Help.  Verap stopped working, inderal isn't working, nothing works.  Everything sucks.  Now I have a script for Depakote.  I've had CH for 30 yrs, so I know the trial and error bull crap.  But who has taken it and what side effects could I possibly be looking at?  And does the junk work?  Yes, I'm very bitter over this CH crap.

Paige_H. wrote on May 16^th, 2008 at 10:14am:

And does the junk work?

It works for some. It didn't work for me.


Quote:

Yes, I'm very bitter over this CH crap.

You don't say.

Can't help with the Depakote but can suggest you take a look here.
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I haven't had much use for pharmaceuticals since trying the R.C. seeds

The buster stuff would be great, but I need something now.  I'm about to lose my job because of this ignorant crap.  This cycle has pretty much pushed me over the edge.  I guess it is back on prednisone and to try the Depakote.  

Depakote worked very well for me for two years. I am episodic and most of my ha's hit while I am asleep. This may not matter but then maybe it does. The only side effect I found was that it made it a little harder to get up in the morning. I started at 500mgs. at night for 5 days and then went to 500 at night and 500 in the am.  The first night I took it, I slept ha free for 6 hrs. I know that may seem crazy but at the time I was in one of the worst cycles I had ever had. I was getting hit every night at 3 am and from the first night I took the Depakote it stopped.

I hope you find it works as well for you.

Thank you so much Trooper.   I took it last night and slept all night.

Paige that is awesome to hear! I hope it is still working well for you!

I found this article which was good.



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Thanks guys.  The Depakote seems to be the trick, this go around anyway.   No problems with it so far either, except I'm kind of groggy in the morning.  But I was far more groggy when I was up 3-5 times per night!!! :o

Depekote has been the final straw med used with my daughter. It works but the side effects are hard. She gets very lethargic although she had been on 2000. She seems to be able to tolerate 500 at night and still function. The funny thing with the 2000 is HA were gone but she was such a zombie she couldn't work or drive to work so what's the benefit. Some other side effects to watch for are weight gain and hair loss. Both occur with prednisone too and she was using both together. IV depekote was very effective. Usualy she got it that way inthe hospital then was sent home with a script for the pills.

Charlotte

It did the trick for me.  I'm maxed out on verapamil.  I had the big ones under control, but I was getting bad shadows and lower level hits.  I take 250mg in the morning and at dinner (about 12 hours apart).  That does the trick nicely for me.

ive takeing it, and they also gave me a sleeping pill with it , they were yellow, pills the sleeping ones , i didn't lose my hair, thats one of the side affects ,and it worked for a short time , i shopped it because i had a cold one day and was coffeing and lost my site in both eyes for 10 secs or so when i was driveing , i felt like there was something swelled up in my head behind my right eye, but everyone is differant, i only had it with that one drug , ive takeing all the drugs for my clusters

Depakote did it for me too, especially the IV, 4 rounds of that, glad you're feeling better - I'm tapering down from 500mgs 3/day after 10 weeks PF

I'm only doing 250 mg and that has worked.  But it was also almost time for the cycle to be over.  I'm only on the Depakote for another couple of weeks.  I don't take stuff constantly, considering I only hit a cycle every 15-18 months.  I refuse, because I hate medicine.

I take the generic version, valproic acid. Midway through my last cycle my doc put me on 250 mg twice a day. We went up to 250 three times a day as the hits got worse. Seemed to spread out the time between hits. I've also taken it when I'm out of cycle and start shadow dancing. Seems to help me then, too.

Couple of things I noticed when taking it were weight gain and lethargy. The weight gain I can handle, but the lethargy got old real quick. I know this is used to treat bipolar disorder among other things. If I remember correctly, it's for controlling the manic phase. One person's remedy is another's side-effect I guess.

The only thing I have noticed is that I'm a bit grouchier than usual.  I actually lose my temper much easier since I've been taking it.  It could be from just being tired though.