[sugaraddict63]

Has anyone else taken depakote (along with other meds) and gained alot of weight? My reg doc suggested topamax and another drug to lose the weight.

[Marshellette]

Topamax AND Depakote at the same time, that doctor is a fool, that's a double negative as both drugs are anticonvulsants.

[sugaraddict63]

Originally Posted by Marshellette

Topamax AND Depakote at the same time, that doctor is a fool, that's a double negative as both drugs are anticonvulsants.

No these aren't at the same time. My reg doc said I should change from depakote to topamax along with another drug to lose the weight. Have gained over 30 lbs since I started it.

Yes. Depakote caused me to gain a lot of weight.

[PrairieCat]

Yes, yes, yes! From many years of past experience, I think it is well known that Depakote causes weight gain big time. It caused me to gain a huge amount of weight. If you stay on it, be careful and eat slim, healthy meals. Take vitamins, too. Walk or exercise as much as possible. I give that same advice to myself daily.

[sugaraddict63]

Originally Posted by PrairieCat

Yes, yes, yes! From many years of past experience, I think it is well known that Depakote causes weight gain big time. It caused me to gain a huge amount of weight. If you stay on it, be careful and eat slim, healthy meals. Take vitamins, too. Walk or exercise as much as possible. I give that same advice to myself daily.

Thank you for that info. I'm going to share this with my doctor. In my posts I'm referring to my psych doc as the one who gave me the depakote, along with lithium, escitalopram and propranolol.
My regular doc who I went to for other reason was concerned about my enormous weight gain.
Has anyone taken Topamax to replace it? If the psych doc will give it to me along with the other med that I forgot the name of is known to help with weight loss.

[sweepy62]

I have already lost 30 lbs on topomax I used to take depakote then stopped then lithium for a year stopped now on abilify topomax and Zoloft

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[misskrome]

That drug cost me two jobs, both which required speed and accuracy and paid good money. The drug slowed me waaay down. I'm pretty sure it temporarily knocked my IQ down by 40 points, as well. I blew up to a horrid 270lbs! That's the heaviest I have ever been in my life. I have weak joints and arthritis and it was painful to walk. During that period of taking it, I sustained too many injuries and I just decided to taper off of the medication because it made me feel like s**t. The doc at the time didn't agree but screw him. It took a year of diet and exercise (6 days a week, 2 hours every other day lifting 15 lb dumbells and 1 hour sprinting every other day) to get back down to at least 185. I was a size 14 (I'm tall) and muscular as hell. Compliments all around and I felt really strong and healthy. Kind of overdid it with the puking and laxatives but eventually cut that out. Gained a little more but I still feel much better than I did when I was on that drug. Depakote and I have a bad history. I used to be on it during highschool for my epilipsy and had the same problem but to a lesser extent. Good riddance to it.

[sugaraddict63]

Thanks everyone for your input. I have an appt in a couple weeks. I'm going to see if I can move my appt up a week. I'm still going to try to eat better but I have NEVER eaten real healthy. But I think no junk food and more water is a good start.

[Alone & confused]

Originally Posted by Marshellette

Topamax AND Depakote at the same time, that doctor is a fool, that's a double negative as both drugs are anticonvulsants.

My jaw dropped when I read that too! I've been on both but not at the same time.

[Alone & confused]

Originally Posted by sugaraddict63

No these aren't at the same time. My reg doc said I should change from depakote to topamax along with another drug to lose the weight. Have gained over 30 lbs since I started it.

Oh ok. I saw on Dr. Oz once (I can't believe I just admitted to watching that show!) About topamax " cocktail" (can't remember the other meds) helping with weight loss.