Has anyone transitioned from Depakote to Lamictal? Your experience?

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136scout

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Hi all, I am new to the forum.
I have juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and have been fully controlled for almost 30 years. I am currently on Depakote ER and am about to begin transitioning to Lamictal XR. I have read that it can be tricky due to the 2 drugs interacting with each other. I am wondering if anyone else has been through this specific transition and how it went?
Thanks in advance!
 
Yes, I switched but it was many years ago. I know that it didn't work out very well because it wasn't long before I was switched back to Depakote ER. Also, my memory is shot from the seizures. The one thing I encourage you to do is be totally honest with your doctor. If you don't like how you feel, speak up. No one else is going to do it for you. Best of luck to you - switching medicine sucks!
 
The cause of this change is that at my most recent appointment I mentioned that I have been having memory problems that have been increasing over the years and my thinking is often disrupted. My doctor suggested to try switching to Lamictal, claiming he believes it causes less cognitive issues than Depakote. Though it scares the hell out of me to switch, I am willing to see if it makes a difference. I joke with my wife that with the different side effects that each can have, I am "expecting" to go from 5' 10", balding, overweight and mentally confused to 6' 2", lean and buff, a full head of hair and to join the Mensa Society! Do you think I am being too optimistic? ;-D
 
Haha, nah..never can be too optimistic!! Thats a good reason for the switch. Ive heard that also. Its always unnerving when you wean off a med onto another one. My daughter weeaned off Keppra before Christmas and I was a wreck. It went very well though. Try not to worry too much, stress can make things worse sometimes. Good luck!
 
Hi 136scout, I haven't been on Depakote, but I am on lamictal now, and it seems to work pretty well for me -- no cognitive side effects that I'm aware of. Transitions are always a little scary. Just take it slow and pay attention to how you're feeling. Make sure the neurologist is clear about the tapering/ramping schedule.
 
Hi. I found this older thread and am curious. I stopped keppra (side effects) and now take depakote with lamictal. Doc says they work especially good together. I just came back from a two week visit to Maine with my 14 year old son. It wasn't fine until we're home to the seatac airport. My ex wife picks us up as my girlfriend is sick. On the 1 hour drive home I have a big tonic clonic in backseat. My son is acting afraid to come over to dad's house now. He is scheduled to come over tonight but we're will see if he makes an excuse this afternoon. That hurts. In regards to this thread. I have the opposite event moving TOO depakote and staying on lamictal. I think it's between better but to really to tell.
 
I'm so sorry for your very stressful experience. Vacation could have put your regular times off schedule and from what you described, you are dealing with an adjustment of meds. Like Nakamova, I do take brand name only Lamictal. I have never been on your other medication. Your son will adjust to this. Kids can be very flexible.
 
Long term update ...

So, my switch to Lamictal went fine and there were no problems in transitioning. Throughout the next 2 1/2 years though, I hadn't noticed any substantial change, one way or another, in cognitive issues which was my original reason for changing meds. What did happen was that I lost about 50 lbs and became as lean as I've ever been in my life (I'm 48 right now). Admittedly, I was trying hard to loose weight and get in shape shortly after I switched drugs (but I have tried to do that all of my life without success, until now.) I had no idea how much of an appetite stimulant Depakote is until I was off of it. It was incredible! I just felt like I was never hungry, or at least, I'd eat a normal sized meal and be done. On the bad side, I had been having periodic what I'd call sort of stuttering issues. Not normal verbal stuttering, more like a spontaneous contraction of my diaphragm which would cause an abrupt exhale and if it happened mid-word, it sort of came out like a stutter. My doc upped my Lamictal dosage twice but this issue kept occurring. Well, after 2 1/2 years on Lamictal, this past Dec 2015, I had my first seizure (grand mal) in over 25 years. Happily for me I had walked into the Starbucks that morning rather than drive thru like I did 99% of the time. My doc immediately transitioned me back to Depakote which is what I've been on all 2016. No probs now except I definitely feel my appetite driving me again!
 
I was

on Depakote, & like you had appetite issues. :paperbag: As well, I switched to Lamictal, plus 3 other meds to help control my seizures. (I'm going on 18 years now I think, since my last one....I think.......) I went from gaining massive amounts of weight to dropping massive amounts of weight when I switched to the 4 meds. I was under a lot of stress then, & had other medical issues as well, but the 4 meds are working.

Sadly, my weight is going up, though. :paperbag::paperbag::roflmao:
 
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