Topic
Will It cause more or less damage.how often do you have to get your liver checked. Is there a better medication for someone my age who is bipolar?
If Depakote does so much damage to your liver why would they put me on it? Im only 15.?
Depakote can make you gain a lot of weight.
My doctor put me on another mood stabilizer-- Lamictal 200 mg instead.
If you start gaining weight, maybe you could ask your doctor about Lamictal.
If Depakote does so much damage to your liver why would they put me on it? Im only 15.?
If ur levels r well-managed, depakote can be taken safely for many years without damaging the liver. It is likely that u will have ur blood checked fairly regularly at first & that once ur dose is well established u will be checked less often.
All medicines have risks associated with them, & when we decide with a patient to use medicine, we're basically saying that we feel the benefits of taking the medicine outweigh the risks. In ur case, uncontrolled bipolar disorder can be dangerous. People who become manic often exhibit risky behavior that could put their health at risk - things like abusing drugs or alcohol, or being sexually promiscuous, or driving at high rates of speed, & so on. Those with bipolar disorder can also have episodes of severe depression. Both the manic & depressive episodes can put ur health at risk, too, & likely will if it is left uncontrolled. This is why careful use of drugs like depakote is felt to be a good treatment option.
If Depakote does so much damage to your liver why would they put me on it? Im only 15.?
Deep breathing, listening to soft music, engaging yourself in some activity/exercise will help.
BTW go to bed early & eat regular healthy meals.