Guest guest Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Hi -- Dad's anger & agression seem to be getting worse, and this month has been really hard for our family. We are truly on the LBD Roller Coaster! Today the AL facility brought in a Geriatric Psychiatrist. After visiting w/ dad, he recommended starting him on 125 mg of Depakote morning and evening, to even out his mood swings, and to help deal with what he called " impulse control problems. " What success/problems have you all had with this medication? Thanks - Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 Depakote can be an excellent mood stabilizer. That said, it can cause elevated blood ammonia levels, the results of which are confusion, sedation, agitation, delusions.... The solution is periodic monitoring of serum ammonia. This can be done by a simple blood test. Any result outside the normal range is a cause for concern - I think " dead " is 2X the upper limit of normal. E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 2007 Report Share Posted May 18, 2007 My husband was on it, but I didn't see that it made a great deal of difference. However, you never know if he would have been worse had he not been on it. I don't believe there are a lot of side-effects on it, which is good. --- gentlysm06 wrote: > Hi -- Dad's anger & agression seem to be getting > worse, and this month > has been really hard for our family. We are truly on > the LBD Roller > Coaster! Today the AL facility brought in a > Geriatric Psychiatrist. > After visiting w/ dad, he recommended starting him > on 125 mg of > Depakote morning and evening, to even out his mood > swings, and to help > deal with what he called " impulse control problems. " > What > success/problems have you all had with this > medication? Thanks - Susie > > ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____Sick sense of humor? Visit Yahoo! TV's Comedy with an Edge to see what's on, when. http://tv.yahoo.com/collections/222 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2007 Report Share Posted May 19, 2007 Hi , My Mam was prescribed depakote,because her drs think she as been having fits. Over the last couple of months I repeatedly told the drs it was not working,nothing had changed apart from Mam being alsleep most of the time and when she was awake was falling over and hallucinating more than ever. .Finally after telling me the depakote was working they have changed their minds now and referred Mam to a neruologist who can prescribe another drug to try. john uk > > Hi -- Dad's anger & agression seem to be getting worse, and this month > has been really hard for our family. We are truly on the LBD Roller > Coaster! Today the AL facility brought in a Geriatric Psychiatrist. > After visiting w/ dad, he recommended starting him on 125 mg of > Depakote morning and evening, to even out his mood swings, and to help > deal with what he called " impulse control problems. " What > success/problems have you all had with this medication? Thanks - Susie > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2007 Report Share Posted May 19, 2007 Susie, My mom take Depakote along with her Seroquel. It was added after the last round of psychotic behavior. It seems to have really helped the terrible aggression. It does tend to make her sleepy so my dad gives it to her in the early evening and then she pretty well sleeps through the night. When she first started it, she was very sleepy ,almost zombie like for a while but that has stopped. My mom has PDD so I don't know if that is why she has seemed to tolerate it. Vallerie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2007 Report Share Posted May 19, 2007 Susie, My dad was placed on Depakote a few days ago while in the hospital for a violent outburst against my mom. The neuro there administered 3 doses over a 2 day period (2 on 1 day and 1 on the next). Dad was " zombified " and combative at the same time to attendants who were trying to take blood pressure, feed, etc. They then put him in 4 point restraints. The neuro at the hosp. and my dad's neuro conferenced on the phone and decided to discontinue Depakote and try a 12.5 mg dose of Seroquel. Last night was the first night of that, and we haven't been to see him yet today. Yesterday without either Depakote or Seroquel he seemed to be more 'with it' and ate much better. We'll see what's going on when we get down there to feed him lunch. Dianne P daughter of Bill, 83 --- gentlysm06 wrote: > Hi -- Dad's anger & agression seem to be getting > worse, and this month > has been really hard for our family. We are truly on > the LBD Roller > Coaster! Today the AL facility brought in a > Geriatric Psychiatrist. > After visiting w/ dad, he recommended starting him > on 125 mg of > Depakote morning and evening, to even out his mood > swings, and to help > deal with what he called " impulse control problems. " > What > success/problems have you all had with this > medication? Thanks - Susie > > ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell. http://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2007 Report Share Posted May 19, 2007 Hi - My husband started on the Depakote last May on a low dose at first just like they're starting your dad on it. Then he went up to 500 mg., which is what he is on now. He is also on 150 mg. of Seroquel. We never know what's going to work because each person is different in how they react to drugs. For us it really helped. Good luck. Ellie depakote Hi -- Dad's anger & agression seem to be getting worse, and this month has been really hard for our family. We are truly on the LBD Roller Coaster! Today the AL facility brought in a Geriatric Psychiatrist. After visiting w/ dad, he recommended starting him on 125 mg of Depakote morning and evening, to even out his mood swings, and to help deal with what he called " impulse control problems. " What success/problems have you all had with this medication? Thanks - Susie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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