it was horrible! It made my son do very odd things outside his character. He would spit on people for no reason he began to chew on everything, he did all kinds of crazy things, I can't even begin to tell how horrible it was. The neurologist didn't tell us that this med had this kind of effect. I read in a book, that it is also given to people with bi-polar disorder and it has a calming effect on them, but the opposite for people who aren't bi-polar. I would not suggest it especially since your child is so young. My son was 5 when he took it. Hope this helps.

Kari - posted on 01/10/2010

My son is 8 and has been on Depakote since he was 4. We have not had any issues with side effects, our doctor said the one we would need to worry about most was weight gain and that has not been an issue at all, no hair loss either. He has always been a moody kid so not sure how that was affected. We have had to raise the dosage along the way but other than that it has been an uneventful medication

Jennifer - posted on 01/10/2010

My son was on depakote for about 4 years. It worked really well for him, but they had to take him off of it because twice his white blood cell counts fell so low.

Robin - posted on 01/09/2010

Can't say that depakote did much for my daughter. She was also on topomax too. But she was still having seizures. She is on Kepra now and we are weening her off the topomax. I took her off the depakote after what I saw it did to my mother-in-laws ceiling. It actually bleached it white. But talk to your doctor first if your son is still having seizures and the depakote doesn't appear to be working. They do have other meds to try. Just make sure you give the meds time to work.

Tiffany - posted on 01/09/2010

Agressivieness does come into play also at times. But usually is not too bad.

Tiffany - posted on 01/09/2010

I am an adult who was put on depekote as a child. Thank God I was!!! It helped STOP my seizures. One thing to look for though is weight gain,that has been my side effect.

Tammy - posted on 01/08/2010

My daughter is on Depakote. She has been on it for about 1 1/2 years and no seizures. She may have gained about 5 lbs, but this could be just growing up too. Nothing significant. I have noticed some self control issues as well. Like not making good choices and being a little too agressive with her brother, but again could be age and sibling rivalry. Nothing so dramatic that I would take her off of it.