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<blockquote data-quote="smallworld" data-source="post: 153480" data-attributes="member: 2423"><p>Toto, glad to see you are making progress with psychiatrist5.</p><p> </p><p>Not to minimize the importance of tests -- we certainly have had most of the ones that are significant to my kids' histories -- but the "yield" with MRIs and EEGs is very low, according to our neuro. I'm not sure my kids would have had these tests save for the presence of a long-term history of migraines (since age 4) with my son and staring spells with my daughter (later discovered to be connected to a medication reaction). My daughter's MRI turned up small lesions in her temporal lobes, but our neuro is not even certain they are clinically significant to her mood instability. My son's MRI was completely normal, and he is the one with the more severe mood instability. I can't remember if you've been to a neuro, but if you really want K to have these tests, they are the doctors who will order them. Fortunately, Depakote treats seizures, which is what you would be trying to rule out with an MRI and EEG.</p><p> </p><p>Both J and A took Depakote as their first mood stabilizer following manic reactions to SSRIs. A went all the way up to a blood level of 125 (the highest recommended to treat mood issues), but she became irritable and depressed so we discontinued it and switched to Lamictal. Within six weeks of starting Depakote, J's mania stopped in its tracks, but then he plunged into a deep depression so we added in Lamictal at that point. Unfortunately, it took us another 1.5 years to stabilize his mood with his current medication mix, which does not include Depakote. But as you well know, every kid reacts differently to medications, and my kids' mood disorders definitely lie more on the depressive end, which is why Lamictal works well for them.</p><p> </p><p>Common side effects to Depakote include hunger, sedation and stomach upset, which can be reduced by taking the medication with meals. My daughter experienced hair thinning while taking Depakote, which resolved after she went off of it. Rare side effects include liver toxicity, pancreatitis and white blood count abnormalities. Once a therapeutic blood level is reached, blood draws should occur every 6 months to test for blood counts, liver and thyroid function.</p><p> </p><p>Improvement can be seen within 2 to 3 weeks, but full efficacy is generally reached at 6 to 8 weeks.</p><p> </p><p>Good luck! Let us know how it goes.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="smallworld, post: 153480, member: 2423"] Toto, glad to see you are making progress with psychiatrist5. Not to minimize the importance of tests -- we certainly have had most of the ones that are significant to my kids' histories -- but the "yield" with MRIs and EEGs is very low, according to our neuro. I'm not sure my kids would have had these tests save for the presence of a long-term history of migraines (since age 4) with my son and staring spells with my daughter (later discovered to be connected to a medication reaction). My daughter's MRI turned up small lesions in her temporal lobes, but our neuro is not even certain they are clinically significant to her mood instability. My son's MRI was completely normal, and he is the one with the more severe mood instability. I can't remember if you've been to a neuro, but if you really want K to have these tests, they are the doctors who will order them. Fortunately, Depakote treats seizures, which is what you would be trying to rule out with an MRI and EEG. Both J and A took Depakote as their first mood stabilizer following manic reactions to SSRIs. A went all the way up to a blood level of 125 (the highest recommended to treat mood issues), but she became irritable and depressed so we discontinued it and switched to Lamictal. Within six weeks of starting Depakote, J's mania stopped in its tracks, but then he plunged into a deep depression so we added in Lamictal at that point. Unfortunately, it took us another 1.5 years to stabilize his mood with his current medication mix, which does not include Depakote. But as you well know, every kid reacts differently to medications, and my kids' mood disorders definitely lie more on the depressive end, which is why Lamictal works well for them. Common side effects to Depakote include hunger, sedation and stomach upset, which can be reduced by taking the medication with meals. My daughter experienced hair thinning while taking Depakote, which resolved after she went off of it. Rare side effects include liver toxicity, pancreatitis and white blood count abnormalities. Once a therapeutic blood level is reached, blood draws should occur every 6 months to test for blood counts, liver and thyroid function. Improvement can be seen within 2 to 3 weeks, but full efficacy is generally reached at 6 to 8 weeks. Good luck! Let us know how it goes. [/QUOTE]
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