A MUST READ! An epilepsy drug that causes PCO?!?!

Bee · 07-01-2002, 06:10 PM

http://archneur.ama-assn.org/issues/.../nob90033.html

You learn something new everyday.

Happy reading!

Bee

just_me · 08-04-2002, 10:47 AM

huh!! Who'd have thunk it!!! Thanks for the link, Bee!

CharRN · 08-24-2002, 12:12 AM

I work for a physician, and when I was diagnosed with PCOS, she asked me if and for how long I had taken Depakote (trade name for valporic acid). She does not prescribe it to any females, except as a last resort because of the increased risk.

It's been a nice learning relationship for both of us. Knowing someone so close to her makes her more prone to ask questions, and pay attention to the small signs that a lot of others miss. She's caught a few women whose symptoms were screaming PCOS, and other doctors had just passed the symptoms off.

By the way, She was intrigued to hear that I've never taken depakote in my life, which sparked her thinking more along the lines of genetic links. She honestly didn't know that some of us had this from very young ages.

Char

just_me · 08-24-2002, 03:30 PM

Hey Char!
I think it is so sad that drs do not know anything (really)about PCOS... and the info is out there...But I think it isgreat that Your dr is learning and open to the leaning! Good for the both of you!

Atropos · 08-28-2002, 04:47 PM

The scary thing is that, even though I KNOW I've had PCOS for years, I didn't start having problems with neverending periods until I started Depakote last year. I had a 12 day period 2 weeks after I started it. My next period was heading the same way so I looked up the medicine and sure enough, it causes menstrual abnormalities. I brought this up to my psychiatrist (I was using Depakote as a mood stabilizer) and he had never heard such a thing.

The really bad thing is that it is the only medicine we have found that works for me.

Brenda