Posted by ed_uk2010 on February 19, 2012, at 16:15:12
In reply to Re: Desperate » SLS, posted by Solstice on February 19, 2012, at 0:45:12
>I'll bet Depakote has been studied in children, since it is an anti-epileptic.
Valproate (Depakote, Epilim etc) is one of the most widely used long-term medications in children. In fact, it is used much more in children and young people than any of the other meds than your daughter is taking! Valproate is a first-line drug for most forms of epilepsy in children, being effective against a wide range of different epilepsy subtypes.
Valproate sometimes causes weight gain, but probably less than most antipsychotics. Contraception should be prescribed where appropriate because valproate is not safe during pregnancy.
Few drugs have received much study specifically for childhood bipolar disorder, and so there is a tendency to use drugs in a similar manner to in adulthood (especially for older teenagers).
A few considerations.....
1. Valproate is generally more effective for manic symptoms than Lamictal. Lamictal is more useful for depressive symptoms.
2. If Latuda is not beneficial, it may be wise to taper off it - if the doctor advises.
3. If lithium is not effective after a few weeks, or if it is not tolerated, valproate might prove to be a suitable replacement.
4. Since valproate interacts with Lamictal, the dose will require adjustment. If Lamictal is not clearly beneficial, it may be tapered prior to starting valproate.
poster:ed_uk2010
thread:1010739
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120212/msgs/1010856.html