depakote and bloat

[Guest pressmama unlogged]

So I've felt bloated for the last three weeks I've been on depakote.  I haven't gained weight (knock on wood), but I feel bloated.  Is it depakote messing with my female hormones or what?  Has anyone else experienced this?

[pressmama]

So I spoke to my doctor today and speculated that it was because my birth control isn't working as well.  (I'm also having longer periods and mid-cycle cramping.)  Pdoc said if anything Depakote should make BC work BETTER.  Has anyone found this to be the case?  Or the opposite?  Has anyone had depakote effect their period?  He didn't have a clear-cut explanation for the bloating, but didn't seem concerned.

[MellowYellow]

I was on Depakote for over 10 years and I never had that effect. It just harmed my liver and made me get fat and get diabetes.

I hope you have better luck, PressMama. Its fine for awhile - for many people. If you continue to have problems, think about consulting a gastroenterologist. I love mine.

[Guest knitnut]

I had a period that lasted for about a month and a half after starting on Depakote ER.  I also gained so much water weight and extremity edema that I looked like I went way beyond church lady feet to elephantitis.  I've been switched to Carbatrol now and I hope it starts working soon.  The Celexa alone isn't killing my depression.

[NARS]

Depakote gave me lots of bloating which all my docs told me was just from approaching menopause.  I also had long painful heavy periods with short cycles (adding insult to injury).  After 5 years of this I found out I had PCOS, which the depakote seems to have irritated.  Now I'm off of it and everything is leveling out.  I don't recommend jumping to any conclusions, but it's something to watch.

One idea is to ask to be tested periodically for PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome).  You may have to wait for a month or two to have it show up in tests.  A couple of small studies have shown it causes PCOS in about 10% of BP women who take it.  Which means you are probably OK, but if your periods get worse and you start gaining weight, I'd suggest monitoring for PCOS.  Not because of the weight gain (really, I'd rather be sane and chubby than thin and nuts), but because it can lead to heart disease and diabetes.

[Guest knitnut]

I have a long history of PCOS, starting at twenty.  (I'm 33 now.)  That lead to a 5 year period of infertility which was no picnic.  Fertility drugs are no fun, coupled with the hormones to get your cycles straight.  According to the surgeon who yanked one of my unsalvagable ovaries last year, they were still polycystic.

I'm not concerned about heart disease and diabetes, having had a gastric bypass two and a half years ago.  Fight fire with fire!  That doesn't mean that I don't bloat, though!  My periods have been calmed down with a Mirena IUD.  It contains progesterone and thins down the lining of the uterus so that come time for your period, there's not much there to shed.  It also helps with cramps.  It can stay in for five years.  My periods are more like spotting now and I don't get pregnant!  I'm glad I'm off the Depakote anyway, I'm kind of partial to having a full head of hair...

[Sulu]

Depakote,   ugh, I have been on it since last September and having only had one period (in January) since and have gained about 40 pounds, hair is thinning, and generally I feel like it has turned me into an old woman.  Since I am up there, at 52, I tell myself that these things must be the beginning of menopause.  But after reading Knitnut's post about water weight and extremity edema, it really has me convinced that it is the depakote.  My feet/ankles are so swollen I cannot get them into shoes, which makes them swell even more.  At least when I have shoes on the swelling stays above the shoe line. I am a bit of a hypochondriac but this sounds like something I should check out.  Better safe than sorry.  Maybe you could tell your doc about what you have heard here and your concerns.  Best of luck, Sulu

[Guest knitnut]

I called my pdoc after a week or so of it, knowing full well it was the Depakote because I had experienced the same thing on Neurontin.  After stopping the Neurontin, it was gone within three days.  He switched my Depakote to Carbatrol and three days later it was gone again.  However, he wouldn't make the switch until I'd seen my primary care doc, had labwork, etc.  Coupled with waiting for appts., that was four weeks later.  So, I had an extra month of suffering because I guess I just wasn't credible enough.  I was so miserable that I even started sleeping outside on a chaise lounge so I could elevate my feet at night without turning over.  That's when my husband thought I'd really lost my mind!  I'm guess I'm just one of those unique people that likes to swell!

[tigrre]

I started lactating (not full on lactating but whitish-clear stuff constantly leaking from your boobs) as a 14 yr. old VIRGIN on depakote (I know other people that experienced that as well)

So yeah, depakote fucks with your hormones, especially for teenagers/young women.

[pressmama]

Thanks for the replies everyone.  My bloating is mainly in the waist area and it's not weight gain because I still weigh the same I'm guessing it's bloat that's making everything feel tight.  Plus I'm frustrated because Depakote helped with getting my life functions back but I'm cycling worse than ever.  I've moved from cycling every 10 days- 2 weeks to cycling several times a day or every 1-4 days.  I don't know if it's the depakote or what, but my doc keeps upping the dose.  I'm going to a new pdoc at the end of the month so I hope he can help.

[NARS]

Pressmama, what dose are you taking now?

[pressmama]

Pressmama, what dose are you taking now?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I just upped to 1250 mg.  I'm 125-128 lbs.  At 750 mg my level was 23.  I'm getting another level on Friday.  Since my cycling is increasing (and I'm losing some of the gains I had as far as being able to leave the house and interact with others) I don't know if this is the med for me.  I'm thinking of going into the hospital, but I'm still not sure if it's the right choice.  I lost the appt with the pdoc here and have lost some amount of hope.  I feel really lost.

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