Re: Depakote

[Guest guest]

I don’t know much about it so I went

to drugs.com and read about it. It is a seizure medication sometimes used for

Bi-Polar and other conditions in addition to epilepsy of all kinds…

My main concern in reading it was the

following:

In rare cases, Depakote has caused life-threatening liver

failure, especially in children younger than 2 years old. Children may be at

even greater risk for liver problems if they use more than one seizure medication,

if they have a metabolic disorder, or if they have a brain disease causing

mental impairment (such as Creutzfeldt- disease, Huntington disease,

multiple sclerosis, or a brain injury or infection).

This medication would make me nervous,

even though I am seeking the same things for my son that you describe in your

e-mail. My son is 8.5 yrs and we struggle with sporadic

aggression/agitation/meltdowns.

I’m interested to hear others’

first-hand experiences with depakote…

Dora

From:

AutismBehaviorProblems

[mailto:AutismBehaviorProblems ] On Behalf Of beachnfam

Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008

3:53 PM

To:

AutismBehaviorProblems

Subject: Depakote

Does anyone have any experience with using Depakote?

My sons dr. is

recommending 1 tsp. at bedtime saying the sedative effect will be gone

by morning, yet have lasting effects for mood stabilizing. Any

experiences would be appreciated. My son seems to do well for a while,

then go into weeks of aggression and being aggitated about everything.

I do know how I feel about using any medication since my son is only 9,

but considering.

[Guest guest]

we had problems with rage with depakote.

we used it for seizures.

As long as regular blood work it done, the liver thing is not a big deal.

if you see enzymes going up, you either decrease it or go off of it.

My dd was on it for about 5 years.

elaine

RE: Depakote

I don’t know much about it so I went to drugs.com and read about it. It is a seizure medication sometimes used for Bi-Polar and other conditions in addition to epilepsy of all kinds…

My main concern in reading it was the following:

In rare cases, Depakote has caused life-threatening liver failure, especially in children younger than 2 years old. Children may be at even greater risk for liver problems if they use more than one seizure medication, if they have a metabolic disorder, or if they have a brain disease causing mental impairment (such as Creutzfeldt- disease, Huntington disease, multiple sclerosis, or a brain injury or infection).

This medication would make me nervous, even though I am seeking the same things for my son that you describe in your e-mail. My son is 8.5 yrs and we struggle with sporadic aggression/agitation/meltdowns.

I’m interested to hear others’ first-hand experiences with depakote…

Dora

From: AutismBehaviorProblems [mailto:AutismBehaviorProblems ] On Behalf Of beachnfamSent: Wednesday, April 16, 2008 3:53 PMTo: AutismBehaviorProblems Subject: Depakote

Does anyone have any experience with using Depakote? My sons dr. is recommending 1 tsp. at bedtime saying the sedative effect will be gone by morning, yet have lasting effects for mood stabilizing. Any experiences would be appreciated. My son seems to do well for a while, then go into weeks of aggression and being aggitated about everything. I do know how I feel about using any medication since my son is only 9, but considering.

[Guest guest]

true.. depakote was origional perscribed as an anti-convulsent but through the years Dr.s have used it as a mood stabilizer. it has been out longer than most behavior meds and has a long history of working. the med is stored in the liver and has what is refered to as a theraputic level which is monitored by liver tests. not my favorite route for behavior control but i am slightly anti-med when it comes to children with asd.

Depakote

Does anyone have any experience with using Depakote? My sons dr. is recommending 1 tsp. at bedtime saying the sedative effect will be gone by morning, yet have lasting effects for mood stabilizing. Any experiences would be appreciated. My son seems to do well for a while, then go into weeks of aggression and being aggitated about everything. I do know how I feel about using any medication since my son is only 9, but considering.

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[Guest guest]

It made JJ VERY mean after the first dose. Within 15 min. He had torn up the livingroom. Needless to say he didn't get it again. Lois

RE: Depakote

[Guest guest]

it may spark migranes and photo sensitivty as well

RE: Depakote

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[Guest guest]

I am a mom of a severaly disabled child. I grew up

with having seizures at the age of 2 I am 36 yrs. old.

I remember mom talking about this medicine and

several others that I was on. But I myself can

remember how this made me feel. I was tired mom gave

it to me two times a day. I stayed tired all the

time. It did seem to work with the seizures along

with another medicine. But it probably will wear off

by morning. I didn't have any side effects from this

medicine. I however had side effects from several

medicines at one time where my gums became swollen and

would bleed alot. The dentist said it was from the

medicines that I was taking. I was on 6 different

medicines at one time. Later on. I hope that this

helps you.

Twilla

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[Guest guest]

Depakote didn't not work well for Karac; it had a negative affect. Pat K**************Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. used car listings at AOL Autos. (http://autos.aol.com/used?NCID=aolcmp00300000002851)

[Guest guest]

My daughter has been on Depakote since she was around

3 years old. She is 15 now. The regular bloodwork is

important.

The medication worked extremely well in controlling

her seizures UNTIL she hit puberty - then it was not

as effective AND we had rage issues.

We are still on a low dosage, but in the process of

putting her on another medication for seizures - due

to the rage issues.

We did not have aggression problems associated with

Depakote prior to puberty.

Patty

Depakote

>

> Does anyone have any experience with using Depakote?

My sons dr. is

> recommending 1 tsp. at bedtime saying the sedative

effect will be gone

> by morning, yet have lasting effects for mood

stabilizing. Any

> experiences would be appreciated. My son seems to do

well for a while,

> then go into weeks of aggression and being aggitated

about everything.

> I do know how I feel about using any medication

since my son is only 9,

> but considering.

>

>

>

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know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

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[Guest guest]

Good Morning:

This medication has changed my sons life for the

better. We were dealing with severe rage and self

injury in my son who is 18 years old. He would bang

his head until we had a blood bath on our hands.

Our entire family was black and blue from the attacks

we endured from our sons rage.

Our walls had holes in them because my son would put

his head through the plaster not to mention that our

bathroom shower tiles were smashed to bits from head

banging.

I had to fight with the doctor to have put on

Depakote because I was of the opinion it would help

him. Best thing I ever did.

We now have a smiling mostly happy young man.

-Anne.

--- beachnfam wrote:

> Does anyone have any experience with using Depakote?

> My sons dr. is

> recommending 1 tsp. at bedtime saying the sedative

> effect will be gone

> by morning, yet have lasting effects for mood

> stabilizing. Any

> experiences would be appreciated. My son seems to

> do well for a while,

> then go into weeks of aggression and being aggitated

> about everything.

> I do know how I feel about using any medication

> since my son is only 9,

> but considering.

>

>

> ------------------------------------

>

>

[Guest guest]

>

> Does anyone have any experience with using Depakote? My sons dr. is

> recommending 1 tsp. at bedtime saying the sedative effect will be gone

> by morning, yet have lasting effects for mood stabilizing. Any

> experiences would be appreciated. My son seems to do well for a while,

> then go into weeks of aggression and being aggitated about everything.

> I do know how I feel about using any medication since my son is only 9,

> but considering.

>

Hi,

I'm going to offer some suggestions based on what the research has to

say. Nothing you read here should replace the relationship you have

with your physician. They are the best expert on medications in your

individual case - not someone that has never examined the patient nor

non-physicians. That said:

First, I'd be very careful about personal anecdotes. No one knows

your child like you and your physician do.

Second, every medication can work or not work for different people.

Simply because it did or did not for someone else is irrelevant to

your child's circumstances.

Third, Depakote has a long history of being very effective in two

major areas - Seizures and Mood Stabilization. It remains one of the

two best research supported medications for mood stabilization

available. It is off patient so its not pushed like newer meds

because there is less profit in selling it for the drug companies but

it remains one of the most effective mood stabilizers available today.

Fourth, all medications, from aspirin to Zyprexa, have side effects.

The side-effect ratio for Depakote, according to the research (and

there is a LOT more of it on Depakote due to it having been around

longer than many other behavioral meds) indicates that the rate of

side-effects is lower than many alternative medications.

Finally, because kids on the spectrum often react atypically to

medications it is very important to follow the course of the impact of

the medication with the physician collaboratively. Behavior Analysts

can often design very solid data collection tools for assisting the

family and their physician in making much more informed decisions

about the cost-benefit of a medication choice.

Best of luck,

- W. Montgomery, Ph.D.

[Guest guest]

My son was on it - Sodium Valproate in the UK I think. He was on it for seizures before we realised he had autism. He took it for 2 years between ages of 2 and 4. We realised he had autism when he was 3 so it overlapped a little. Looking back it must work as a mood stabilizer because we used to joke he seemed so laid back when he was on it. We didn't get any tantrums or anxiety or meltdowns. He came off it when he was 4 as his seizures stopped and boy do we get all the bad autism things now!!!! and we have got the seizures back after a gap of 4 years but that's another story!!!

Depakote

Does anyone have any experience with using Depakote? My sons dr. is recommending 1 tsp. at bedtime saying the sedative effect will be gone by morning, yet have lasting effects for mood stabilizing. Any experiences would be appreciated. My son seems to do well for a while, then go into weeks of aggression and being aggitated about everything. I do know how I feel about using any medication since my son is only 9, but considering.

Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

[Guest guest]

I have no experience with this med, but let me just remind yu all that meds

should only be prescribed especially to children if other interventions

fail. Like, has the Mom who originally started this thread, looked at what

happens before their child got into these tantrums (that if I understand

correctly happen soemtimes for a number of weeks than go away). Look at

psychological, social as well as physical causes, eg. whether he gets into

this mood after a stressful event, or when he's been ill, etc. Or is there

always a certain time period when it goes well then he becomes aggressive

again? If the family have a therapist they work with, maybe that therapist

could help. Meds should only be an option if there is no other way to stop

this behavior. (I myself regret having gone on meds when the reason for my

irritability was obviously stress, and the meds didn't stop that; am glad

that when I ended up in psychiatric crisis because of stress the doctors

didn't come up with meds.)

Astrid

astrid@...

http://www.astridvanwoerkom.com/

I'm protected by SpamBrave

http://www.spambrave.com/

[Guest guest]

– (Dr Montgomery? J)

Thank you so much for your post. Your

comments make a lot of sense to me and point out some important considerations.

I appreciate you offering your personal knowledge of the body of research –

this is the kind of thing we often don’t know as lay-folk, and so often

doctor’s just say ‘oh, it’s shown to be very safe’

rather than giving a more meaningful explanation such as yours.

So THANKS!

Dora in WA State

Mom to 8 yr old .

From: AutismBehaviorProblems [mailto:AutismBehaviorProblems ] On Behalf Of W. Montgomery, Ph.D.,

BCBA

Sent: Thursday, April 17, 2008

8:40 AM

To: AutismBehaviorProblems

Subject: Re: Depakote

>

> Does anyone have any experience with using Depakote? My sons dr. is

> recommending 1 tsp. at bedtime saying the sedative effect will be gone

> by morning, yet have lasting effects for mood stabilizing. Any

> experiences would be appreciated. My son seems to do well for a while,

> then go into weeks of aggression and being aggitated about everything.

> I do know how I feel about using any medication since my son is only 9,

> but considering.

>

Hi,

I'm going to offer some suggestions based on what the research has to

say. Nothing you read here should replace the relationship you have

with your physician. They are the best expert on medications in your

individual case - not someone that has never examined the patient nor

non-physicians. That said:

First, I'd be very careful about personal anecdotes. No one knows

your child like you and your physician do.

Second, every medication can work or not work for different people.

Simply because it did or did not for someone else is irrelevant to

your child's circumstances.

Third, Depakote has a long history of being very effective in two

major areas - Seizures and Mood Stabilization. It remains one of the

two best research supported medications for mood stabilization

available. It is off patient so its not pushed like newer meds

because there is less profit in selling it for the drug companies but

it remains one of the most effective mood stabilizers available today.

Fourth, all medications, from aspirin to Zyprexa, have side effects.

The side-effect ratio for Depakote, according to the research (and

there is a LOT more of it on Depakote due to it having been around

longer than many other behavioral meds) indicates that the rate of

side-effects is lower than many alternative medications.

Finally, because kids on the spectrum often react atypically to

medications it is very important to follow the course of the impact of

the medication with the physician collaboratively. Behavior Analysts

can often design very solid data collection tools for assisting the

family and their physician in making much more informed decisions

about the cost-benefit of a medication choice.

Best of luck,

- W. Montgomery, Ph.D.