Dear Waves,
I'm sorry that you were having a difficult time earlier trying to think about getting ready.
I hope you made it to your appt. safely.
Mari

maybe you should try something else to ward off depression...another antidepressant. Mine haven't been working. Maybe you will be lucky....
Try to be selfish or self protective to help handle the rough road
Love
Bobby

thanks to all of you who posted while i was gone

Curious, i take hanky, thankye monkey and thanks for dropping in on me here.

Mrs D - Thanks for that link ... i will absolutely have a look! i need some bloodtests anyway, so this would be the time if i wanted some hormonal checks i could fold them into that. i do supplement with selenium and zinc already ... as Depakote hinders absorption of those... if it is related to Zn or Se deficiency, then i shouldn't have a problem. also i have been on depakote for almost 5 years, at 500mg tho (a low dose). i would think it would have "messed me up" before now if it was gonna, but perhaps not. i will definitely read up! thank you!

Bobby,
it is very kind of you to post to me. i can't take an antidepressant right now - unsuitable for a mixed mood - i have activation sx which are exacerbated by ADs. that was how i ended up tapering and finally suspending my Zoloft - which i normally tolerate well. i think i do need to be cautious and self-protective, tho, yes.

Jo and Donna
doc listened. appt went well. your wishes came true. thanks for being near.

Mari
well... i made the bus, step one, and i made it there. no hair washed no shower (bless whoever invented wet towelettes.) no crying on the bus either. there and back, safe. thanks.

------------
pdoc was on board w/ me. up the depakote. i basically gave him the run down of sx. and wrapped up saying the way i saw things i was - in english - in a "subclinical mixed mood." he lol'd coz he got it - 'subclinical' translates directly which i didn't know. now i do hah, ok. well he got the picture and fast. i didn't propose the depakote. i said so what are we gonna do, bandaids, or modify my standard therapy. he said the latter was preferable, and let's up the depakote. and he gave his reasons for that which actually were the same as mine. i was glad that i didn't suggest it but instead got "clean feedback" from him. it gave me more faith in him, and more faith in "the plan" because two heads came up with it independently. but he lol'd when i told him i'd posted on the forum before i left about seeing him about upping my depakote. we also talked about the En/lorazepam and agreed that i could take a smidgeon more En - he said as needed. i said i always need it. so i figure on adding 0.5mg in the am (plus usual 2mg at night) - he was good with that. i may add another 0.5mg in the afternoon... if needed . i don't want to exceed 3mg.

so my new script is for 800mg Depakote ER. i hope it doesn't make me stupid. but if it does, i'll just be a bit stupid for a while. the idea is just to do this for a while. we didn't talk time but i figure 6-8 weeks, and he did say "for a while" - i.e., a temporary thing.

------------
thanks again everyone. will keep you posted. can't get script filled till tomorrow (too late now)... then will be a couple days for effect to kick in.

~ waves ~ who has coffee (decaf) and choc chip cookie waiting. nom nom.

<------ monkey nabs a cookie and RUNS!!!!

looks like this is about PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome). I have done some reading on this in the past... precisely because of taking Depakote. I had not found anything conclusive yet and am within a lot of the safety areas... low-end normal blood sugar always, weight/BMI within norm, no weight gain induced by drug (i can gain or lose depends on how much i eat and whether i take other drugs like... Zyprexa), normal menstrual cycles - except when ill, but that was always the case, since puberty: any illness or heavy stressor could throw off a single cycle... and i was not on divalproex sodium for a very large most of that time............
.......................... i still haven't "finished" reading, which for me includes drilling down into the abstracts that are referenced....

i really appreciate all this info... it may still be a "controversy" but at least someone is following up on it. and some interesting data that does indict Depakote as a possible pathogen, irrespective of the illnesses it is used to treat. you have no idea how much stuff i ran into linking epilepsy and PCOS, but all correlations and very little that isolated Depakote v.s. no Depakote... and even less on bipolar.

even tho i don't have any real symptoms so am most likely safe, i might consider some hormone level checks at this point when i do my labs.

anyway, i *really* appreciate these links, Mrs D.



~ waves ~ relieved to be on post 667

HEY!

HEY YOU!!!

COME BACK HERE!!!


GIMME DAT!!!!


MINE!!! MINE!!!!

waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh! !!!

Trade you a ...

and a cup of decaf...

You really didn't need THAT many cookies.

She had a dozen on her plate.


( she really has to get far far way from the 6XX number of post)

Waves,

I just dropped in for second and need to make a 10:00 call to Di so I'm in here really quick. I will try to get back to you later tonight. I've only read your 1st post so far. I am thinking of you though.

barbara

Dear Waves,
This is good.
He gave you want you pretty much wanted without your having to ask for it.

And we are all hoping that the increased Depakote works for you.

Mari