*** Just post on each group **separately (even if you copy the same
message), like you did here is fine.   Some of us won't reply to multi group
questions, some other programs don't display if a message goes to e.g. 3
groups, so if they do a 'reply to group', their reply would go on all 3
groups whether they're registered there or not -- major source of spam and
stuff we don't need to try help with ideas.  ***

*** Some of the anti-ep medications (especially newer ones) might react with
other pills, e.g. for depression etc. so they might want to avoid you having
problems with 2-3 pills 'fighting with each other'  unless they have
documentation that tests show they're safe for you.   He's not trying to be
a 'pain',  just being careful for you.   After you've been on the new pill
and dose for e.g. 4-6 weeks, and if you're still having trouble he might try
something then.   But during 'startup'  it's better to see how One pill
works and if it helps after on a stable dose for e.g. 3 weeks, before trying
a second pill etc.    (I'm using 2 pills for Complex Partial seizures (only)
but the 2nd was only done after e.g. 4 years and after a newer pill was
approved in 1995 or 6..  We had to juggle those up and down over 18 months
to get to a combo that worked. )  /

*** If you know the type of seizure you have (the name), *some of the types
can have depression as a side effect of the seizure,  so *then if you had
depression the Dr. might not be able to tell if it was your Pills or the
Medical condition.   So they might rather *slowly ramp you up on an Anti-ep
med. and see how it does, then alter or add stuff Later.   **Some of the
pills I've used for Seizures I had to phase up and be on them for 4-6 weeks
before they did bloodwork or other tests to see how it was doing.   Other
pills might start to work more quickly.
   I don't *know anything about Depakote -- although there are others
'around here' who are using it.   If your pharmacist didn't give you a
printout describing 'what it's for' and  how to use it (side effects
possible etc.)  you could ask them if they have one.   They might Also be
able to give you the www of the Pill Maker and often the manufacturer will
have a site on their Own products you might find helpful to read or print
out.
    Third?  If you haven't looked at the Ep. Foundation of America website,
they have a Pill Glossary, where you can scroll down to the pill name
(depakote)  OR type it in and click GO or Search (? I forget which),   and
it'll bring you up a page you can print at home from the online link.
Often than site will list what to use or NOT use with a particular pill, and
things to watch for to see if it's not working properly.  http://efa.org
  That also has more detailed information on the most common seizure types,
if you know the 'name' of the type of ones you have -- eg.  Grand Mal,
Petit Mal, Complex Partial etc.  (I think -- it's been a while since I've
read it.)    /G.

Hello,

I am not an expert on this topic though I am prescriped with 1000 mg of
Depakote ER / Depakene ER / Depakine Crono (brand names per country vary).
You may want to check the following website regarding Depakote and bipolar /
mood swings, etc:
http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/03_treatment.html (or
http://www.psycheducation.org/index.html)

It discusses valproate (Depakote / Depakote ER) and bipolar. There are some
other websites as well.

Thanks.
Marco

My doctor told me I could never take any kind of antidepressants because of
the seizure threshold problem. But that may be because he doesn't consider
my depression to be that serious.

Coincidentally .. ? .. phytic acid .. inositol hexakisphosphate .. natures
natural sugar molecule / iron chelator is touted as a use for bipolar .. and
iron is shown to induce .. epilepsy ..

Acta Med Okayama. 2004 Jun;58(3):111-8. Related Articles, Links  

Natural antioxidants may prevent posttraumatic epilepsy: a proposal based on
experimental animal studies.

Mori A, Yokoi I, Noda Y, Willmore LJ.

Okayama University, Okayama 700 8558, Japan. dr-mori@f3.dion.ne.jp

Head injury or hemorrhagic cortical infarction results in extravasation of
blood and breakdown of red blood cells and hemoglobin. Iron liberated from
hemoglobin, and hemoglobin itself, are associated with the generation of
reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). ROS and RNS
have been demonstrated to be involved in the mechanism of seizures induced by
iron ions in the rat brain, an experimental animal model for posttraumatic
epilepsy (PTE). ROS are responsible for the induction for peroxidation of
neural lipids, i.e., an injury of neuronal membranes, and also could induce
disorders in the excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters. Antioxidants,
such as a phosphate diester of vitamin E and C (EPC-K1) and antiepileptic
zonisamide, have been known to prevent the epileptogenic focus formation, or to
attenuate seizure activities in the iron-injected rat brain. Natural
antioxidants, such as alpha-tocopherol, and condensed tannins, including
(-)-epigallocatechin and (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate, adenosine and its
derivative, melatonin, uyaku (Lindera Strychnifolia), fermented papaya
preparations, Gastrodia elata BI., and Guilingji, have been demonstrated to
scavenge ROS and/or RNS and to be prophylactic for the occurrence of epileptic
discharge in the iron-injected rat brain.

PMID: 15471432 [PubMed - in process]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
------

Who loves ya.
Tom

Sean, you didn't say whether your epilepsy is fully controlled.

Mine never has been and it took years to get a psychiatrist to prescribe
any anti-depressant and to diagnose my periods of bad depression as being
bipolar. In fact, I attempted suicide 3 times last year, twice being
triggered by doctors being totally unfeeling (more like callous).

I am now on 30mgm/day citolopram and it doesn't seem to have much effect
on my fits. Fortunately, mine are usually complex partial not major - but
I find them a lot more disturbing when I'm in a depression.

However, reading about bipolar, I've learned that at least 2
anti-convulsants are actually recommended for biploar (ie lamotrigine and
carbamazepine).

But don't raise your hopes too high because I've been on lamotrigine for
longer than I can remember and was on carbamazepine years ago.

My depressions got worse when I reached the menopause and epilepsy is
known to often be connected with hormones. Not having such variations you
might well stand a better chance of improvement.

Another positive action might be changing your doctor - if in UK, ask to
see your doctor's notes as you now how have a legal right to do so.

Good luck,

Chris L.

In article <qVDbd.128155$He1.127018@attbi_s01>,