i have been taking valproic acid(depakote) for almost nine years now and they control my seizures wonderfully. however, my neurologist expressed concern over my previous bloodwork, liver enzymes out of whack. He said it is okay for now but i was just wondering if any had to swap from depakote for that reason, and if so what did you change to and how did the transition go?
changing meds
- Thread starter J Nelson
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Hi J Nelson,
Sorry to hear that you might have to switch meds. Any chance you could back off your dose a tiny bit to see if that would make a difference?
I don't have any experience with Depakote, myself (I'm on Lamictal) but in general I've found that tapering on and off is best done very slowly, both to minimize risk of seizures and side effects while tapering off, and to minimize side effects and allergic reactions while tapering on.
You can search for comments on Depakote using the search tab at the top.
Best,
Nakamova
Sorry to hear that you might have to switch meds. Any chance you could back off your dose a tiny bit to see if that would make a difference?
I don't have any experience with Depakote, myself (I'm on Lamictal) but in general I've found that tapering on and off is best done very slowly, both to minimize risk of seizures and side effects while tapering off, and to minimize side effects and allergic reactions while tapering on.
You can search for comments on Depakote using the search tab at the top.
Best,
Nakamova
Endless
Even Keel
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Hi, J Nelson,
Welcome to CWE.
I'm glad your doc is watching your blood work. If it is negatively affecting your liver or kidneys, he's right. You need to switch. I've never taken Depakote, either, but have transitioned between meds a few times. I agree with what Nakamova said. Ramping up slowly is a good idea.
Your doc will probably want to keep you on your old medication while you ramp up on your new one, to prevent seizures. I noticed when I was still on my old med while ramping up on the new one, being on two drugs at once made the side effects a lot worse for me. If this happens to you, don't worry. Over time when I ramped down on the old drug everything got better than it was.
Welcome to CWE.
I'm glad your doc is watching your blood work. If it is negatively affecting your liver or kidneys, he's right. You need to switch. I've never taken Depakote, either, but have transitioned between meds a few times. I agree with what Nakamova said. Ramping up slowly is a good idea.
Your doc will probably want to keep you on your old medication while you ramp up on your new one, to prevent seizures. I noticed when I was still on my old med while ramping up on the new one, being on two drugs at once made the side effects a lot worse for me. If this happens to you, don't worry. Over time when I ramped down on the old drug everything got better than it was.