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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> how long for depakote to kick in
        
(Message started by: justin on Jun 28^th, 2002, 1:00pm)

Title: how long for depakote to kick in
Post by justin on Jun 28^th, 2002, 1:00pm

ok folks it's been 10 days. what the f@#$! gonna get some predisone for the next 4 days. hate the shit but i'm up to 3-4 a day now. can't use that much imitrex so i gotta bang some out. been months since i've had longer than two days off.

started depakote short release in april, no work at 1000mg

so june 17th started extended release 1500mg/daily. still waiting. praying. (not sure to what though)

jd

Title: Re: how long for depakote to kick in
Post by rick on Jun 28^th, 2002, 1:10pm

J-

I took it for one month and it didn't kick in. I was taking it with Doxepin and Prednisone. In fact, my conditon worsened while I was on all those drugs. Sorry bro.

Peace-R

Title: Re: how long for depakote to kick in
Post by rick on Jun 28^th, 2002, 1:21pm

J-

Sorry, I had to run and check, I was on 500mg daily of Depakote. As I was becoming worse, I did not see raising the dosage as a good idea. So then my neuro wanted to add in Topomax to the mix. I didn't feel that this was going to be a good move either, since I was was losing my mind from all the side effects from what I was already on in addition to having attacks that were getting longer and longer. So I took myself off of everything and repeatedly dosed on shrooms which brought the pain under control.

Good luck brother,

-R

Title: Re: how long for depakote to kick in
Post by simpson1974 on Jul 1^st, 2002, 9:41am

I was on depakote 500 MG from my family doctor, and then my neurologist increased it to 1000 MG ER when I first saw him. The 500 MG had already helped... it took a couple of weeks for it to kick in. I was taking neurontin before that, as well as inderal and prednisone for a couple of weeks.

My cycle may have ended instead of the medicine actually working. 2 weeks is fairly quick, by some accounts, for a med to start working.

Hope you get some relief soon!

Title: Re: how long for depakote to kick in
Post by Linda T on Jul 1^st, 2002, 10:23am

Dear Justin: Sorry to tell you that depakote never kicked in for me. I was on 500mg for 5 weeks - nothing. Increased to 1000mg for 2 weeks and still nothing. Sorry to tell you also that during that time I starting getting my ch's during the day (sometimes 4 or 5) as well as the 3 which always got me during the nite.

Ended up telling the neuro that if he didn't give me a taper schedule I would just stop. I tapered and then went on to Inderal LA which has made me feel much better within a week.

Good luck. Linda T

Title: Re: how long for depakote to kick in
Post by clavers on Jul 2^nd, 2002, 1:26pm

I took it for a couple of months or more. It never did kick in. It just made me feel as though I had a mild case of the flu.

Title: Re: how long for depakote to kick in
Post by BobB on Jul 2^nd, 2002, 10:20pm

Hi JD.....I never heard about Depakote for Clusters (but again I am not a doctor)...but I am a sufferer. I currently have had a lot of luck with my new Dr. It might sound like a lot of pills, but it's not extreme, very little side effects and it's working.

Verapamil 180 mg
Lithium 300 mg
Elavil 50 mg
Inderal 20 mg 3 x a day

and also taking Tofranil 150mg (for depression but works good on Cluster headaches) and
Soma 350 (for sleep but works good on Cluster headaches)

On this regien, I haven't had a headache in months!!!

This after having 3-5 headaches a day 5-7 days a week.

Pass it along

Bob

Title: Re: how long for depakote to kick in
Post by Ueli on Jul 3^rd, 2002, 6:49pm

Attention BobB !

From your quite impressive list of drugs I see you take both Verapamil and Propranolol (Inderal).

The calcium channel blocker Verapamil is considered as preventative of first choice for CH (although your dose is rather low for this purpose).

The betablocker Propranolol (Inderal) is often used as preventative for migraine and has a limited success story for CH.

However, it is extremely dangerous to take both together, as their interaction may lead to potentially serious cardiovascular effects.

Read about possible adverse effects of the interaction of Verapamil and Propranolol:

http://www.drugs.com/index.cfm?pageID=1150?=1&list=1&values=%26drugid%3Dd00032%26drugid%3Dd00048&OpText=verapamil

I don't know if your doctor is aware of this problem, but it is probably a good idea to print out the linked page and show it to your doctor.

PFNADs,
Ueli

Title: Re: how long for depakote to kick in
Post by Slammy on Jul 3^rd, 2002, 6:56pm

great post Ueli! I noticed the same thing! This dang board is going to save someone's life someday! ( if it hasn't already!)

Slammy 8)

Title: Re: how long for depakote to kick in
Post by BobB on Jul 4^th, 2002, 2:09am

Hey GUYS!

Thanks for the info on the mixture of Verapamil and the Inderal. I have discussed this with the Doctor already...(I do my research). I found this out at first because I was confused why I'd be on both a calcium channel blocker and a beta blocker.

His general feeling is that since my dose is rather low on the Verapamil the risk is slim.

And the unforunate reality is that my attacks were so frequent and the most indiscribable pain ever, that at times I felt death would be better than living like that. Now I've been headache free for 4 months. Maybe the risk is worth it....maybe I should try to cut back on the Inderal and see if my headache stay away. I'll discuss it with him at my next appointment.

Your input is greatly appreciated and welcomed. The link you sent me didn't get me to the right page. If you can copy the text and email it to me, that would be great. My email address is Zephyr328@aol.com.

Thanks again

Bob

Title: Re: how long for depakote to kick in
Post by Ueli on Jul 4^th, 2002, 8:59pm

Sorry Bob for the defunct link. :(
This is one of the sites that uses cookies, so go to
http://www.drugs.com/xq/cfm/pageID_1150/qx/index.htm
and there "agree" to the disclaimer. Then the link given before should work:
http://www.drugs.com/index.cfm?pageID=1150?=1&list=1&values=%26drugid%3Dd00048%26drugid%3Dd00032&OpText=Inderal

If still not, you'll have to go through the whole routine and enter propranolol and verapamil. Anyway, here the text for the interaction between

propranolol and verapamil (major Drug-Drug)
Description:
MONITOR CLOSELY: Additive reductions in heart rate, cardiac conduction, and cardiac contractility may occur when calcium channel blockers, especially verapamil, are used concomitantly with beta blockers. While this combination may be useful and effective in some situations, potentially serious cardiovascular adverse effects such as congestive heart failure, severe hypotension, and/or exacerbation of angina may occur. Ventricular asystole, sinus arrest, and heart block have also been reported. The risk is increased with high dosages, IV administration, left ventricular dysfunction, or AV conduction abnormalities. The proposed mechanisms include additive slowing in AV conduction, reduced cardiac contractility secondary to beta-blockade, and decreased peripheral vascular resistance secondary to calcium channel blockade. Verapamil may also decrease metoprolol and propranolol clearance. MANAGEMENT: Close clinical monitoring of patient hemodynamic response and tolerance is recommended if these agents are used together, and the dosage of one or both agents adjusted as necessary. The same precaution should be observed when beta blocker ophthalmic solutions are used, since they are systemically absorbed and can produce clinically significant systemic effects even at low or undetectable plasma levels. Patients should be advised to promptly report any symptoms including fatigue, headache, fainting, swelling of the extremities, weight gain, shortness of breath, chest pain, increased or decreased heartbeat, or irregular heartbeat.

PFNADs
Ueli

Title: Re: how long for depakote to kick in
Post by simpson1974 on Jul 8^th, 2002, 8:13am

When I told my new neuro (who is listed on the OUCH website) I was on inderal, he took me off immediately, saying that inderal was a treatment for migraines and that it did not help CH. He was adamant in this, and I didn't push him for any kind of explanation on it. I took inderal for quite some time and never found any relief with it in combination with both neurontin and depakote.

However, I can relate to your sentiments about taking it no matter what the consequences may be. When you've had that much success out of a certain formula, I'm sure it's hard to tamper with it. I would have a hard time.