Posted by Wes (166.94.226.107) on August 18, 2000 at 16:25:08:
In Reply to: Depakote posted by Dennis on November 08, 1998 at 03:26:46:
I am a Manic Depressive (M.D.). I have also suffered from Cluster h/a, Migraine h/a, Ocular Migraine h/a, Thunder Clap h/a, etc., etc. since my earliest childhood. My mother says that even as a baby I would sometimes lay down when playing and hold my head, done for the day.
After being on Depakote for about three months to help control the M.D. I noticed a significant reduction in my headaches. Here are the details: I had not gone a single day with out a headache since I was at least 12 years old. I am 38 now. These numbers are not exaggerations. I used to take 20 aspirin a day just to try to get a handle on the pain. I also tried sinus meds etc. I was put on Fiorinal 10 or so years ago. I was able to cut the meds down to 4-6 Fiorinal and 2-4 Tylenol per day to get things controlled. Keep in mind that controlled does not mean pain free, just able to function normally. Then came Imitrex from heaven above. For the first time in 20+ years I was able to truly kill a headache. I was still using the Fiorinal, but the Imitrex was now at my disposal. I averaged 6 injections per week. What a God send. A few years ago my Manic Depression, which has been present since childhood, reared it's ugly head and was also diagnosed at long last. I have been through too many meds to recall or list but the one you want to know about is Depakote. It was prescribed in June or July of '99. It took about three months to get me up to a therapeutic level of Depakote. I take 750mg 2 times per day. I believe we are about to increase that. Since reaching therapeutic levels on the Depakote I have had not just a few but many, many days that are actually pain free. I only need the Imitrex once every two or so months. Before this, I could not relate to any human being who told me they rarely or NEVER got headaches. The notions was absolutely inconceivable to me. It is the truth. If ever I need to have my M.D. meds altered I will fight like the dickens to keep the Depakote. As long as it is providing the side-effect of lessening my headaches anyway. I hope that many of you who suffer as I have will find the same benefits as I enjoy from Depakote.