I've been taking Depakote since 2002 -- great drug

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

Cancer treatment doesn't save everyone, nor do meds used in the treatment of diabetes. But for various conditions which can be treated by anticonvulsants, failures are magnified and meds are deamonized. It's an effing shame.

You people are ridiculous. For those of us who rely on these meds, we can tune you out. But for folks who are in need of these meds, you knuckleheads are a real deterant. So what they don't work for everyone--no treatment does. But that's why you work closely with your doctor. If a med doesn't work or the side effects are SEVERE, you try another, as there are anticonvulsants out there.

DYK: a lot of people say weight gain and hair loss are horrible side effects? I'd rather be a little overweight and a little thin on top than in the hospital or dead.


Jett had been having seizures on an average of every four days, until he started taking Depokate. Ossi and McDermott say the drug initially worked, reducing the frequency to approximately once every three weeks.

For people to condemn meds based on the little information available is absurd. This kid could have been too far gone by the time Depakote was introduced. It's likely that he should have been on Depakote sooner.

Whatever... that's all I have to say. Flame away, it must make you feel better.

[LisaL]

1. I don't think anyone condemned the meds.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

3. I think you need to re-read the title of the Travolta's son's thread...

It's right there in the freakin' title. And did you see all the people who agreed?

Trust me, reactions like these aren't news to me...

[truedelphi]

14. I, for one, have been ignoring all the Travolta threads

The family has experienced a tragedy and needs to be left in peace. If they failed in some way, that is something the local medical examiner,etc will take them to task for.

People endlessly speculating on that tragedy seems gross to me.

And WhaTHellsgoingonhere, I agree with you. I do think we sometimes jump on a bandwagon of condemning pharmaceuticals, because they are so over hyped. But at the same time, one person's poison is another's needed tonic. It is important to keep that fact of the matter alive in the discussion, and am sorry that you are feeling a normal response of pain and anger at a misguided response.

Medicne is something that usually needs to be looked at on a case by case basis.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

44. What gets lost is proportionality

I've said several times throughout this thread in so many words that these meds work/have worked, and could work, for MANY, though they don't work for FEW. This society is always looking for a silver bullet fix. That there is no silver bullet is what is so upsetting to people.

Med treatment for CERTAIN illness shouldn't be singled out and condemned...but it is.

[truedelphi]

45. Agreed. n/t

[LisaL]

24. In his particular case, if the story is true, the medication ultimately stopped working,

I don't think stating the fact is the same as condemning the meds.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. I have seen an awful lot of people...

Whose lives were stabilized by meds, which allowed them to be full and equal partners in their own lives.

Yeah, there are some meds that have pretty bothersome side-effects, but when a person is stabilized, weight gain, hair loss and other such things are a relatively small price to pay. They sure beat never-ending convulsions or broken R2 receptors by a country mile.

[ChazII]

36. As a person who has been on seizure meds

since 1967, I want to say, "Thank you for your common sense and sensitivity."

[ColbertWatcher]

4. One of the problems is that $cientology doesn't "believe" that autism exists.

And as a consequence, they don't recognize a need to treat it.

Which is why the strange comments about Kawasaki Disease are being trotted out.

As everyone who has ever seen the cult in action can see their fingerprints all over this controlling of the messaging.

[Hekate]

6. Autism is not a seizure disorder. A person might have both, but they are not the same. nt

[ColbertWatcher]

10. Excuse me, you're correct.

Nonetheless, the cult believes they can cure epilepsy (and seizures) with their own special brand of "medicine" (which is probably some variation on "touch therapy")

[Midlodemocrat]

22. All the more reason not to condemn the Travoltas

They went against their church and gave their son depakote. It wouldn't be at all unusual for the child to start having abnormal liver function tests as a result of taking the depakote. If that were the case, it made total sense to take him off it.

If the child's seizures were this frequent, it stands to reason, again, just speculation, that he might have tried another anti-seizure medication first, like dilantin that didn't have satisfactory results.

They are obviously incredibly devoted, loving parents (in spite of what Mr. Restaurant Manager has to say :eyes: ) and I, for one, would never condemn someone for the way they raised their children.

This controversy is funny, because on DU, we absolutely ADORE those brave and few who go against modern medicine and don't vaccinate. Never mind that the 'herd immunization' doesn't exist anymore and pertussis is back. :crazy:

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

7. Agreed. I infered as much myself...

...when I said it's likely the kid should have been on Depakote before he was finally introduced to it.

[ColbertWatcher]

9. Thank you for posting this. n/t

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

12. Cool, I just edited them! lol

Thanks!

Whether people here realize or care, this is an important health care issue :)

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

19. the "news" articles do not include a complete medical history

maybe Jett has been on different meds befoire Depakote.

Why does everyone assume that is the only med he has ever been given?

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

18. And exactly what medicine would you prescribe for Autism?

Could you please advise?

[L0oniX]

5. I've been smoking weed since 1967 -- great drug

[Hekate]

8. KnR. Thank you very much for factual information.

I'm glad you are on a med that helps you. I'm embarrassed for DU that we seem to be over-run with people who need to sit in judgment over things they know little about.

Hekate

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

11. Thanks. I attended a My.BarackObama meeting...

...on healthcare last month here in Chicago and was appauled to hear how freely people deamonized meds and how those who didn't just nodded along as if they just learned some valuable information. Guess who put a stop to that nonsense ;)

[mzmolly]

13. Depakote doesn't work as smoothly

for everyone as it does for you. That's not condemnation, it's fact.

[mopinko]

16. so, you try another anticonvulsant.

there are many on the market right now. no med works for everyone, as the op clearly stated.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

20. beat me to it : )

This is exactly what I said in the OP.

So what they don't work for everyone--no treatment does. But that's why you work closely with your doctor. If a med doesn't work or the side effects are SEVERE, you try another, as there are (several) anticonvulsants out there.

[mzmolly]

26. How many do you try when your liver is already

damaged?

[mopinko]

29. well

once you commit suicide, your liver is fine.

i'm sorry i even replied to you, molly.

[mzmolly]

30. No problem.

:hi:

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

34. on "hazards"

Every treatment for any illness is "hazardous". People will try anything when it comes to, say, cancer regardless of the consequences. And all I hear or read about are "cancer survivor" stories. No one will condemn them for being proactive even if the treatment makes the patient sick and fails.

But, boy, do attitudes change when ignorant people don't believe certain illness are all that serious, let alone life threatening. Everyone's got an opinion on shit they don't understand and can't help themselves from blurting those opinions out when the opportunity arises. And for all the MILLIONS of people these meds help/have helped, you would hardly know because only the failures get magnified.

My stability is more important than my organs. But that's just me, everyone will make their own decision here. But what I find so upsetting is that people don't respect the very difficult decisions other people have to make. The first medication I was on affected my kidneys after 9 years, so I was switched to Depakote. I'm grateful that there are many drugs to choose from. I've been taking blood tests since 1993. Organs typically give you a heads up when they are under duress. And the liver is capable of repairing itself ;)

My kidneys are just fine, today, too :)

[mzmolly]

35. Unfortunately

that respect thing goes both ways. People have a right to choose regarding the risk v. benefits of various medications. Especially when it comes to a situation like the Travolta's were in. They chose medication and it lost effectiveness as well as caused liver damage. The child not only had seizures, he was being damaged in a potentially fatal manner.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

40. what goes both ways?

You've only paraphased me here, so I don't understand your comment.

As for THIS case, my comments are irrelevant. The point of contention that I have with you is that you continue to magnify failures not once suggesting how much good these meds have done, and of equal impartance, could do, for people. Fortunately, others here have stepped in here to add some balance to this discussion.

[mzmolly]

41. Bull

crap. I've not magnified any failures. I've said each person needs to weigh the risk v. benefits for themselves and their children accordingly - period.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

42. that's paraphrasing me

[Hekate]

38. Statins for high cholesterol can also damage the liver. I've been on one or another for 20 years...

My cholesterol levels are due to heredity, not diet. Every time my doctor changes me to a new one he does blood work on me every month, then every 3 months, until he is satisfied that my liver is fine.

The risks of super high cholesterol are well-established. My skinny little aunt died rather horribly of complications of atherosclerosis just about the time I proved to my doctor's satisfaction that diet and exercise did nothing but raise my count to 350. Statins keep it around 200.

Somehow I can make myself live with the potential risk to my liver as opposed to the much-greater probability of stroke, heart attack, gangrene in my lower limbs, etc. My aunt lost her mind, lost her nice personality and became vicious, lost one leg and was about to lose another when she mercifully died.

People with other conditions have to make their own decisions.

Here in California you can't drive a car unless you've been seizure-free for a year, and any subsequent seizure, however small, sets the clock back. Public transportation in this state is pitiful, so good luck getting around to school, work, groceries, or anything else. There are many jobs unavailable to people with uncontrolled seizure disorders. Afaik, every grand mal seizure further damages the brain in some fashion, but someone else will have to speak to the accuracy of that.

Hekate

[mzmolly]

39. I am aware of that.

My husband is on similar meds. He is tested to be sure that his liver does not become damaged as liver disease can also be deadly. However, saying you'll absorb a risk is different than a doctor noting a problem with liver disease due to a particular type of medication.

On edit, I'm glad you agree that people have to make their own decisions in this regard. It's a very personal choice and the risk v. benefits have to be carefully weighed by those considering any kind of medical intervention.

[w8liftinglady]

21. I didn't have problems with depakote

I just didn't absorb it well.I have to take old school dilntin and primadione.I wish I could have seizure control with the newer drugs,but they don't work.

[mopinko]

15. i am constantly amazed by the anti-science attitude on display here daily.

i, too, am on an anticonvulsant. lyrica has given me back my life after many years of suffering from fibromyalgia. i also look forward to a strong old age thanks to early treatment for osteoporosis. so far, my only side effect has been a fairly relentless sweet tooth. weight is holding steady so far, tho.
whatever price i might have to pay at some point will be worth the strength and energy that i have had for the last year. i traveled extensively this year, something that used to leave me exhausted, in bed. but 7 trips for obama, plus half dozen more for work and pleasure, and not a single day on my back. priceless.

i agree with you that this pervasive anti-medicine attitude is downright dangerous. i wonder how many preventable deaths occur because of it. i know the number is high.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

31. Personal stories here are very helpful, but you are right on...

...there's a big picture, and you nailed it.

"i agree with you that this pervasive anti-medicine attitude is downright dangerous. i wonder how many preventable deaths occur because of it. i know the number is high."

:)

[Ladyhawk]

32. I'm on Lyrica for fibro, too.

It works most of the time for pain. I wish I had boundless energy, but I don't.

My father stopped his chemo treatments when he was ill with cancer. He thought the treatments caused more harm than good. My brother thought if my father never had the treatments at all, he would have been OK. Me? I think halting the treatments caused the relapse and his eventual death. I believe the science is on my side, although my father's chances were never very good.

[mopinko]

37. i wouldn't say my energy is boundless. i still sleep

10-12 hours a day. but the hours i am awake i am able to work. and think. my pain is mostly tolerable, although it is still always creeping around the edges.

sorry about your dad. those kinds of clouds can make a death so hard to grieve.
i got hard-assed about this kind of thing when i lost a niece, who also probably didn't have good odds. but her parents fell for some snake oil- shark cartilage and macrobiotic diet. she not only died, she died with pretty much no palliative care. i am sure they kick themselves daily.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

17. THANK YOU! Also, folks don't realize how hard it is to find right med for individual

Everyone's brain chemistry or body chemistry is different, and what works for one
person might not work for another.

Parents or families may go through many doctors and or many medicines before or
until they find the right medicine.

Sometimes, there IS no right medicine, sadly enough.

There's no telling how many different meds the Travoltas tried for their son,
or what advice their doctors gave them.

I am willing to bet they have access to better experts than many of us.

[Ladyhawk]

33. Changing a med can be very tricky.

Abilify and Risperdal didn't agree with me and I went through weeks of panic attacks this summer. It sucked ass. Lamictal and Seroquel seem to be an OK cocktail for now, although I wish there was something that would just fix my problems permanently.

[southernyankeebelle]

23. Thank you for your advice

My husband has been on the drug for a couple of months now. He was having seizures and they gave him MRIs and all tests come back to normal. Thanks for calming me. some of these posts really scare me. I will talk to his dr on the next appointment.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

25. @ #15 and #17 -- You ain't kiddin'!

Like I said in post #8 (in reference to the My.BarackObama meeting on health care I attended), it's appauling to hear the folks you want to work with speak with such distain about meds. When I hear people speak, I don't hear, "Meds help MILLIONS of people, and that IS great, but let's educate patients on alternative medicine/treatment." What I hear is, "Meds cause horrible side effects..." and "old medications work as well if not better than new medications--it's a money making scam (perpetuated by the pharm industry)."

mzmolly, I know what people have to go through because I've gone through these things. I've been on several meds, but am now more stable than I've ever been since adding a second anticonvulsant, Lamictal, to Depakote two years ago. :)

[OhioChick]

27. I have a cousin who is bipolar....

She was on this particular drug, found out that she was pregnant and discontinued using it. (Under her physician's advice, of course)

Within a week, she had a seizure (which she never experienced before) and was taken to the hospital. Her physicians deemed the cause of the seizure to be related to the abrupt discontinuation of Depakote. She was reinstated on the drug and then weaned off.

With that being said, I've heard several reports of this boy's neurosurgeon stating that Depakote was no longer working for him and discontinued the drug without any method of weaning. Depakote is known to cause seizures in those who abruptly discontinue it's use.

"Depakote® (divalproex sodium) is a prescription medication used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder. It is also used to prevent migraines. As with most medications for seizures, stopping Depakote is not recommended without your healthcare provider's approval. Stopping Depakote quickly is also not recommended. Although Depakote is not addicting and is not likely to be abused, stopping it too quickly can cause seizures to worsen."

http://bipolar-disorder.emedtv.com/depakote/depakote-withdrawal.html

[mopinko]

28. following directions is always a good idea.

harder than it sounds here in the real world. but every time i get my scrip refilled, there is a warning sticker on it that says- do not discontinue abruptly.

[1]

43. sorry, bud, take depakote = cool. be a scientologist and take depakote = evil.

do you see the difference?

do you see?

madone...