Posted by n@oise on February 19, 2005, at 14:38:50
In reply to Re: Depakote side-effect is it normal?, posted by catmint on February 18, 2005, at 10:23:17
> Hi,
> I have been on 250 ER for about a month. I do notice the muscle weakness and because I am athletic, I think I might take it every other day.
>
> Twice now, I have been having a strange thing happen to me at work. I will be walking along and all of a sudden it feels like the floor drops under me or like their is mild tremor, or like I'm going to faint. I did also have some nausea while this was happening.
>
> Do you guys think i'ts the Depakote? Have you ever had anything like this? I'm also on Lamictal.
>
> Thanks,
> Amy
hey amyi think ive experienced the same....i call it 'the thuds'. they come on sorta quickly, outta the blue. you don't quite feel dizzy but its' a really bizare, unsettling sensation that's nearly indescribable. it kinda feels like your insides are moving, crawling under your skin. almost like a weird electric shocky kinda feeling...yes?
i've been travelling the world, running from my diagnosis for 6 years. not uncommon of many bipolars, i was self medicating. primarily my poison was class A drugs...lots of them. and drink of course. certain withdrawl symptoms from all of the above inspired me to devise the term "the thuds". this is what you may be experiencing, obviously on a much lower scale! it's what i get as well.
i've been on depakote/epival(1250mg) and, the love of my life, lamictal(200mg) (as well as effexor and clonazepam).
now, after all that said, i've only ever experienced the aforementioned thuds when i haven't taken my meds for a couple of days or if i'm a bit off schedule(it happens to the best of us haha). i've heard of others experiencing similar sensations but again, only when you go off meds. about 7 years ago i was on paxil because i was anorexic and bulimic, getting depressed and having panic attacks. i'm a writer and they were numbing me creatively, on top of that they were useless anyway so i took myself off them and subsequently suffered HARDCORE thuds for four months SOLID. #*&$@^% nightmare. and the whole time, never thought it coulda have been the withdrawl...dope.
anyway, sister. that's all the advice/info i can offer. if you're taking meds regularly and not skipping doses then have a chat with your pdoc.
one last bit of advice for you!...this is YOUR process. don't just take meds b/c pdoc says so. if the side effects don't go away tell your pdoc and GET OFF THEM! i'm really only learning the importance of this now. its empowering but i wish i'd said something earlier.
hope my meandering blabathon was of some help!
best of luck :D
naoise
poster:n@oise
thread:457547
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050217/msgs/460411.html