Posted by SLS on October 6, 2001, at 0:05:14
In reply to considering switching depakote to lithium?, posted by geekUK on October 2, 2001, at 17:49:11
> depakote really tires me, used to send me to sleep without fail 3 hrs after taking. still sedated and feels slowing. so I am thinking of trying lithium to test if it is better or worse, also the isea of taking a elemental salt is more apealing than a long chain fatty acid - in a body temple way. the idea of a bastardised drug is also offputting, espec. in the uk where dep. is only officaly used for epilepsy. lead to probems convincing (w****rs) that you are not epileptic. so any ideas?
Why don't you take all of your Depakote at bedtime? There is also a new ER extended release preparation. You should be able to take either version once a day.
Is Depakote effectively treating your condition otherwise? What other mood stabilizers have you tried, and how did you respond to them?
If Depakote is your best choice disregarding sleepiness, perhaps you can either reduce the dosage (I'm really not sure that would help) or treat the sedation with caffeine or a stimulant.
Lithium is a good drug, to be sure. Although it is but a simple ion, it can very quickly become toxic - more so than Depakote. Lithium and arsenic are both simple elements.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:80073
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010927/msgs/80415.html