DEPAKOTE Reviews (DIVALPROEX SODIUM)Average Rating: 3.0 (584 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare DEPAKOTE with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Satisfaction highest to lowest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 |
More on DEPAKOTE: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR DEPAKOTE | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | Mood stabilizer | I like this medication. It really works for me. It gives me a boost in energy. Does it do that to anyone else? | F | 57 | 1 days 500 1X day | 9/18/2022 | 5 | Bipolat | I finally feel like I can relax, like the hyper stress I am always under is gone, like I can just hear the silence instead of loud racing thoughts in my head. After all these years, I feel like myself again. Not a ping pong ball going from one crazy extreme to another. It does make me sleepy, but happy sleepy. Not stressed or fatigued sleepy which is what I felt during every low episode. For the first time, I can sit down and focus without fighting a battle to feel focused, I can go out without feeling paranoid like all eyes are on me, I can talk to my husband without feeling like he is out to attack me. This treatment is amazing and it is working for me. I honestly just want to praise God! for the first time ever that I can remember, I can sleep without having nightmares. Rest. I can finally rest. | F | 32 | 2 days 1000 mg 1X day | 3/7/2021 | 5 | bipolar | Possible issues with memory. | Could be age related. Problem is not severe at this time and primarily involves short term memory and ability to access long term memory. | M | 64 | 12 years 250 er 2X day | 10/23/2017 | 5 | bipolar 1 | increased appetite; +15 pounds, but think its stable now. losing will be tough. | Escaped mania without wrecking life. What more could you ask? | M | 51 | 4 months 1000 mg 1X day | 5/8/2017 | 5 | sezures bi polar disorder | What great with my moods and seizures but does affect your teeth | I can't seem to find if it shows up as a false negative in a drug test | M | 32 | 1 days 1500 | 7/9/2016 | 5 | Bipolar | Loss of appetite, mood much more stable ,kept me awake for about a week at nights then went away , causes some confusion,anxiety can be worse at first I take this with fluoxetine | F | 34 | 2 years 500 mg | 7/21/2015 | 5 | bipolar | Afternoon weakness, tired, no interest, ,anxiety | M | 54 | 10 months 1500 | 6/10/2015 | 5 | Bipolar 1 | Hand tremors (remedied with Primidone); Memory loss (no remedy); Hair loss (remedied by Bosley for Women). | Depakote has been my go-to drug when the lithium just isn't "holding down the fort". Have had to recently restart due to family problems. Depakote is a good drug for mood stabilization, but with side-effects, which really, any drug has. | F | 53 | 15 years 1500 1X day | 1/5/2015 | 5 | anxiety | hair loss | good stuff | M | 39 | 3 years 250 3X day | 7/15/2014 | 5 | bipolar | I was on depakote er for the majority of my time on the drug. Initial side effects included intense hand shaking, intense sleepiness (I should not have been operating a vehicle, I'm lucky to still be here honestly) and irritability. recently the new doc screwed up and gave me depakote delayed release. There IS a difference. In my experience it has been a good one. I have only taken it for a couple of weeks but my mood has been better than before on the er. my hands have gotten the shakiness back unfortunately. I was glad to be over that. and my chest feels funny sometimes. I talk more now and for me that's really good. I hope I don't have to rely on this medicine forever but for now, it has changed my life for the better | F | 23 | 7 months 250mg | 11/5/2013 | 5 | Bipolar NOS | At first, I was kind of zombie-ish for 1week. And had a lot more hunger the 1st month and gained weight. After the first month, these side effects went away. | After very low level and infrequent bipolarity for most of my life, bipolar NOS with recurring depressions took over my life after being triggered by significant family traumas. I used marijuana to deal with the symptoms. Worked pretty well. But not as well as depakote. I have to say that the vast majority of my dysphoric hypomania symptoms (if not all) have disappeared from taking depakote ER (brand) 250MG 1X/ day after dinner. I really hope it continues to work. My family has noticed the significant positive change as well. I wish I tried this depakote instead of years of antidepressants (which did nothing). I did try abilify which made me extremely anxious. Depakote has really helped me. I didn't expect it and was hopeless that I would ever get better. | M | 47 | 4 months 1X day | 8/8/2013 | 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 | Migraines | Tender breasts, some hair loss, some fatigue, but a really content and mellow feeling, which is a great side effect for me. Some minimal weight gain in the first 2 months (2 kgs), but I workout daily and eat very healthy, so it has gone down again. I slept more with the almost daily migraines and its just hair, and I still have enough, so I am definitely not complaining! The only thing is if I forget to take it, I immediately get a headache. Also, I talk a lot more in my sleep and have more vivid dreams, but my hubby calms me down, so I go right back to sleep. But my quality of life is so much better with this medication and its the only medication I take, so maybe that's why it works better on me than most people here. I'm very happy with it! | F | 46 | 4 months 500 | 3/9/2013 | 5 | Bipolar 1 disorder | Combined with ZYPREXA, I experienced MASSIVE weight gain and heavy sedation, sleeping 14 hours a day. Comatose, zombie-like state. But after cutting out cold-turkey on both drugs for 13 mths, lost 97lbs, and am now 118lbs. It is a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT drug when combined with Abilify, or alternatively as a monotherapy. My only gripe about it now is that I have had a bit of breast enlargement & soreness; but my weight has remained steady @ 118 regardless of that fact. Also a bit of constant chest congestion - but as I am a smoker, yes you could alternatively blame the smokes! | For those posters who feel they can survive on natural remedies only, well, it IS a gamble. I had a great year of 100% normality for the time I was taking nothing at all. But this bipolar thing often DOES ambush you out of the blue, which I discovered after suffering another manic episode after the cold-turkey experiment. First time I was diagnosed, it was BAD - a psychotic break nine years ago @ 39...when I was diagnosed w/this. But I give it top marks when contrasted to Zyprexa, Abilify (which has caused me an array of health problems), or Saphris, another deadly drug. After 8 years, as far as I can see, it's the best of the lot for what ails me! (Plus, unfortunately DID have yet another serious manic episode lately, & with just one increased dosage, brought me back to the realm of normality FAST; and it feels SO GOOD to be back with the world again! | F | 39 | 8 years 1,250 MG 1X day | 8/9/2012 | 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 day | 7/25/2012 | 5 | BiPolar I | The first month I was doing 500mg/day and felt no side effects. I researched the heck out them, so I knew that weight gain was very possible. I immediately quit soda! lol I love soda. I did not lose nor gain the first month, so I think that I counteracted the weight gain. The last 2 weeks, I have been increased to 750mg per day at bedtime, and I have experienced some quickness of the digestive system. No problem, though. Makes me feel detoxified! I do not feel sleepy, rather more energetic. Sometimes mildly manic. For the increase these last 2 weeks, I have started running again (well, it is 1/2 run and 1/2 walk right now). Still, no weight gain, but I am ready with more ammunition if I see any creepers. | I was on Lithium 750mg for over 2 years, from when I was first diagnosed, but my blood tests showed that my thyroid went haywire (hypo) and my kidney(s?) started struggling, so we switched me to Depakote. I was nervous because I FEAR change, but I honestly feel better! I feel like there was a fog (maybe from the Lithium) has cleared and I am happier. I went through a few different antidepressants the last 2 years because I think the Lithium had me a little smothered. When I first switched, I went through a couple of weeks where I was EXTREMELY agitated and irritable...over-sensitive and over-reacting. I think that was the withdrawal from the Lithium. I feel better now, although I will admit to some excited anxiety...another scary way to say mania. My biggest fear of all of the side effects was weight gain, but I hope to be able to control it. Most of the other side effects were the same as Lithium, so I have already been dealing with swollen hands and feet, hair loss, and tremors for over 2 years. My hair fell OUT with Lithium. I lost half my density...but I got a shorter style and did a Keratin strength treatment and my hair has not felt better in 10 years. The Depakote is better than Lithium for me, so far. Should have tried it sooner, but the weight gain scared me away. | F | 36 | 1.5 months 750MG 1X day | 5/26/2012 | 5 | bipolar | Been on depakote before quit because of weight gain but back on it with 1500 mg of lithium 100 mg of lamictal 40 mg Valium 300 mg neurontin and 20 mg celexa....they seem to work with alot of sedation but no mood swings | F | 38 | 1 months 2000 mg | 5/20/2012 | 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 day | 2/26/2012 | 5 | migraines | hair loss, weight gain, all side effects went away after about 6 mnths | started depakote for daily migraine treatment and it ended up stabilizing my mood and helping my anxiety panic and other issues i was on other meds for. i asked to stay on depakote for my mentality and do not want to go back. | F | 31 | 2 years 1000 mg 1X day | 11/29/2011 | 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 day | 11/7/2011 |
DEPAKOTE (DIVALPROEX SODIUM): This medication is used to treat seizure disorders, certain psychiatric conditions (manic phase of bipolar disorder), and to prevent migraine headaches. It works by restoring the balance of certain natural substances (neurotransmitters) in the brain. FDA Approval Date: 1983-03-10 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)