Valproic Acid

[Cubster]

Can someone tell me what I might expect with Valproic acid. I just started Gideon (6 yrs old) on this. Today is day 4 and tomorrow he will be at his full dose of 4mls twice a day. So far we've seen no change in his personality or behavior. How long might it take to see how it's affecting him? Anything I should be aware of/watch for?

Thank you for any insight. I feel like I'm walking around with a blindfold on.

Colleen

[Ann T.]

Hello, Colleen:

If you type 'valproic acid' at google.com, it'll give you all sorts of information. I did take Depakote, which is the same as valproic acid. PLEASE make sure the neurologist Gideon visits does not prescribe Lamictal with it because valproic acid doubles the strength of Lamictal/lamotrigene. I took both at the same time & got very sick.

[Blondie47]

Our daughter, 13 was placed on the generic of Depakote ( divalproex sodium)
after Keppra (2000mg) failed to control her partial seizures. She was on divalproex soduim for 5 months as a mono therapy. We started on 500mg 2x daily and ended at 1750mg 3x daily. It was increased due to breakthroughs.

During that time it did bring things under ok control. She still had 1 or 2 medium strength break through's (frontal seizure) and medium strength breakthrough's (occipital seizure). She has multi focal localization epilepsy.

Side effects were: exhaustion (missed school, and left early), weight gain (enormous appetite)hair loss and hand tremors.

We are currently on a trial of oxcarbazepine generic of Trileptal. Working out quite well.

Hope this helps!!

[Cubster]

is it just me or is weight gain and hair loss common?

[Nakamova]

Good question about weight gain & hair loss. On Lamictal I've experienced both, although the hair loss is now negligible. Lamictal in particular can mess with the hormonal system (it can interfere with birth control pills for instance), and estrogen plays a role in both weight gain and hair loss. All anti-epileptic drugs are taken in such high doses in order to cross the blood-brain barrier, with the result that they tend to have systemic effects -- skin, vision, metabolism, sleep, mood...

[Cubster]

So are side affects like this more frequent in girls?

[Cubster]

Well, Gideon's neurologist wants us to get Gideon off of the Valproic Acid because he's having drastic behavioural changes only 1 week in. He's become SUPER aggressive and hyper, hyper, hyper, which seems to make it impossible for him to follow simple instructions and by mid day, he can't stay awake. I'm so glad he's coming off of it. She wants us to give him Ativan the next time he has an episode. She still says she doesn't even know for sure if it's seizures. It's so completely different and so much more pain than his regular migraines. He sounds like he's in indescribable, unbearable pain. After he wakes from the heavy sleep he's disoriented, and unsteady on his feet. All of this make her think seizure but as I describe the episode she says it doesn't sound like a "typical" seizure and without seeing evidence on eeg...... grrr.

I asked about Neurofeedback and she laughed out loud and said, "In Windsor??" Fat chance! She said our best chance would be London, 2 hours north if we could even find it there otherwise, Toronto, a four hour drive. She said even if we could find someone to do it Gideon is likely too young still. Even for post stroke she said he would likely need to be an adolescent. We're going to keep looking into it. Who knows maybe we'll move.

One day at a time...

Colleen

[epileric]

Check the 2nd last paragraph.

http://www.hp-add.com/index.html

[Cubster]

Ohhhh!!

I'm going to have to do some late night research.

Thanks epileric!

[epileric]

but I also found Bela Lev in Windsor.

http://www.isnr.org/cart/pract_detai...9747E-01-30-07

They were on the International Society for Neurofeedback & Research. Sadly they're listed alphabetically by name, not location.

http://www.isnr.org/cart/pract_find....eSearch=Search

[epileric]

found this. Don't know how close any of them are but there's at least a couple with the same area code as Windsor.

http://www.braintrain.com/home_users...al_ontario.htm

Also these organizations might be able to tell you if there are any members that give neurofeedback treatments in Windsor.

http://www.psych.on.ca/

http://www.cpo.on.ca/

[epileric]

This should help, it's got a list of biofeedack sites & providers.
http://www.apcentre.com/links.htm

That should keep you busy for the night.

[Cubster]

Holy moley!!

Thanks epileric!!!