absence sezuires - sodium valproate

[funkym]

Hiya, does anyone on here have any knowledge of this drug? My 5 year old is due to start this tonight and Im very worried after reading the side effects! It says vomitting, behaviour problems, hair loss?? Help Im very worried!! Thanks xx

 

[funkym]

Anyone?

 

[annanouska]

no we are on carbamazepine the side effects are also terrifying but he's been brilliant. Watch for sleepiness at first, it does get better once used to meds. Pop on to epilepsy In babies toddlers and children on FB I've seen that drug discussed often so should get some support x

 

[mummy3]

My daughter is on oxcarbazepine and I'm on lamictal, these are both working well for complex partial epilepsy and do for absence seizure as well. I was on sodium valproate as a child, it didn't give much symptom resolution except towards the rare grand mal seizures. Only side effect I can remember was weightgain.

 

[BlueHadeda]

My son was also diagnosed with epilepsy age 5. It was a terrible, terrible time in our lives. So I know how you feel.

My son was on lamictal, and it worked beautifully for him for many years. Around age 9 or 10, he was switched over to topomax, due to breakthru seizures on the lamictal. At age 12, he was taken off all medications, and has now been meds-free for almost 2 years. No seizures!!!

One of the worst side effects on the lamictal at age 5, was behavioural changes. My happy, contend little boy turned into a cry-baby. He would be soooo unhappy, and cried about everything and anything. It was really, really, really tough, seeing that change. It got a little better after 3 months, and I'd say in time it probably balanced out. I can never 100% say how he would've been in those formative years without meds, because children do go through phases and changes. But he did cry much less after some time has passed. So he did get used to the meds. Oh, it also had an effect on his bowels, and he got a rash from it which dissapeared without treatment or changing the dossage.

Good luck!!

 

[funkym]

Thanks everyone for your reply - he's been on 2.5ml for 5 days now and we're yet to see an improvement, early days I suppose. xx

 

[BlueHadeda]

Thanks everyone for your reply - he's been on 2.5ml for 5 days now and we're yet to see an improvement, early days I suppose. xx

Yeah, give it a week or two. Holding thumbs for you!