weight loss & Depakote

I really don't mean to be a downer, but weight management on Depakote is *really* hard. I was on Depakote for a seizure disorder for over 10 years. Needless to say, I used to be a chubby bunny; 228lbs was my highest ever. I did go through phases though; starting on Depakote as a child, my mother saw me gaining weight rapidly and encouraged me to join in organized sport like cross-country running, swim teams, hiking, etc. Through a high-activity level, I was able to keep a healthy body until my late teen years.

When those years came, my weight went from a healthy and muscular 145 to 185 within about a year. At that point, I started skateboarding to and from work, which got my weight down again to about 145. 5 days a week, 30 minutes each way, the skateboarding was a vigorous cardiovascular work-out.

After that stopped, I gained and gained and gained over a period of about 4 years. My eating habits weren't terrible, but exercise was non-existant. So, that's where I tipped the scales. I almost cried at the doctor's office at one point on the scale, and at that point, went back down to about 185, but wasn't going any further. I was exercising a "normal" amount - nowhere near what used to be the normal hour of strenuous longboarding as my commute.

At this point, I had had some trouble with my seizure disorder and saw a new neurologist. The new neurologist said that while Depakote is tried and true for some, it is also a little bit "archaic" and the side effects are cumbersome. I think she noticed that I was still overweight, and she addressed that, too, by suggesting a medication switch to Keppra. While the Keppra took care of my seizures, I also began to "melt" away. Seriously. No diet change, no crazy exercise regime, none of that - and I was down to 165 in about 2 months.

All that just to say, yes, it is possible, but in my experience, the exercise has to be there, and there has to be a lot of it, and it has to be an everyday sort of thing. And, while vigorous exercise is the key, the minute you stop, the weight comes back - and quickly.

I would talk with the doc about it. Find out if you feel the depakote is working, Mental health and clarity trump weight loss, in my book. Still, there is a line. Ask your doc.