Drug Ratings for DEPAKOTEAverage Rating: 3.1 (487 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by Age from youngest to oldest (no age reported listed first) Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR DEPAKOTE | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 5 | Anxiety | Not much because it helped so much. Once in while maybe a slight tremor. Same weight as before. | Maybe I am just a lucky one who does not get anxiety as a side effect. This makes me confident and controlled beyond belief. I take it with Remeron to help me sleep. Greatest drug I have ever taken. Dosage 250mg 3x a day Extended Release. | M | 7 years | 4/28/2007 | 5 | Bipolar | Hair thinning, some weight gain (very small amount) | I really believe in this drug. It is important, at least for me, to take the drug at the correct time each day. Do not skip doses. I was on Lithum (spelling) for about a year . . . 20 years back, it did not work for me. I can really focus with Depakote. I am not happy with my hair, but I LOVE my life now. The correct dosage is really important. Work with your doctor. | F | 15 years | 11/11/2008 | 4 | seizures | I have been taking depakote for 9 years but I just started to notice hair loss and until I looked online I had no idea that this medication had that side effect. This is the only medication I've ever taken for my seizures and it's worked fantastic up until now. I'm calling my doctor tomorrow to find out what can be done, but I am bummed about the possibility of going off the medication. | F | 9 years | 4/21/2009 | 4 | Epilepsy | F | 10 years | 10/29/2002 | 3 | aggression/bi polar/alcohol severag | Like many i've noticed lack of concentration,forgetfulness and tiredness.Can sleep almost 20hrs a day and still feel tired.Also noticed it has cut my ability to share everyday things with friends and people around me.Sudden mood swings lke surfing i suppose.For a while i can on the top of the wave the next i can be drowning in sympathy.Not for others but for myself.I've been taking 1500mg for almost 18months and when i tried to cut down i couldn't cope with everyday situation but knowing how it makes me feel i'd rather bare it.Sometime confusing as i can't really say if it comme depakote as i'm taking paroxatine for depression and alprozolam for anxiety. | has helped in controlling agression but have lost sense of the speed of things.Feel slower than i was.Spending curbs,where i don't realise what i spend or where the money goes but don't pay bills on time yet without stressing when in debt.Not sure if it come from depakote but loss of sexual feelings.Yes excitement at the thought but can longer without having my orgasm.Doc has said its the paroxatine but is really this as i need boths meds. | M | 18 months | 4/8/2007 | 3 | | 4/13/2006 | 3 | Epilepsy | Hair loss, weight gain, tired, tremors (arm/leg movements) hard to keep balance. Moods changed a lot. Took Xanex for anxiety issues and it wood push my mood the other way. Still on it been on it since age 13. Now taking 2000mg a day. | I believe I'm seizure free now, growth spurt related, but can't get off the stuff since I won't be able to drive for six months as they wait to see if I'm okay. Been on drug for 18 years. | M | 18 years | 8/20/2006 | 2 | migraines | didnt work for migraine headaches | none | F | 1 days | 1/15/2005 | 2 | seizures | Sence the beginning, I have had many dizzy spells. Cant walk a straight line. I have had to sit in the middle of walmart floor, thinking i was going to have a seizure( which did not happen) I was just so dizzy. Loss my train of thought. Within the last week, ive been constantly dizzy. Seems to be getting worse. I dont want to leave my house. It scares me to death. I see things in the corner of my eyes. Sometimes I feel my eyes roll. Feels like im going to fall down. I feel tremors, i was thinking it was my nerves though. Ive been thinking i was worrying so much about the way i feel, it was tiring my nerves up.Im always tired and ive gained 20 pds, sence Jan. My main concern now is why am i so dizzy and why did it suddenly get worse? | I have only had 2 seizures my whole life. One was just in nov,2006. I was allergic to other meds, then around Jan. was put on this. I wanna go off of it really bad, just dont want to have no more seizures. What should i do? | F | 6 days | 7/27/2007 | 1 | Misdiagnosed bi-polar disorder | Confusion, slurred speech, inability to understand simple questions, weight gain (50 pounds in a year), hair loss, clinical paranoia, and made diabetes much harder to control. | Idiot shrink diagnosed bi-polar based on one period of insomnia 10 years earlier after losing a child, moving, divorce & career change, all within 6 months. I have been off of it over 7 years, and still suffer from slurred speech, increased pain and fatigue "brain fog", inability to answer questions, especially about things like preferences, social anxiety, etc. when ill or fatigued. It apparently caused permanent neurological damage. I am also still frequently irritable, snap at family and friends more easily, and occasionally exhibit signs of paranoia - e.g. thinking that Dr. & others were trying to kill me. My overall stress tolerance is greatly reduced, and I have been taking Wellbutrin since then, and xanax and vicodin occasionally to help with the residual anxiety and extreme pain. | M | 2 weeks | 5/20/2009 | 1 | bipolar 1 | brain atrophy, loss of iq | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=9578009 | F | | 10/6/2007 | 1 | seizures | very bad weight gain.(60 pds). very drownsy at first. I was one of the people that experienced all of the negative side effects. My menstral cycles were always messed up!!!!! | I just do not reccomend. | F | 6 days | 4/28/2006 | 3 | seizures | my 3yr old takes it for seizures he has pain in joints mainly legs and leg cramping, can't stay asleep for long wakes up sceaming every night from his legs hurting even when he is asleep he is restless, loss of coordination, it stopped the seizure but I am going to see if the doctor can try something else | M | 3 | 6 months | 1/18/2009 | 1 | Seizures | Seizures, pins and needles in hands and feet | My Son was on this medication and it made him so scared. He's only five, so he didn't know why his hands and feet felt like needles were poking him in his hands. He would start screeming and we couldn't figure out what was wrong, until we read the side effects. After one week of being on this medicine, he was having 5 minute seizures, every 1 1/2 hours. It was awful. | M | 5 | 10 days | 7/30/2005 | 2 | Absence Epilepsy | Waking up in the middle of the night, frustration, aggitation, behavior changes, lack of appetite | DID NOT WORK FOR MY 6 YEAR OLD diagnosed with ABSENCE EPILEPSY | M | 6 | 4 months | 3/19/2009 | 1 | child onset bipolar | My son is 6 and taking two 250 pills a day and had become Extremely aggatated,aggresive,hyper,uncontrolable thirst,talking about death and wanting to die | M | 6 | 14 days | 8/17/2007 | 3 | mood problems, aggression | my son has had severe weight gain- about 50 lbs. He is lethargic. He is not longer aggressive but my active little boy can barely run anymore because of the weight | M | 10 | 8 months | 7/17/2007 | 4 | Frequent Migraines | Ever since, even with a good sleep schedule, I've been tired, and if anything else I get headaches every now and then. | Other than that it didn't really do anything bad and I don't have migraines anymore, I used to have about 3 a week ever since I was about 10. I think being tired is better than waking up with migraines. | M | 13 | 1.5 years | 2/27/2007 | 2 | seizures | hair loss, and about a 15 pound weight gain.I haven't been able to remember things as easily as I used to. I get very sleepy,and I have to take a two hour nap every day. | Nothing helps the hair loss, and sleeping takes up so much of my day! | F | 13 | 9 months | 11/4/2006 | 1 | Sunlight absence seizures | Began taking Depakote for absence seizures but it caused a tonic clonic seizure once Topamax was completely eliminated. Acne breakout within days of starting Depakote CR got progressively worse and none of the dermatologist recommended products would help. Also weight gain, water retention, feeling that legs were heavier than usual. | Depakote was the first med prescribed but caused severe GI issues and behaviour problems. Topamax was not controlling 100% of absence seizures so dr believed Depakote CR would be better and not cause side effects since other pts who had issues with Depakote did not have them with Depakote CR. Same level of discomfort with CR but different issues. Started taking Topamax again starting to feel better already and skin clearing too. | F | 13 | 4 weeks | 2/25/2008 | 2 | absent seizers | big weight gain (50lbs) some loss of hair but isnt noticeable i i twitch way more in my sleep | dont like it | F | 14 | 4 years | 5/25/2005 | 4 | Bipolar. | Temporary skin discoloration, crazy hair loss, gained 40 lbs in one year of taking, sleepy without stimulant, "orgasm flush", hives, IMMENSE light-headedness when blood sugar is low, worse than without medicine. | I had a horrible psychiatrist, and he didn't really know what he was doing. As soon as I was put on a stimulant as well as the depakote, I balanced out very well. I was put on a stimulant for weight loss containing phenyl, a stimulant similar to the one contained in ADHD medication. I have lost the 40 pounds now, and am being treated for bipolar and ADHD. and the hair loss SUCKS. my doc says to take SELENIUM, but it isn't really helping. | F | 15 | 18 months | 12/11/2007 | 3 | not diagnosed bi-polar teen | stomach ache, vomitting. groggy..groggy spacey | 1st time fell asleep at breakfast, next day threw up in morning.. next day teachers asked me if I was on drugs.. next day could not stay awake to go to school. Going to try for 2 weeks I guess. Not having severe tantrums because of heavy sedation. | M | 15 | 5 days | 11/20/2007 | 3 | Epilepsy and Migraines | I cant sleep well at night. 3-4 hours is all. but the side effect was supposed to be MORE sleep. maybe it was just stress or something. i eat more food. | M | 15 | 3 days 500mg 2X D | 1/4/2011 | 2 | ADHD ect. | M | 16 | 2 years | 8/4/2005 | 2 | manic depressive bi-polar adhd ect. | dizziness nose bleeds and i had no energy | it worked for a little bit but then i felt the same as normal so i quit takeing it. | M | 16 | 1 years | 8/4/2005 | 3 | mood stabilizer | extreme fatigue- could not finish a short day without having to sleep in between, but it is getting better. i am also taking 80mg of prozac daily so i am not sure which side effects are from what. my tongue is currently broken out in bumps and cracks with the appearance of dark blackish veins on the underside. i do not know if this could have anything to do with my medication. | i have been doing much better since ive been taking it. no severe side effects, no hair loss as many mentioned. however some negative mental/emotional effects seem to be present. | F | 17 | 4 months | 3/22/2007 | 1 | bi-polar II | Severe swelling of the hands and feet, breaking out in hives, itchiness, chills. I was close to going to the ER because it was so bad. | it turns out I have a rare but very serious allergic reaction to depakote. Needless to say, I'm no longer taking it; I didn't like it anyway. | F | 17 | 4 weeks | 9/30/2004 | 1 | Mood Swings | Hallucinations/weight gain/tremor/zombie-like feeling | This drug was awful for me. In 2 weeks I gained 20 lbs, couldn't focus on school work and began to have hallucinations. | F | 17 | 2 weeks | 5/21/2002 | 1 | bipolar 2 | WEIGHT GAIN!!!!!!!!!! 85lbs in a year drowsiness, dizziness, major tremor and ticks (hands mostly) | i just want to say that i was put on depakote for bipolar and i gained 85 lbs, yup thats right 85 friggin pounds in a year ... and im still gaining... and no im not pregnant | F | 17 | 1 years | 6/22/2005 | 1 | bipolar | My teenage son was on Depakote for bipolar. He started to lose his hair. The psychiatrist said, the hair loss was not from Depakote. When my son quit taking the Depakote, his hair grew back. Also, there was no improvement in his bipolar symptoms when he was on Depakote. | I have read other people's comments who have taken Depakote, regarding loss of hair. It was very frustrating having the psychiatrist say the hair loss could not be from Depakote. I read other patients lost hair on Depakote. Bipolar is hard enough to live with for a teenager, and when the medicine that is suppose to help them, makes them lose their hair, it made the situation more traumatic. I don't think some psychiatrists know about the side effects of the medicines they prescribe. | M | 17 | 90 days 250mg. 2X D | 2/26/2011 | 1 | bipolar | major hair loss | i have very long hair and I had major hair loss. I had to stop taking this medication immediately | F | 17 | 1 days 1X D | 2/4/2010 | 1 | Mood Swings/Depression | Weight gain! I packed on some serious pounds in a short amount of time. THe first time I went on Depakote (Summer 05) in one month I gained 15 lbs. Yet, recently I was put back onto Depakote and the same horrible weight gain affected me. Also, unusual feelings of hate and aggression would often surge through my brian. I often felt like punching somebody. Depakote also worsened my state of depression and I became more depandant on drugs and alcohol. When on a high dose of Depakote, I experienced terrible leg cramps. It felt like someone took a wrench and twisted my muscles, the pain was unbearable. Also I experienced extreme headaches and insomnia. | Seriously think twice before taking this medication. It did not help with my mood swings and it furthered my depressions. The weight gain, leg pains, and head aches were not worth it for me. | F | 17 | 1 months | 1/14/2006 | 5 | seizures | weight gain, hair loss, i get shaky at times, and possible tooth decay. | I have been on Depakote for almost 3 years now. I have not had one single episode since I have been on this drug. It had it's bad side effects at the beginning but my hair is back to normal and I got back to my normal weight or around my normal weight. | F | 18 | 3 years | 4/7/2009 | 4 | Epilepsy | I am very fatigued. Most of my freetime is occupied by sleeping. I have frequent mood swings. My appetite is not very healthy. | The depakote controls my epilepsy. However, it has a very negative affect on my social life, due to the mood swings and fatigue. | M | 18 | 5 years | 3/29/2005 | 4 | Bipolar/Schizoaffective Disorder | feelings of being like a 'zombie'.. concentration problems!. Weight gain!!Pretty bad Hairloss, which stopped after a while and change of the dosage. DROWSINESS!! | It helped, but not as much as i would've liked it to.!. It was hard to work and go to school as tired as i was all the time. My moods were kept in check pretty well with depakote and other medications to balance them out. | F | 18 | 2 years | 5/24/2006 | 3 | Bipolar II and BPD | chest pain, dizziness, spacing out | I've only recently started taking this medication, but I've noticed 2 fairly disturbing side effects of dizziness and spacing out. i can watch tv for two hours or so and it'll feel like only a half hour has passed. i can't drive because i can't piece together how fast cars are moving and how far away they are. also my short term memory is almost non-existent after about the 3rd day into taking it. however, it has improved my disorder quite a lot. | F | 18 | 10 days | 1/5/2007 | 3 | manic depression | minor hair loss, feelings of menstrual cramps without menstruating, zombie-like at times (very indifferent toward most things) | F | 18 | 3 weeks 250 1X D | 1/26/2011 | 3 | Depression/Anxiety | I was very dworsy at first, but then I was fine. Lately, since the dosage was increased, I have found myself seeing things out of the corner of my eye, and freaking out about it. I have become very paranoid, and have trouble sleeping. I don't know if it is related, but I have also having erectile problems. if anyont has similar problems, please contact me @ mr_defiant2004@yahoo.com | M | 18 | 8 months | 5/3/2005 | 1 | JME/seizures | Weight gain,bluryness,fatigue,tremor,dizzyness,nausea,agressive- behavior,and confusion. | I was diagnosed with JME(Juvenile Myclonic Epilepsy)at the age of 13 years old. Soon afther my diagnosis I was put on depkene for the end of my 7th grade-and half of my 8th grade year.Did nothing.Nexst,on the list was depkote the same thing did no good even being on it.Made me see colorful spots floating in the air or on my paper and made the classrooms,hallways,and living room I was sitting or standing in..etc. look like a funhouse mirror if you were to look at a fun house mirror.I stood that as my neuro increased the dose to the highest and did nothing.By the end of my 8th grade year to the beginning of my 9th grade year he leaned me off and put me on depkote ER(extended release).Still no improvement even as he increased more and more of this med did nothing.Just effect me with more side effects as they get worse every high dose you increase it to. | F | 18 | 3 years | 8/25/2009 | 1 | Epilepsy | Weight loss, hair loss, stop in menstruation, mood swings, short term memory loss, headaches, anger, and tremors. | I was only on Depakote for a very short time before I went and saw an actual neurologist before I was switched to Keppra. I suffered horrible short term memory loss, to the point where I would forget what I was going to say in mid sentence. My period COMPLETELY stopped for those 3 months and when I would shower I would pull hand fulls of hair out. My hands would shake uncontrollably to where when I would eat I could not eat anything that required a spoon otherwise I would not be able to keep it on the spoon. I had kidney stones while on it as well and the smell of cooking food made me barf. Since I have been switched I am back to normal for the most part, still getting use to the new medication. | F | 18 | 3 months 250mg 3X D | 12/1/2011 | 4 | bi-polar 1 | loss of period, enhanced liver function, loss of libido, inability to orgasm, acne, weight gain | It did work to calm my moods but my doctor took me off of it because it was slowly causing my liver to burn out. It got to the point when it was processing all my hormores too fast. I liked the stuff tho', the new stuff he has me on is crap. | F | 19 | 2 years | 4/22/2004 | 4 | bipolar | weight gain, memory loss, hair loss, shakiness | 1500mg depakote er. depakote has been one of the only medicines that has been helpful (in combination with lithium and celexa). there have been impulsive times trying to get off depakote, and each one results in migranes, nose bleeds, crazy moods, and confusion. for the most part depakote is a life safer. | F | 19 | 3 years | 10/13/2006 | 3 | Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy | Whether it's caused by the Depakote or not I'm not sure... but I have cyst-like growths in my earlobes, on my back, behind one ear, and on-and-off swelling in 2 spots on my face. I sleep a lot, have very vivid and memorable dreams, am usually tired, have to choke down breakfast (can't eat right after waking), nervousness, and I get cold really easy and shiver a lot. It's not the cold though, it could be 60 outside, but it somehow feels like 20 below, and it's on and off- sometimes I'll be uncontrollably shivering in the summer! Always at night, too. Weight gain (a little) also, but no seizures anymore! But I feel kind of wiped-out and drained all day, and pretty depressed. Lacking motivation you might say. | I started at 1500mg/day extended release for JME- I was really twitchy and fell down in the mornings, right after waking. I got REALLY sick when I first started taking it, but was fine after a few days... now I take 500mg (1 big pill at night), but my doctor doesn't know this. Oh well, I haven't had a seizure since I started with the medicine- my mornings are fine now. I sometimes skip doses, taking a pill every other night or something. I really want to get off this crap, it seems like I have all these little irritating problems ever since I started taking it. Oh yeah- I'm a musician and I was very idea-less when I was on 1500mg. I seem more creative when I take less Depakote. I think it's because it just drains your energy... made me depressed. Still am, but less so. | M | 19 | 3 years | 8/29/2005 | 3 | Manic-Depressive Illness/ Migranes | The side effects I encountered were mostly cognitve problems; I had trouble sleeping, my concentration was dramatically affected. Reading was the worst, i could make out a sentence, and then my eyes would just run over the words, not registering what they just saw. I also had slight weight gain, it wasn't much, but I was only on Depakote for a short period of time. | Depakote worked very well for calming my mercurial temperment. The side effects caused me to discontinue taking the drug. The reading really got to me; being a college student, reading is something you kind of need... The medicine also worked very well for my migranes, i did not have one occurence during my time taking it. Anyways i would say that if you can put up with the side effects (or maybe you won't have to) Depakote is a great asset for controlling moods. | M | 19 | 1 months | 2/2/2005 | 3 | Migraine | About 15 minutes after taking Depakote, I experience very harsh abdominal pain which usally goes away soon after. I am horrible at remembering things. Mood swings! I also drop just about everying I put in my hand. | I thought that the only side affect was the abdominal pain, but after reading the other comments I realize that all of the other problems that I had been facing were side affects of the Depakote as well. | F | 19 | 3 months | 2/25/2009 | 2 | migraine prevention | daytime sleepiness | did not work for me, i still had migraines about every day | F | 19 | 3 months | 4/10/2007 | 1 | bipolar 1 disorder/mood instability | weight gain, constant tiredness, hair loss | I just want to warn young women that this drug has been known to cause Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; my best friend and I are two of those cases. Because of depakote,I will now have problems conceiving and have to make very unpleasant trips to the obgyn every month. I have been off the drug for 3 years and have just recently found this out. I saw no positive effects for the year I was on it, except for when I took it with effexor. | F | 19 | 1 years | 5/1/2007 | 1 | Bipolar 1 with Rapid Cycling | 50 lb weight gain in 2 months, excessive tiredness, hair loss, dizziness. I took 2500 mg a day and continued to spiral out of control. | I hate depakote more than any other drug I've taken (and trust me, I've tried almost all of them). I'm finally getting off it with the hope of finally losing all this weight. A word of advice: if your appearance is important to you, don't take Depakote, especially if you're already taking Lithium. | F | 19 | 6 months | 3/16/2008 | 5 | Simple partial seizures | i had heartburn that was mild for abut a week | i like it | M | 20 | 1 years | 3/26/2007 | 5 | atypical migraines | slight hair loss, weight gain, drowsiness | Depakote has helped me so much. I started to experience light- enduced atypical migraines about a year ago, and it got continually worse. I would experience tunnel vision and severe dizziness when exposed to bright lights on stage and while driving, especially at night. After I started depakote, the migraines completely ceased. The drowsiness has slightly affected my life, seeing as I'm a college student with very early classes. The weight gain and minor hair loss I can deal with, I'll just have to start running and eating a bit better! It's so nice to not have that constant fear of having another episode. I highly recommend this drug for people with similar symptoms. | F | 20 | 5 months 250 2X D | 5/9/2010 | 4 | Bipolar Disorder I | Weight Gain (60 Pounds) Lethargy Hypersomnia Diminished Activity | When I began taking Depakote ER I was a complete mess. I had completely destroyed my life due to my Bi-Polar tendencies. Depakote ER changed my life for the good within weeks. It was a drastic change to my personality. It also has some severe side effects that you need to consider. I have gained a lot of weight, lost my job, feel tired all day, and 90% of the time I'm numb to everything around me. I also feel very lethargic. | M | 20 | 1 years | 2/23/2007 | 3 | bipolar | HUGE weight gain - 15 pounds in 1st month! Most of my hair fell out and almost constant fatigue - sleeping upwards of 12 hours a day. Also swelling of hands and shaky eyesight. | As with all drugs, it works better for some than others. For me, I'm still deciding whether the pro's (FAR less manic and depressive phases) outweigh the major con's. | F | 20 | 5 weeks | 10/18/2006 | 3 | bipolar | HUGE weight gain - 15 pounds in 1st month! Most of my hair fell out and almost constant fatigue - sleeping upwards of 12 hours a day. Also swelling of hands and shaky eyesight. I'm on 2000mg/day | As with all drugs, it works better for some than others. For me, I'm still deciding whether the pro's (FAR less manic and depressive phases) outweigh the major con's. | F | 20 | 5 weeks | 10/18/2006 | 3 | epilepsy | I gained weight and started to experience hair loss | I am a 20 year old male, and I have have been on lamictal and depakote er over the last couple of years and i never realized that my hairline was slowly creeping backwards! My hair is thinning in the front and I belive that it is getting worse. I dont know what to do. Now Im at a point where im just aggrivated. Im calling my doctor tomorrow something has gotta give. | M | 20 | 6 years | 8/11/2008 | 2 | Mood swings | After about 1 week of taking 1000mg a day I had bad diarria, some minor hair loss and became very lethargic. By week 2 my appetite was unbelievable, I started to have strange dreams, and the other symptoms had gotten worse. It did help my mood swings but I felt like was doped-up all the time. My doctor has now taken me off of it after 2 1/2 weeks. | F | 20 | 19 days | 3/9/2009 | 2 | Severe Migranes | jumpiness, depression, lack of concentration, loss of libido, dizziness, absent mindedness, tiredness, headaches, tremors | wow, I thought I was in the clear when I switched from Lamictal to Depakote. WRONG. This medicine has helped with mingranes (ie: i'm not going to the ER 4 times a week now) however, I still suffer from near daily headaches. It seems I'm in a rut, nothing really excites me and it's tough to get going in the morning. I'm always tired, which doesn't help the loss of libido and surely doesn't help my relationship either. Concentrating for more than 1.5 hours is a no. I just can't. It always seems I'm staring into space. Tremors are so horrible that when I was serving someone coffee I shook so hard I spilled hot coffee all over a poor gentleman's hand. Good luck to those who try this drug. | F | 20 | 3 months | 11/14/2007 | 2 | Bipolar | Constantly tired, drowsy, lack of ambition, no motivation, feeling blah | I've never felt so lazy my entire life until I started this shit. I feel like maybe it's because I'm not really bipolar like my psychiatrist seems to believe, so this drug is having an inverse effect on me. I don't like it. | F | 20 | 2 months 500mg 1X D | 6/27/2010 | 2 | Bipolar Disorder | absolutely NO sex drive, feeling no emotions at all (zombie-like), loss of interest in the things I love, painful, denser breasts, feeling of boredom all the time, having a hard time falling asleep (smoke weed before bed to help, or else have crazy dreams), and when I wake up in the morning I can't stay awake, I just want to go back to bed...always feel tired and weak, just want to curl up in a ball and go away. | At first I thought this drug leveled me out because I always had extreme bursts of hyper-ness that was out of my control, then would get very angry, then depressed...and the Depakote seemed to help. I believe now that it was just all in my head because it was the first actual drug I've ever taken (aside from birth control) and the doctor made me believe it was so great. I hate how anti-social I've become, and how I can never enjoy sex with my partner. This drug makes you feel like a zombie all the time...you think your happy and won't smile, or you will find something funny in your head, but not actually laugh at it. I am now on ritalin because im having a hard time concentrating in college and want to stick to just that. I would much rather have mood swings than feel like this...I just feel like nothing, like a plastic bag floating in the wind. PLEASE reconsider taking this drug especially if you are a young woman. I believe I was mis-diagnosed, and doctors love to brainwash you. Try to cope with it on your own with the help of friends and a well balenced diet. BELIEVE ME...your sex drive is worth SO much more than this drug, especially when your young like me and shouldn't be "like a 60 year old woman", as my partner says. Look up natural remedys...It's so much healthier for you and I am seeing the doctor tomorrow and telling him what I want...I recommend everyone do the same...YOU get to decide what you want out of life...noone else. | F | 20 | 3 months 250 MG-ER 2X D | 10/25/2011 | 1 | Bipolar Disorder | Trembling hands, blurred vision, extreme anxiety, paranoia, lack of motivation, sore breasts, vivid and crazy dreams, sleep walking, extreme forgetfulness, scattered thoughts, easily agitated, loss of appetite and sleep, nausea, can't find the right words... it makes me feel socially awkward when i try to talk to people and I can barely finish a sentence without slurring or using the wrong word im looking for not to mention I can barely go anywhere without running into things or tripping over my own feet! I never asked for this... | I thought that this medication would help my Bipolar disorder however since I have started taking this medication my grades have went down in college, I have less of ambition towards my degree or work, and my health has greatly deteriorated after starting this drug I am so young however I am on Celexa, Depakote, Klonopin, and Heart medication. I feel worse now than I did before starting the drugs...I have weaned myself off and now hoping to control my bipolar disorder on my own. | F | 20 | 2 years 250 MG 3X D | 8/24/2011 |