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        New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2002 >> Depakote: Your experiences please
        
(Message started by: notseinfeld on Aug 24^th, 2002, 2:50am)

Title: Depakote: Your experiences please
Post by notseinfeld on Aug 24^th, 2002, 2:50am

Starting next week on Divalproex for treatment of Chronic CH for the last year. I'm particulary interested to see if anyone (preferably chronic) has found relief using this drug whose generic name is Depakote. Any and all expericences welcome.

Thanks,
nots

Title: Re: Depakote: Your experiences please
Post by Sarge on Aug 24^th, 2002, 9:01am

I am Chronic (1 1/2) and tried Depakote and it made me real sick at my stomache. At first I was taking 1000 ml for about 6 months with no relief and then he moved me up to 1500 and within a week I was yaking. So that's my experience, as with all of these med's others have had great succes. Sarge.

Title: Re: Depakote: Your experiences please
Post by SteveP on Aug 26^th, 2002, 12:17pm

I have had CH's for 12 years been taking Vpml as preventative until recently. The Vpml stopped working as of March and I've had daily CH's ever since. I've been on Depakote for about eight days now and it seems to be working. My headaches have decreased in severity and occurence. Not completely sure if it was just a long cycle or the meds are working. You know how it is or used to be.

I'm currentyl taking Vpml (240) in the morning and Depakote (500) at night. I also have a supply of Frova, o2, and Imitrex injections.

I know you would have preferred a reply from a chronic sufferer, but I'm not sure if I'm headed into that category or not.

I was supposed to slowly come off the Vpml and after a week add another 500 ml of Depakote to the cycle, but if I continue to feel better, I'll stick with 500.

I'll let you know how it goes and update you on any complications. I may get the same symptoms as Sarge if and when I update my dose.

Title: Re: Depakote: Your experiences please
Post by gtar_man on Aug 26^th, 2002, 5:17pm

Chronic here. Neither Verap nor Depakote did squat for me, just caused side-effects; but that's the name of the game with CH meds, isn't it?

Title: Re: Depakote: Your experiences please
Post by Linda T on Aug 26^th, 2002, 6:29pm

Dear Nots:

Started this cycle in Nov. '01 and still going (although down to minor shadows since April) so as to whether or not I'm chronic, I guess the jury's still out on that one.

I took Depakote for approximately 7-8 weeks. I started with 500mg for 5 weeks and then 1000mg for 2 weeks. I'm sorry to say that it did not help. If anything, I felt worse. I never had a cycle where I would get any more than 2 hits a day but after I started the Depakote it got to the point where I was having up to 8 hits a day. I can't say for sure that it was the meds because you know that that might have happened without the depakote too. It got to the point where I had to insist that my neuro take me off or I would just stop on my own.

Aside from that, the side effects aren't too fun either.

Wishing you the best of luck and PFDAN always, Linda T

Title: Re: Depakote: Your experiences please
Post by notseinfeld on Aug 26^th, 2002, 11:29pm

Thanks for the responses all and I'll be replying to my own message here shortly once I have some info.

As a follow-up question, about how long did it take to penetrate your system(s) where you knew the drug was having an effect, either good or bad, on your condition. Surprisingly, I can't find this information out with certainty.

Pred seems to act almost immediatly while it seems Verap takes several weeks. My patience for pie in the sky pills that don't work is very slim. So if this doesn't take hold as purported, it's on to the next for me.

Thanks,
nots

Title: Re: Depakote: Your experiences please
Post by SteveP on Aug 27^th, 2002, 4:04pm

Nots,

For what it's worth, I'm going on 10 days with 500mg/day and I've noticed a difference in CH. Yesterday, I didn't have usual morning CH, only shadow.
Today I had mild CH and used o2.

Experienced some muscle cramping and slight dizziness.

Good luck Nots,

SteveP

Title: Re: Depakote: Your experiences please
Post by MarkV on Aug 27^th, 2002, 5:32pm

After being episodic for over 10 years, I went chronic early last year. At the tail end of the year I weened off of prednisone and switched to verap 360mg/day which was working fine.

Then I started full clusters again after about 3 months. Adding Depakote 100mg/day with the verap did the trick. Noticed improvement within 3 days of taking, and almost complete subsidence within 7 days. Still get hit, but not nearly as bad. I tried tapering the verap without success. The drug combo does the trick for me.

Maybe its just me, but I feel it took around 6 months before I felt 'emotionally stable' on the Depakote. Don't know how to explain it other than I did not feel myself during that period.

Mark

Title: Re: Depakote: Your experiences please
Post by MarkV on Aug 27^th, 2002, 5:33pm

just noticed in my reply I forgot a zero. 1000 mg/day Depakote, not 100

Mark

Title: Re: Depakote: Your experiences please
Post by notseinfeld on Sep 9^th, 2002, 4:12am

Thanks for the feedback again---

Going to double my dosage to 500mg and then that's it. If anything I'm feeling a bit worse and getting a steady arse kicking where at least in the past I'd get a day respite here and there.

I'm so fuckin sick of dealing with this I could scream. And sometimes do. I know you all know what I mean.

Title: Re: Depakote: Your experiences please
Post by NotH20 on Sep 10^th, 2002, 12:30pm

Hey Nots - sorry to hear that you are in such pain. I have no good news to tell you regarding Depakote :( The only thing I gained from taking that medication was WEIGHT!!!!!

Keep the faith and let us know how the higher dosage works.

NotH20

Title: Re: Depakote: Your experiences please
Post by justin on Sep 10^th, 2002, 2:20pm

depakote has done nothing for me in the 5 months i've been on it. i've gone up as high as 2000mg/night. now trying 1000mg/night along with verapamil. we'll see if that works.

one thing i noticed was that when i would increase the depakote by 500mg. each time i would get like 3 days pain free but then the ha would come back

jd

also i don't feel myself. sex drive and motivation is all screwed up.