Hi all. So I am actually pre-op and I have been worrying about whether my epillepsy medication will be tolerated after VSG. I was diagnosed with epilepsy when I was 16 (now 33) and it has been completely controlled with Depakote for years. My surgeon told me it should be fine, but he kind of brushed off the question too. My other big questions are is it ok to take the medication the night before surgery and the day you get out of surgery? Anyone have a similar situation? Anyone have to take meds the night before and day after? Thanks.

Depakote is enteric-coated so is absorbed in the intestine (unlike Depakene, which can cause stomach upset). You should be fine if the pill is small--otherwise, ask for the liquid until you can swallow the pill. I took my thyroid meds the night before surgery and the day after with no problems but the pill is tiny.

The pill is not big. Oval shaped, 250 mg. That is awesome you knew it was enteric-coated.

Hi MG

Welcome

I also was diagnosed with epilepsy at age of 16. I'm 58 yrs young now.

I didn't even think of asking my surgeon or neurologist if it was ok to take my lametctil or keppra the night before my surgery, and morning of surgery - They had my records and I knew out of necessity i must take my meds. (fyi, i used to take depekote toa. )

Morning of surgery, i took my meds with the least amount of Water possible. You can ask your neurologist about taking the meds, if it makes you feel better.

Best of luck on surgery

kathy

Thanks Kathy. That makes me feel a bit better knowing someone else in a similar situation. I am curios, Keppra is actually an option I have been discussing with my neurlogist because it doesn't cause the same weight gain that depakote does. I was wary of it because of the emotional side effects. How have you fared with the Keppra?

Keppra is actually an option I have been discussing with my neurlogist because it doesn't cause the same weight gain that depakote does. I was wary of it because of the emotional side effects. How have you fared with the Keppra?

Hi MG

all people react to drugs differently. There can be emotional side effects from Keppra i was told. Nothing has happened to me - and i've been on it for 5 years. Hope that helps.

good luck

kathy

ps - you are right, it is interesting and nice "meeting" someone on the board who also has epilepsy.

I am on keppra and am curious how you manage to swallow them? I take 1000mg at night.

Do you cut hem or have you gotten a liquid version?

Hi. I just got sleeved and this was my biggest concern. So on the day of the surgery they gave me a liquid dose of my depakote, but it wasn't an equivalent dose. That first night in the hospital I kinda freaked out on my nurse bc the does wasn't equivalent. Long story short, after calling my surgeons main nurse they gave me my regular pill with a sip of water. It went down fine. And it's not a small pill, it's coated and oval shaped. I'm almost 2 weeks out and have not had any problems. You will b fine

Hi. I just got sleeved and this was my biggest concern.

Hi MG in SD

Glad things went well for you w/surgery, and after surgery. I took my meds night before and the 2 days i was in hospital no prob with swallowing pills.

Everything was fine with me too but i have quite a story to tell my fellow epileptics.

I was diagnosed w/epilepsy at age of 16, now i'm 58 years young. Before my sleeve, 12/15/11 we checked with many different dr.'s i wanted to make sure that having the sleeve would be no problem. Neurologist said no prob.

Now jump forward about 4 months,April 26, 2012 i, had right knee surgery. By then i was down 60 lbs. This time after surgery seemed to go fine also until....................

Next day after surgery i started having "dillusion" - they were terrible. Alot of blood work was done trying to figure out my problem. Turns out that the neurologist should have taken more into concideration about my weight i had loss.

They found out through much blood work, that since my serum levels (meds) weren't adjusted due to my weight loss- my levels - normal being being 33 - climbed to 194.(since i all of a sudden i weighed about 60 lbs. less

Thats what caused all my problems, it took almost 4 days to get the levels back to where they belonged. unfortunately in the meantiime i was arguementative and my memorary was screwed up, i was all really confused, and dilusional. it was a real mess, to put it mildly.

I used to take Keppra 2000 mg twice a day. Lamectil 250 twice a day.

After all this was cleared up i am now taking 1000 mgs twice a day. Lamectil 200 mg twice a day. Wow, what a mess, and quite a change.

kathy

Wow Kathy, that is quite the horror story. Sounds like ur levels are in check now, but that must have been scary!

hi MG in SD

thanx for responding

yes it was the worst thing ever. I think mainly cuz i did stuff entirely that i don't remember. It isl ike losing 4 days and not knowing what you did. Unfortunately you did bad stuff, actually kindof "scream" a bit just was totally confused.

my poor DH i wasn't trusting him, i thought he was bad, and i kicked him out. the only reason i remember anything was cuz i begged nurses etc. to tell me stuf.

egads

kathy

truth is sometimes i write for myself cuz i think everyone is too busy to ready, thanx for writing

kathy

I was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 8 and was put on depokote at age 16 ive had the hair loss and ihad to take it the night before surgery and morning of since it was a necessary drug.