Migraine

My new neurologist just prescribed Depakote for me, and I've been reading up on it, and it sounds pretty scary with the side effects, chest pain, suicidal thoughts, hair loss, weight gain, mental/mood changes, hallucinations, etc...

I know that not everyone has these side effects, but I'm pretty sensitive to side effects. I had some bad experiences with the last two things I tried. I tried to express to a friend that I'm worried about taking it, but he said that if my migraines were bad enough, then I would try it. My migraines are horrible, but it's not that easy.

Does anyone else have experience with Depakote? Does anyone else worry about starting a new medication like this or am I just being a nervous Nelly?

I'm going to get on my soapbox for a little while. It's my policy to not turn down a drug for POTENTIAL side effects. You already know that nobody gets all listed side effects, and most people get none.

Most recently, my new specialist prescribed Lyrica. I'm very sensitive to weight gain, and Lyrica has a big weight gain profile. But I set my jaw and started taking it. Sure enough, at 125mg, I had cravings for fats and sweets. My doctor really wanted me to get to the full 300mg dose and said I could take my Lyrica in divided doses, morning and evening. That has done away with the cravings, and I'm at 300mg and seeing real improvement.

So, my recommendation would be to try the Depakote and see what happens. You might be pleasantly surprised.

You asked if anybody had experience with Depakote. I took it for a couple of years and should have gone off it earlier than I did. I gained a lot of weight. I didn't have hair loss, but it made my Major Depression so bad that I was hospitalized twice. I finally went off it when I developed a tremor. It did a passable job on my head pain, but I've been on better meds.

But Depakote might be your silver bullet. Don't let potential side effects scare you off. It's easy enough to stop taking Depakote if intolerable side effects show up.

Gretchen in Mississippi

Gretchen makes an excellent point. Everyone is different. Give it a go.

I know it's intimidating to begin something new. I've been there a few times, but Depakote could be the one for you.

I took Depakote for at least four months. I had some hair loss during that time, but I was the only one who noticed. I only gained a couple of pounds. I stopped Depakote because after a good try (four months) it didn't make any difference in my migraines, so I knew I needed to try something new.

When I try something new and am intimidated by the potential side-effects, I'm strengthened by the thought that the new medication could make all the difference and if I can't stand the side-effects I can always discuss it with my doctor and stop taking it. Nothing is set in stone, so to speak.

Good luck!

Liz

I think Gretchen put things perfectly.

A lot of folks get frazzled over side effect lists, envisioning all kinds of things. It can be all too easy to fall into the self-fulfilling prophesy trap when considering side effects, and then inadvertantly work oneself into side effects that one wouldn't have normally experienced.

I'm not saying that what I do would work for everyone, but whenever I get a new prescription to try, I find it a lot easier to be open-minded about the experience to not read the side effects list right away. I do make sure to check the contraindications list, so that I can make sure we didn't miss anything when it was prescribed on that front. But I give it a few days before I check out the side effects. If I notice something that I think is a side effect, then I might check it earlier. Otherwise, I don't. Why should I talk myself into experiencing side effects?

I'm not saying that people shouldn't be aware of side effects. Everyone should be familiar with them. I just think it's easier sometimes to give a med a fair and honest trial if I back off on the fine print for a bit, so that I don't go into the venture with any preconceived notions.

quote:

Originally posted by Migraine Chick:
My new neurologist just prescribed Depakote for me, and I've been reading up on it, and it sounds pretty scary with the side effects, chest pain, suicidal thoughts, hair loss, weight gain, mental/mood changes, hallucinations, etc...

I know that not everyone has these side effects, but I'm pretty sensitive to side effects. I had some bad experiences with the last two things I tried. I tried to express to a friend that I'm worried about taking it, but he said that if my migraines were bad enough, then I would try it. My migraines are horrible, but it's not that easy.

Does anyone else have experience with Depakote? Does anyone else worry about starting a new medication like this or am I just being a nervous Nelly?

I just started taking Depakote this past Friday after having tried so many different meds. I had many of the same worries/concerns that you expressed (and still do). As lots of other people have expressed you never know how the drug will affect you until you try. So far for me, I've had a little bit of nausea in the beginning and I feel slightly sedated or tired feeling but not that bad.

Let us know how it goes for you.

I was on Depakote for about three months. I dont know if I was on it long enough to determine if it helped my migraines, but it did cause me to gain about 8-10 pounds. I stopped solely because of the weight gain.

If I hadnt gained the weight, I would have continued trying it. I didnt experience any of the mental effects (ie depression, foggy thinking, etc.) like I did when I tried topamax and zonisamide, two other medications from the same class as Depakote.

I tried depakote for about 4 months a couple years ago. I did gain a little weight (15 pounds I think) but the worst part was that my hair started falling out around month 3. It did help reduce the frequency and severity of my migraines, but I was really scared about the hair loss so I stopped. If it had not been for that, I wouldn't have a problem staying on it. I say give it a shot. You never know. Good luck!

MigraineChick,
I have been on depakote since January. It has been the ONE and only med that has helped out of about 7 or 8 now that I have tried! It has been a big help in both my HM migraine attacks, as well as my daily migraines w/aura.

When I first was given it, I was in the middle of a horrible spell that had gone on for over a month. I was having siezures, left side paralysis etc. and had been in and out of urgent care and hospitals 2-3 times weekly. They gave me 1000mg by IV. didnt seem to help much that day but the next was the best day I had had in over a month. It didnt last long, went in for another 1000mg by IV(was supposed to be admited the following day for inpatient, and trying to get through the weekend) Needless to say, I never had to go into the hospital for inpatient treatment. My Neuro then prescribed it and have been on it every since.

I was on 500 mg at first. It gave me this heartburny feeling when I took it. that was about it. Later I upped it to 750mg, and now I am up to 1000mg a day. 750 worked for quite some time, but about a month and half ago I got stuck in a daily pattern again. Thats wehn I upped it to 1000mg. It again stopped my daily pain.

At 1000mg daily dose, I am starting to notice a few more side effects. I have been pretty quickly gaining weight. about 10 lbs so far. (for me this is a good thing, as I am small, and sometimes loose weight for no apperent reason despite my healthy appetite!) I also have noticed my hair thinning. Its not like coming out in clumps, but I can run my hands through my hair and have several strands come out each time, and noticing more as I shower etc. But I have had no mood issues or brain fog like I did with many other meds. The first day or 2 after upping the dose each time, I felt a bit dizzy off and on, but it went away after the first day or 2.

Overall for me, the benefits FAR outweigh the side effects. This is coming from a person that cant take even a cold tablet due to side effects! Every med I have tried made everything so much worse, except the Depakote. I am hoping that I wont have to keep upping the dose every few months though. So far it seems like my head got "used" to it or something, and needed to up the dose to help as well as it had before.

And NO your not a nervous nelly! After my experience with amnitriptline, nortriptaline, topamax, varapamil, namenda, jeez what else... I am always nervous to try a new med! I too am very sensitive to side effects. All I can say is keep trying meds, one of them out there is the RIGHT one for you. It may be the depakote, maybe not, everyone is different, but you will never know till you try! My neuro is doing Botox next week on me.. a new try and I am VERY nervous! While the depakote made a huge difference, Im still at 2-3 migraines a week down from daily... But she wants them even better controled. So we are looking for an addition to Depakote. We shall see!

Anyway, hope this helps! Keep us posted hun!

Tawsha

Momsbreak9, did that heartburn feeling ever go away?

I've been taking 500mg of Depakote for the past week and I've had that feeling since day 1. I never noticed it in the past when I've had Depakote by IV.

I see my doctor this Friday for the consultation on Botox injections so I'm planning on asking him about this then but in the mean time I thought I was post on here.

psk,
I didnt notice it too bad at the 750mg dose, as I was taking one 250mg in the am, and the remaining 500 mg right before bed. At the 500mg am and 500mg pm, I do notice it more during the morning right after I take it and for about 2 hours after.

I am gradually getting used to it,(its not as bad i mean) also I have found that eating right before or after taking the meds helps tremendously at taking away the heartburn feeling immediatly. I eat someting with grains in it.. piece of toast, oatmeal, rice, etc.

Like you, I didnt notice it with the IV treatment. Probably cause the acid in the depakote was not hitting the stomach!

Hope this helps!

Tawsha

I have been on Depakote since March. The only side effect I have noticed is I have gained a little weight (about 10 lbs). I think that has a little more to do with me trying to take out my frustrations with my brain on my own body in the form of chocolate!

I haven't had any of the depression, or my hair falling out (which is a miracle because I color it frequently! )

But like everyone else said, you have to try it to see what works for you.

I took one 500 mg pill and had the worst abdominal pain I have had since peptic ulcers.