Drug Ratings for DEPAKOTEAverage Rating: 3.1 (487 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by Gender with males 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 | Unstable Moods | The first 6 months I put on a few pounds, maybe 5. I adjusted after that. | I can't believe some of the negative posts here. PCOS, yeah, everyone has known about that for years, get over it. Dilantin is definitely more dangerous as are other AED'S and check out the rashes associated with Lamictal. The rashes and lack of anti manic effects of Lamictal are documented and undeniable. This drug was discovered in 1882, synthesized in 1963 and first marketed in 1967 Euro, 1983 USA. Every side effect has been published. This med has too many positives to list but I am sure the next post will be a 1 rating with a PCOS warning and death and dying listed as side effects probably. I advise the Extended Release version and ignore the maniacal negatives. It may not work but it sure as hell won't kill you. Look it up. | M | 37 | 10 years 250mg 3X D | 3/2/2010 | 5 | Bipolar | mild stomach pain when beginning/raising dosage. | This drug was a miracle drug for me. Bipolar disorder is terrible. I spent 2 years before i was put on this drug and it works fantastically. It gets rid of the headaches, stops the mansism. And it regulates you brain. A++ | M | 26 | 4 months 1000mg 1X D | 4/18/2010 | 5 | Mania | Heartburn that comes and goes. | Nothing beats this drug. Nothing. Blows Lamictal out of the water. I have been in some of the most stressful situations one can conjure up, with nowhere to run and hide, and this drug I can count on. It works. | M | 29 | 5 years 250mg 3X D | 6/1/2010 | 5 | Seizures, Epilepsy, Headaches | Memory Loss "short term", anger, dry mouth, Tired all day it seams, , Sleep loss, vivid dreams "life mini series" physic like abilities I have predicted the next day several time | Without it I would still have seizures. I have actually lost weight while taking it. (watched what I ate also) but I lost over 46 lbs Still have no idea why I had my seizures? Right temporal lobe abnormality. I have tried several meds until Depakote ER & another med worked -- I used to have a foggy - hazy - dope feeing but it went away after I lost weight 1-depakote er 1-topamax morning, 2-depakote er 1-topamax night | M | 27 | 8 years 500 3X O | 10/21/2010 | 5 | Bipolar 2 | Somewhat hard to fall asleep at night, a slight feeling of sedation for a few hours after taking the dose, so I take it before I go to bed at night. I am on Depakote ER. | This drug transformed my life for the better. I was in a mixed state episode that Lamictal just wouldn't stablize, so my psychiatrist switched me to Depakote. I personally haven't experienced hair loss or gained weight, though I'm very active and come from genetically thin stock. The drug stabilized the hypomania pretty quickly, but it took a few weeks for the depressive symptoms to significantly ease. I felt kind of zoned for a couple of weeks, but my energy level is at least as good as it ever has been, and I can focus and concentrate much better. I haven't had another depressive episode since I've been on it, and the hyp-mania is controlled as well. I'm uneasy about some of the side effects people are mentioning, but so far I'm just not experiencing the negative effects some of you are. I guess everyone is different, and I'm glad I started taking the medication prior to reading these comments. I may not have tried it otherwise. | M | 53 | 9 months 1500 1X D | 8/7/2011 | 5 | depression, mood disorder | EXTREME nausea at the start - then no side effects | Have been through numerous anti-depressants. Their effectiveness just seems to wane and stop working after 6-8 months. I thought Depakote's nausea would kill me but after a few weeks it abated and lifted my mood so I could function very well. I'm also on 10mg Lexapro daily. I asked the Doc if we could go slow in increasing Depakote dose and we ended up just keeping it at 250 mg per day and it worked like a miracle drug for 8 months. From other posts, I expected hair loss etc, etc. Nothing, except some weight gain. In the last month, I've noticed a gradual downturn. I'm more likely to isolate, focus on negative, distract myself, get nothing done, eat/sleep not as well, not leave the house. Don't know if dosage needs to increase or it is not going to work anymore, as has happened with other meds in the past. Will see Doc today for next step. I'd urge folks to try to stay at low dosage IF it's working for you. Some Docs are too quick to up the dosage just because that's the protocol. | M | 60 | 9 months 250 1X D | 9/28/2011 | 5 | Bipolar, depression, mania | mild hand tremors, mild weight gain, mild hair loss, short stomach cramps | I experienced the traditional symptoms, but not to any great extent. My hands are a little shaky, but not so much that it effects daily living. I lost a little hair, but I was going bald anyhow. I gained about 15 pounds, but no one really notices. I get a belly cramp if I take it on an empty stomach, but a lot of medicines do that, so it's no big deal. This drug has worked wonders for me, though. I take Prozac for the depression end of things, and take the Depakote for the mania and agitation end of my symptoms. It works very well. The psychiatrist had me taper off Depakote, to see if I still needed it I suppose, and symptoms of paranoia and agitation returned very quickly. After restarting Depakote, the symptoms were relieved quite quickly. I'm very happy to tolerate the side effects from Depakote because it works very well for me, make me more tolerable to be around, and I credit it for saving my marriage. | M | 38 | 6 months 500 mg 3X D | 10/13/2011 | 5 | Weight gain , no sex drive, tremors | Has controlled my agression, and makes me feel under control . | M | 52 | 20 months 500 3X D | 10/2/2011 | 5 | Bi-Polar type II | Weight Gain from 230# to 290# in first year, then gain subsided, but cannot loose it again. Almost no sex drive, nor ability to orgasm. | It has greatly stabilized my mood. I no longer get wildly angry, and throw things, nor do I do crazy things like cut oddly shaped holes in the outside walls of my house, drive on city sidewalks late at night to avoid stoplights, etc. After I was on Depakote for a year or so, doc wanted me to try Lamictal. I went out of my mind titrating down from Depakote, then back up to theraputic dose of Lamictal, and finally back again. I don't want to go off Depakote again...ever. | M | 53 | 6 years 1000 MG 2X D | 11/7/2011 | 5 | Epilepsy | None. | Have had epilepsy for about 40 years. After various medications I have gone from 140 lbs to as high as 295. I cannot blame the weight gain on medications but on diet. I have had no hair loss. When I am tired I think slower. It is not a problem when I am well rested. I also take low dose thyroid and blood pressure medicine and vitamins. In 2009 I had two bouts of pancreatitis, the first was misdiagnosed and missed. The second time they took out my gallbladder. The pancreatitis was likely caused by small gallstones blocking the pancreatic duct. The gallbladder problem was possibly caused by diet. Reading tonight that Depakote is being tested as a mood leveler on Alzheimer patients and may prevent formation of the amaloyid plaque and tangles that cause Alzheimers. I didn't find any thing definitive on the neuroprotective possibilities. Dosage clarificaition: 2 250 mg ER tabs in AM and 3 250 mg ER tabs in PM. | M | 56 | 25 years 250mg x 5 1X D | 2/26/2012 | 5 | Bipolar Disorder | None to date | I was prescribed this shortly after my stint on Lithium. Started at 750mg and eventually moved up to 1000mg per day. Smooth sailing. Still get irritable now and then, but hey, that's life. I don't know if I would be experiencing weight gain or not, as I'm taking Topamax and it seems to be counteracting the weight gain aspect of this med. | M | 34 | 4 months 500mg 2X D | 7/25/2012 | 5 | Epilepsy | Hair loss, cold to hot ( when first started), used to make me drowsy a lot but once dosage was perfected I lost that. WORST SIDE EFFECT IS SHORT TERM MEMORY. Took during college and grades suffered. I cannot remember a persons name unless I ask them multiple times upon meeting. It totally controls my grand mal seizures though so the trade off is worth it!! | M | 26 | 10 years 1500 mg | 4/28/2013 | 5 | anxiety / mania | 500mg daily. Feel only a little tired but I think this is just me feeling more normal and relaxed like I used to be when I took 45mg diazepam daily. It feels the same. Dries up the anxiety about 75% and helps me sleep. I haven't lost any energy and keeping a strict healthy diet has kept my weight at 11 stone and I'm 5ft 11. I am still improving and any deep thinking has almost vanished and I can think clearly for the FIRST time in my entire life. | This medicine seems awful for some people. I have tried maybe 40 other medicines and for me this is the best by far and works luckily at this lower dose. I remember having awful side effects from only the smallest dose of risperidone whilst others can take it quite easily. It's all down to the individual. What hits some hard and doesn't work will be tolerated and very effective for others. For myself it's the best drug around. | M | 34 | 6 months | 5/13/2006 | 5 | Simple Partials. Co-Morbid Anxiety | With the extended release at 3x a day 250mg none at all. | This drug works so unbelievably and in such a multifaceted way on calming the overactive brain it is truly amazing. No cognitive impairment as with Dilantin, Lamictal and Tegretol. I will always take this drug and while on it my cholesterol has actually gone down and my liver is in great shape. It also OBLITERATES any accompanying anxiety with the Simple Partial disorder I have. This is the real remarkable medicine. | M | 33 | 7 years | 12/31/2005 | 5 | Anxiety / Mood Swings | Mild heartburn. Occassional tremor. Modest compared to why it is prescribed. | I take the extended release 750mg a day and the occassional heartburn that lasts 10 minutes or the occassional tremor that hangs around for about an hour are worth it. The positives are how my anxiety and mood swings are suppressed without knocking me out. A real normalizer. I like it and actually weigh less than I did 5 years ago. | M | 34 | 5 years | 3/25/2007 | 5 | Simple Partials/BP II | Some lethargy at first but actually increased energy after taking it sometimes. Positive effects on mood and anxiety. | Must be better for men than women from what I read, I take 750mg a day in the Extended Release version and have really no side effects. Helps me out a lot. I like it because I do not get nervous or panicky AT ALL anymore and that is big for me. Every other anticonvulsant I have tried gave me some type of anxiety or confusion or cognitive problems. After 5 years on Depakote, well it's just been great. | M | 41 | 5 years | 10/26/2006 | 5 | bipolar disorder II | Take 1350mg Depakote ER, one 450mg in a.m., two before dinner. Hand tremor, fatigue, aphasia (past year or so), moderate weight gain, change in hair texture (for the better!), increased sensitivity in areas that effectively increase my libido | It has been very effective in controlling the manic phase; my mental state is pretty consistent now, a little slower than I would like, but I can work more effectively, etc. My bipolar is comorbid with ADD, for which I take 450mg Wellbutrin XL. I don't believe Wellbutrin has side effects for me, so I attribute the ones I do have to the Depakote. I have never taken the Depakote without another medication, however. | M | 49 | 3 years | 6/25/2006 | 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 | Gran Mals | Was hungry at first but this went away, have not gained weight. Works like Dilantin but I am more stable, less jumpy than when I was on Dilantin. | I have to take something. This works the best for me | M | 27 | 4 years | 3/26/2007 | 5 | Bipolar Mood disorder | not much, but there was a sudden weight gain of 10kgs. | M | 30 | 250 days | 8/14/2005 | 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 | Generalized Seizures/Anxiety | Take 750mg Extended Release per day. No negative side effects. | Best of the best, Dilantin a distant 2nd. Forget the "new generation" AED's. They are terrible and undocumented. | M | 33 | 10 years | 5/15/2006 | 5 | Simple Partials | Next to none compared to Dilantin and Lamictal. Dilantin was not 100% effective and really lowered my IQ while adding hyperactivity. Lamictal was horrible, sweating and nervousness. Calm, cool and confident on Depakote ER. | This drug is the best. Take 750mg ER per day. | M | 34 | 5 years | 7/24/2006 | 5 | Mood | They were all pretty mild. I take the ER version 750mg a day. I like the way it effects my mind. It calms everything down but my body still wants to move. I don't get confused and I sometimes tend to over analyze details which is OK. | It helps me greatly. | M | 35 | 7 years | 4/16/2007 | 5 | Bipolar II | Take 750mg/day. The only bothersome side effect I have from Depakote is lethargy - feel | For mood stabilization, it worked wonders for me. Combined with a bit of Celexa and Seroquel, it keeps my condition at bay. I am surprized to see so many people dislike Depakote. Maybe I'm just lucky not to have much side effects... | M | 26 | 4 years | 11/30/2004 | 5 | Bipolar II | Take 750mg/day. The only bothersome side effect I have from Depakote is lethargy - feel | For mood stabilization, it worked wonders for me. Combined with a bit of Celexa and Seroquel, it keeps my condition at bay. I am surprized to see so many people dislike Depakote. Maybe I'm just lucky not to have much side effects... | M | 26 | 4 years | 11/30/2004 | 5 | Bipolar II | Significant weight gain (75 lbs. in 6 months), minor hair loss, tremor and fatigue | The side effects can be difficult to deal with, but are often well worth the frustration. For me, the medication was life-saving and terribly important. The worst was the weight gain, but after a year or two, my life was finally in order again and I was able to lose it all--and more--because I could focus on my physical health. I owe a lot to Depakote. | M | 24 | 6 years | 8/15/2004 | 5 | Bipolar II (to stab. mood) | Slight fatigue, some muscle weakness and reduced memory are the only side effects I had. No weight gain, tremors, nausea, dizziness or significant libido problems at 750mg a day. It is very, very efficient as a mood stabiliser. Its the only one I've been on and plan to stay on it. | Taking very high doses will cause a myriad of unpleasant side effects like nausea, tremors and dizziness. Its important to keep Depakote at the minimal effective dose and to have levels monitored by a compentent shrink. | M | 25 | 3 years | 5/25/2004 | 5 | Bi-Polar | I have not experienced any side effects to date, however, I have only been taking the medication 2 months. | I feel like Depakote has done wonders for stabilizing my moods, manic times, depressed times and just over | M | 39 | 2 months | 1/23/2005 | 5 | manic depression | I have not experienced major weight gain (yet). I have only had one tremor in my hands in the beginning which lasted for about 2 mnutes. I do have VERY strange dreams and sometimes nightmares, which I don't care for but... My hair has not fallen out, and my libido is better than before. I have noticed that it is harder for me to wake up in the morning but, who actually wants to get up early in the morning? | I have been on Depakote 1000mg (in the morning), plus 20mg of Prozac, and .5mg of Xanax, 3x per day, which I usually only take the first Xanax of the day and that seems to be enough for me. I have been on this regimen for about 6 months now. I think that this combo has been a God-send for me because I have more energy and less stress than I ever had in my life so far. I realize that the Xanax has a LOT to do with that! Since I have been on this combo, I have done much better at work, started school again, and started a part time job doing things I really enjoy doing. To be honest, I drink about 8-12 beers a night and it hasn't seemed to affect my meds, although I'm sure it is placing extra strain on my liver. I have loved the Depakote so far. I have been on Zoloft, Effexor, and numerous anti-depressants over the last few years and Depakote is the only one that feels "clean" to me and doesn't make me feel like a moody basket case! I have NOT gained a lot of weight, nor | M | 40 | 6 months | 5/12/2007 | 5 | Myoclonic Jerks/Chorea | It always seemed like I was excited before taking this and worried about a sudden movement or non stop twitching. It really slows the abnormal electrical activity as evidenced by EEG's. Seem more focused, sometimes get angry. Hair is thick. Sometimes a tremor, lasts 10 or less minutes off and on. | I hve taken Dilantin, Tegretol, Lamictal, Topomax, Neurontin. All of them either created a rash, lower IQ, nervousness or erratic moods. Depakote has never done this, I guess what I mean is my cognitive ability seems as good or better than with nothing and I think it's awesome | M | 24 | 3 years | 4/28/2007 | 5 | Major Depression (Poss. Bipolar II | Appetite/weight gain and significant hand tremor (the latter may also be related to the Imipramine I take with it). Note that my dosage is a relatively high 1500 mg./day. | Addition of Depakote to my antidepressant has given me the most consistent relief from severe depressive episodes I've had in years. | M | 50 | 2 years | 5/4/2007 | 5 | Cough/exertional headache | TERRIBLE leg cramps at night, lethargy, nightmares and very strange dreams, weight gain, tremor. | Started with 1000mgm/day, went up to 2500mgm/day with but minimal relief, then increased to 3000mgm/day about two months ago. Still only minimal relief from really devastating headaches every time I coughed, sneezed, cleared my throat, bent over or exerted myself. About 3 weeks doc added Diamox (acetazolamide) to the mix and, voila!, it's as if a miracle has occurred. The cough headache syndrome is caused in part by increase cerebro-spinal fluid in the brain and the Diamox (a diuretic) reduces it just enough to, in essense, eliminate the headache. It, too, has some side effects - frequent urination, including at night, lethargy, depressed appetite, but a small price to pay. | M | 68 | 6 months | 6/13/2007 | 5 | benzo withdrawal, anxiety, mania? | none | After 10+ years of taking Xanax for panic attacks and anxiety I had become addicted. 2000mg of Depakote daily helped me go from 4mg Xanax a day to none in 6 weeks. I'm now taking a lower dose of Depakote alone and I feel better than I have in years. Maybe I was misdiagnosed? At any rate, I'm going to stick with Depakote | M | 30 | 4 months | 4/13/2007 | 5 | Mood/Slight EEG abormalities | I have not gained weight or lost any hair but I only take 750mg of the extended release. What I notice ometimes is that my mind is very calm but I feeling like moving around. Also, occasional slurred speech. | No cognitive impairment is big for me. I have taken Dilantin, Tegretol and Lamictal. Lamictal sucked, Tegretol gave me acne I never had before so that was bad. Dilantin was OK but Depakote ER is much better to me. I never took the regular version but I hear the side effects are worse with those. | M | 35 | 7 years | 4/30/2007 | 5 | Anxiety | Mild heartburn once or twice a week after taking it. | Works great. | M | 29 | 3 years | 9/27/2007 | 5 | Bipolar disorder | Drowsy and foggy, especially at the beginning, but quickly adapted. Slow, steady weight gain of about 40lbs (first time overweight in my life), but with lots of exercise and some mild diet-watching (must... resist... carbs... ) have been able to reduce that down to about 10lbs. Also my straight hair turned wavy about 10 years ago. Now I know why. | Works very well on my bipolar disorder. I take 2x500ER right now; once the pharmacist screwed up and halved my dosage, and about 2 weeks later I bought a Lamborghini (I'm serious). Still have relatively controllable hypomania but manageable so long as I don't skip meds. | M | 40 | 11 years | 8/9/2007 | 5 | Anormal EEG/Mood | An occasional strange combination of my brain being very calm/tired but my body wanting to walk and move around. Occassion tremor which is mild and short. Conciously stare and think for long periods of time once in a while as if I was zoned out but increased alertness day to day. | I like this drug a lot because it works without creating crazy rashes or mood swings like other AED's I have taken. I never have to worry about being nervous. Have not gained weight in years. | M | 33 | 9 years | 8/26/2007 | 5 | Chorea/anxiety | Stability of mood. Nothing really negative | This med crushed the anxiety that plagued me for over 10 years. I have energy and never get nervous anymore. It's eerily good. My Dr. says there is a big difference between men and women taking this drug. In his experience, women have more side effects ie; weight, hair loss. I love it. 750mg ER per day. | M | 35 | 8 years | 8/3/2007 | 5 | Anxiety | No weight gain or hair loss. Nothing negative. | This acts almost like a modulator for my brain. When I start to maybe get anxious, it brings be back to normal within minutes. If I am ever depressed or obsessing, I can come out of it within 24 hours. I could not ask for anything more. I have never felt 'high' though or buzz like so if that's what you are looking for I don't see it with Depakote ER. | M | 40 | 10 years | 8/4/2007 | 5 | Abnormal EEG Anxiety | I had some stomach and weight (10lb) side effects I would say for a good year. I have always taken 750mg or the ER version and that's been about 7 years. | In my case it just seems like it still works great but the side effects have gone away. I take a multi-vitamin and excercise but the excercise has just been recent, not for weight issues. I also take 20 mg prozac with it. I am grateful that my body adjusted and it it always works. It is dependable. | M | 31 | 8 years | 11/8/2007 | 5 | hypomanic | absolutely no side effects | its a great experience ,i feel cool,calm and composed,no racing thoughts,no flight of ideas,i used to feel like "volcano" in my head ,i use to have too much of sex ,now after depakote my mind is icy,really a sweet drug that makes you calm | M | 35 | 10 days | 12/9/2007 | 5 | SPS/Anxiety | slight tremor that went away. | I have better focus and feel like I am not going in 10 directions at once. I'm glad I did not see this site sooner or I would have been worried. I took Dilantin for 3 years and was unpredictable and angry although it worked. Within 3 days of Lamictal I broke out all over and had to take a medrol pack. 5 years on depakote er and no problems. Forgot what it was like to be nervous all the time which is good. | M | 28 | 5 years | 12/11/2007 | 5 | Epilepsy (grand mal) | Started taking at age approx 25, replacing Phenitoin and others. Under names Epilim (UK) and Depakote (mainland EUR) I had no side effects (young active male, burning off excess calories was no problem !). Depakote in US resulted in a 10-15 lb/year weight gain (about 160 lb in total !). Switched to the Extended Release version in may of 2007 and lost about 25 lb in the rest of 2007 - including the Christmas feeding season! | I've been taking this since I was about 25. I can trigger a seizure by combing a blood sugar low, fatigue (from lack of sleep), and considerable alcohol intake. Naturally, I try not to, but parties happen to all of us :) Now I've quit drinking I shouldn't have this problem. For about 2 years I had a problem maintaining terapeutic level, coincident with point of maximal weight gain. | M | 52 | 25 years | 1/21/2008 | 5 | Bipolar/Anxiety | At first some weight gain (10lbs.) but my body adjusted after about 6 months and ultimately I have dropped a couple pounds in the last 8 years. | I have confidence in it and it works for me, no doubt about it. | M | 35 | 8 years | 1/25/2008 | 5 | SPS | None with Depaote Extended Release. | This drug has the BEST side effect profile for anticonvulsants when it comes to cognitive impairment and DERMATOLOGIC reactions. Look it up. | M | 31 | 10 years | 3/8/2008 | 5 | Anxiety & Agitation | The first few weeks and they were minor. I expected worse and have never had bouts of intolerable side effects. | I don't take a high dose. 750mg a day in the extended release form makes a big difference for the better. | M | 36 | 5 years | 2/18/2009 | 5 | Severe Migraines | Some what sleepy for the first few months, can't complain about hair loss cause It's hereditary for me. Minor weight gain. While taking this medicine my doctor has directed me to have a blood test once a year in order to monitor my liver function. Which has been fine. | I take a 1000mg dose of Depakote ER every day in the form of to 500mg pills. I suffered all the way through High school and much of my early 20's with horrendous severe Migraines. I tried using several different medications that are used to terminate migraines that are often dangerous and in some cases can cause severe heart problems such as Imitrex, Migranal and Zomig. All of these drugs for whatever reason were unable to offer me any relief and failed to terminate the migraine as they promised to do. I used to suffer from 2 severe migraines a month with each one lasting about 8 hours of excruciating pain. Now I am cured!!! I have not had a single Migraine for two years!!! For someone like me the side effects are well worth it and very minor in comparison to severe migraines that would often times have me huddled into a fetal position and feeling like some one had a chain saw on the back of my head. I think it is important for people who suffer from migraines to consider Depako | M | 25 | 2.5 years | 2/24/2009 | 5 | Mood | Sometimes tired. | I'll keep it brief and tell the truth, it's been great for 10 years. The drug deserves a higher rating and it's a shame someone can post 'taken 1 day, caused PCOS'. Read the side effects and ask your Dr. Every drug has warnings and nothing is being hidden about this drug. | M | 30 | 10 years | 4/1/2009 | 5 | Mood Swings | Once in awhile some acute agitation about something minor. It corrects itself in minutes though. This med is like brakes on car for my mind. It stops the bad from getting real bad. | I was able to make rational decisions and was not the least bit foggy at 750mg per day of the ER version. Compared to the confusion and rashes and acne from Lamictal and other AEDs this med has been great. No IQ drop at all. People have different reactions I guess, judging by the previous post. | M | 25 | 3 years | 7/18/2008 | 5 | Anxiety & Mood | I had some sluggushness at first and gained about 5 lbs. Some occasional heartburn and slight tremor. | I found that my body adjusted to the side effects as time went on. I returned to my normal weight. Occasional heartburn but the benefits have been great. I only take 750mg of the extended version and have for 8 years. I like that I never get rashes or nervous with this drug and it always seems to work. My co-pay is 10 dollars more but it's worth it. | M | 36 | 8 years | 9/14/2008 | 5 | Hypomania | I take 3 250mg tablets of Depakote Er per day. Sometimes I get a get a little shaky for a few minutes. Other than that nothing really. | I have not gained any weight. I think my body is just used to it. It never stops working for me and is effective. The generic form that just came out in 2009 did not work as well for me so I pay a higher co-pay. It's worth it. | M | 29 | 4 years | 5/17/2009 | 5 | Mania | Occasional drowsiness but I am a hyper type guy so I don't mind. | My Dr. stopped my Depakote and put me on Lamicatal a few years back and that was a big mistake. I had all kinds of problems on Lamictal. Fights with co-workers, cosmetic problems and general anger. Depakote is not perfect but it calms me down day in and day out. I am staying with it. I have to. | M | 33 | 7 years | 6/22/2009 | 5 | Bipolar Disorder | Slight Drowsiness | I was experiencing extreme paranoid delusions which led to an extended hospital stay. My doctor put me on Geodon 120mg/day and Depakote 1000mg/day. The delusions went away and I was able to resume life as normal, but I was extremely tired for the first two or three hours of the morning until I stopped taking Geodon. Now that I am only taking Depakote I feel much more stable and in control. | M | 30 | 8 months | 10/2/2009 | 5 | Migraine prevention | The only side effect I had was when performing fine motorized skills such as typing on my computers keyboard like now. My fingers or hands twitch. I keep hitting the same key over, or, I'll hit wrong keys. It drives me crazy but the consequences are worse. | My migraines were familial (inherited) and atypical (not typical)I had them as long as I could remember. I get turned into an invalid. My mother & one brother got same thing, sometimes everyday for a while. When afflicted I was like a mind without a body. I knew what was going on arround me but couldn't walk or talk. I had one migraine 2 days after my first Depakote. I haven't had a migraine since. I only take 500 mg. every day. | M | 56 | 4 years | 10/13/2009 | 4 | Depression | At first, dizziness. Dropped from 1500 mg to 1000, it went away. I can get slightly scatterbrained though. Eventually I went up to 2000 mg. (starting last week) After 3 wks I am still dealing with a bit of scatterbrainedness and most noticably, clumsiness. I have broken more glasses by dropping them in the last week than I have in the last 5 years. | I am def'ly getting better results with is vs. the SSRIs (Zoloft or Prozac) I was on. I think I have had some sexual side effects in the realm of oversensitivity around the glans, leading to premature ejaculation. However I am not sure if that is due to the coming off of SSRIs with their notorious sexual-response-deadening side effects getting reversed-out suddenly or if it is related specif'ly to the depekote. | M | 41 | 21 days | 1/8/2010 | 4 | BI POLAR | hand tremors, weight gain, substantial libido decrease,knawing feeling in stomach which drives me to eat way more than needed or usual.Swelling in hands and feet,horribly upsetting dreams about people in my life etc,repeating dreams for years,anxiety,memory problems,loss of some cognition processes,continued depression with effexor and wellbutrin on board.Lethargic,frustration with people. I have trouble staying asleep and need sleeping pill to get to sleep. I have developed restless leg syndrome that drives me insane. Vison blurring,difficulty in waking up. Headache in the morning until i do get up on my feet. | I feel it has stabalized my moods and am afraid not to take it. I take 1000 mg a day. Libido issues are very unwelcomed.Weight gain,25 lbs,is very upsetting as well. The rest I have learned to accept. I was accidently taken off it suddenly without anyones knowledge due to a persription error and I am still struggeling with that. I am uncertain, since it has been two weeks, about going back on it. Withdrawal was/is very dramatic and makes me very sick,dizzy and nausious. My drs don't know about their mistake yet. I get pressure from significant other to stay off of it. Geeeze !! I often hope I don't wake up in the morning. | M | 62 | 12 years | 7/5/2009 | 4 | Bipolar | Weight Gain (~15lbs). Not sure about hair loss, but I started taking zinc and selenium right away--but I am noticing some hair falling out:-(. All in all, it has helped me. | M | 36 | 3 months | 8/20/2008 | 4 | Cluster Headaches | very mild lethargy | I've only been on for a week now - quickly went from 250mg to 1500mg/day. But the clusters are in remission. I've read a lot of the comments on this page and it seems as if some people are reporting clusters as severe migraines.. hope the world realizes they are much worse than migraines!! Any, have gone from 8-10 attacks every 24 hours to just 2.. if they continue to taper off I will be very happy indeed! | M | 47 | 5 days | 2/20/2009 | 4 | mood swings | Constipation/indigestion, pretty much all the side effects related to that area. Not severe, just a real drag. Some rash/itching (abdomen/head). Lethargy. | I'm on 1250mg of generic depakote & 300mg of gen. wellbutrin. How do you know which is helping/hurting more? I've been depressed/angry/paranoid all my life. I used to break into a sweat & throw things. Easily frustrated. Total rollercoaster. When I start to go there now, the brakes go on and after 30sec or so I'm calm again. There is a feeling of sedation. I've been feeling more lethargic recently and I need more sleep than I used to. It's a relief not to feel the constant anger every freakin' day. People aren't plotting against me. The itchy/flaky scalp(never a problem before)is really starting to give me OCD, though. I don't want to quit like I have in the past w/other meds. I'm going to try to deal w/the side effects. I just hope it doesn't screw up my liver. | M | 41 | 4 months | 2/15/2009 |