Posted by Ritch on May 27, 2005, at 0:14:33
In reply to Depakote ER Question-Input Needed Please, posted by theo on May 26, 2005, at 22:23:58
> I've been taking Depakote ER 250mg for a couple of weeks and it wasn't doing anything much and my doctor (not pdoc) said to go to 500mg and try it for 6 weeks.
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> Since being on 500mg for a few days, I've felt like doom and gloom and almost timid to be around people, like sad and ashamed. I thought this stuff was suppose to mellow you out? I did feel this slightly on 250mg.
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> My delima is, do I risk feeling this way in hopes these feelings (side effects) will pass? I sure as heck cannot handle this lower than heck feeling for 6 weeks. I'm taking no ther meds, just the 500mg Depakote ER.
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> I called my doc to report this, along with some mild soreness in my neck and between my pecks. I got a call back from the nurse saying "he just said to try it 6 weeks." Doctors amaze me sometimes, not even responding to my side effects.
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> I take it at 10:00pm and start to feel good the next day about 5:00pm. I don't know if the feeling good contributes to the Depakote ER working or simply the fact that it's wearing off!
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>
Peak anticonvulsant effects sometimes are different from the peak serum levels of the drug. I've heard this may be the case with Depakote and have read that even Neurontin has a peak anticonvulsant effect that is delayed several hours later from the peak serum level. That would imply some sort of a cascade mechanism being responsible rather than the drug itself. That all assumes of course, that peak anticonvulsant effects equate with peak therapeutic effects that you are seeking. The dose may be too high for your symptoms. Perhaps 375mg would be better?
poster:Ritch
thread:503404
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050521/msgs/503475.html