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Successful Depakote weaning

Epilepsy & Seizures | Last Active: 4 days ago | Replies (43)

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@grammy82

@shivb
Let me say...I am not a Doctor, for sure...I could have saved a fortune.

I'm 82 and have been seizure free for over 45 years. I will give you scan information because I don't want you to harm yourself and hope you are seeing a good neurologist. When I was in my 30s through my 50s I was on Depakote but developed tremors that were pretty extreme. I saw a neurologist at the University of Chicago who did wean me off Depakote entirely in about six months ( he substituted another milder med)...BUT, only a good! one can evaluate you and tell you how fast. I went through this change and still did not have a seizure.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to do this under the direction of someone you can really trust. At the time I did it, I was having check-ups by my local neurologist---who never said anything---it was a surgeon who suggested the gentleman in Chicago. Good Luck!!💞

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Replies to "@shivb Let me say...I am not a Doctor, for sure...I could have saved a fortune. I'm..."

Hello,

My son is on Depakote, has been for 14 years. It works for him (knock on wood) but we are worried about the long term effects. If it hadn't been for the tremors do you think you would have stayed with that drug.

Is there anyone out there who has been on Depakote for a long time?

thanks!
Trish

Thank you for sharing your experience. And good to read your are doing well. Can you please share you experience on-

What was the dose of Depakote when you weaned off over 6 months? Was it ER/DM? Was it lesser than 500 mg? I am particularly looking for weaning off with this medicine and with what dosage?

What is the milder med now?

PS: I will be of course working with my Dr. but so far, I have found that once when Dr. starts on this med, they don't have enough information on the weaning process.