DEPAKOTE Reviews (DIVALPROEX SODIUM)Average Rating: 3.0 (584 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare DEPAKOTE with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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More on DEPAKOTE: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR DEPAKOTE | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | Bipolar Disorder | I'm feeling like sh*t. HORRIBLE abdominal pain in my right psoas muscles. I see a massage therapist and a chiropractor, but they have no idea how to help me at all. I don't really know what's happening with my body? I don't trust the doctors. I'm going to see a new physician this morning. If she doesn't respond to my side effect complaints, I'll be looking for a patients' rights attorney in the afternoon! | The side effects didn't hit me as hard when I was younger as they're hitting me now. | M | 54 | 36 years 1,250 mg. | 11/9/2020 | 5 | Epilepsy | None known. | I have been taking sodium valporate for over thirty years and have not had any significant side effects. While taking the medication I completed two undergraduate degrees and one graduate degree from a top 10 university. I have my CPA and work for a Fortune 500 software company developing accounting software. I don't suffer any ill effects that I am aware and I don't think the drug has limited me. | 48 | 30 years | 3/13/2009 | 4 | Epilepsy | I started at 250/mg per day and now 30 years later I am up to 1000 mg a day to function. I have three different types of seizures. They started when I was nine. We were told that the mood changes would happen and as my sister and I got older that there is the possibility of break through seizures. I have anxiety attacks now, and during my time of the month I have break through seizures. | About 5 years ago it finally caught up with me and the tooth decay has started. I have always taken care of my teeth like I am supposed to. Now they break and decay. Its embarrassing. | F | 39 | 30 years 1000 mg 1X day | 1/28/2016 | 5 | seizures | Hair loss...but have taken this durg for so long have adjusted to any other side effects that I just didn't notice | Was put on Depakote at age 11 for uncontrolled seizures. As the years progressed, my seizures got worse & my neurologist upped my depakote. For 26 years Depakote has been my anti-seizure drug. Ive been able to drive, have children & live a fullfilling life. I pray that there will never come a day when my body rejects Depakote because I am thankful for how far I have lived!! | F | 37 | 26 years 2500 1X day | 11/6/2010 | 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 | 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 | 1 | one seizure | Brain fog. Lethargic, but feel like I always need to be doing something. Withdrawal from family, friends | M | 56 | 24 years 750 1X day | 3/18/2017 | 4 | temporal lobe seizures | Over the years I gained a lot of weight. I am a lot older since I began my Depakote treatment, but my hunger is so great at times it scares me, Memory loss, hand tremors and hair loss. I have been on the drug so long that I do feel that I have to push myself to get going. I do have vivid dreams and ones that do ocurr very frequently, but I don't mind most of them. I do take Lexapro and Lamictal also to help my moods and seizures. | I used to have terrible temporal lobe seizures (TLE) having as many a one hundred events a day. I started to self-medicate myself but my mind just got worse. Thanks to my Dr who had enough insight, and asked the proper questions I can live a somewhat normal life. Anyone that wants to learn about TLE look it up. It is a living nightmare to experience. I got it when I had chicken pox and the virus laid inactive in my brain until I had my first seizure at 20. I didn't know what it was so I drank alot to cover up the effects. Thank God for this drug,...it has saved my life!!! | M | 55 | 21 years 2500mg 1X day | 5/15/2012 | 3 | Simple, partial seizures | Osteoporosis, low free testosterone (from high SHBG levels), mild tremor, mild weight gain (10 lbs.), elevated red blood cell indicies ((e.g. MCV), reduced platelets (although still in normal range) | Total seizure control, i.e., zero seizures in 20 years, but significant side-effects from long term use. | M | 63 | 20 years 250 MG 4X day | 7/24/2013 | 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 | 3 | Seizure disorder | Weight gain, drowsiness, unsteadiness, and nausea | Has anyone experienced unsteadiness, imbalance while on Depakote. Does the side effect eventually disappear? I didn't experience this side effect until now, a long time after starting the drug. Any ideas/guidance? | M | 41 | 18 years | 8/28/2007 | 4 | Simple Partial Seizure | Osteoporosis | Kept me seizure free for 17 years, but eveloped significant osteoporosis despite having no risk factors (age, gender, family history); in fact, I was doing all the things that are associated with strong bones: lots of milk into early adulthood; calcium and Vitamin D supplements, running 35-40 miles a week for 29 years, weight lifting 3X per week for same period. Anyone taking Depakote should have regular bone scans. | M | 59 | 17 years 250 MG 4X day | 4/27/2010 | 1 | JME seizure disorder | severe hair loss,hirsutism, weight gain, caused me to develop Metabolic Syndrome- a.k.a Syndrome X and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), fits of rage- like if someone harassed/antagonized me, I would "black out," beat them severely, then suddenly come to my senses, not remembering doing anything. Also lots of joint pain/body aches/sore muscles and my teeth became brittle. Occasional sleep paralysis, menstruation stopped, fluid retention, etc, etc. Any doctor who does not study the drugs he prescribes, deserves to have his teeth kicked out and be dragged through the street. A doctor who does study those drugs, and prescribes the dangerous ones with a clear understanding of the side effects, while withholding this information from the patient should be shot in the face twice with a 12 gauge. A doctor who knows these dangers, and REFUSES to help a patient change drugs, should be publicly tortured and humiliated for 3 days, then shot twice in the face with a 12 gauge. | I was forced to stay on it for years because you can't simply quit the stuff, you have to wean off. I could not find a doctor who would agree to take me off it and put me on something else. They would not listen to me, they would flat out lie and tell me "Oh, no depakote won't do that, it's perfectly safe." Eventually I found a doctor who is not lazy and apathetic; and she immediately took me off depakote and put me on lamotrigine (lamictal). I have been on lamictal now for 3 years, and my hair is very slowly growing back. I don't need a wig anymore, but I do have to use strategically placed extensions and it's still too thin. I finally starting dropping weight (20 lbs) AFTER staying in the gym regularly for 2 YEARS. Depakote weight is NOT like normal weight gain- it is HELL to lose, regardless how active you have been or how sensibly you eat. I was NOT a couch pig during my depakote days. I worked outdoors for a living, camped frequently, and was generally active- so sudden weight gain was cause for major concern. I think I sustained joint damage from the depakote, as I still hurt all the time. The pain is less when I stay mobile, otherwise I "lock up," as one does with arthritis- I feel this in all of my joints, but very bad in joints that have been injured, such as my knee and shoulder. The lamictal is controlling my seizures, luckily- and I'm only taking 150 mg once daily. MAY DOCTOR DONALD BUTTS OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI ROAST IN HELL. | F | 33 | 17 years | 9/18/2009 | 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 | Migraine | My usual dosage was 250mg a day and it was excellent at preventing migraines. In the summer I had to take 500 mg. Very effecive. I was on it for 15 years--Depakote in the States for 5 years and Depakene in Canada for 10 years. (I was never diagnosed as Bi-Polar.) However, when I went off of it, I had what turned out to be a transient manic episode. I had a bad couple of weeks. For the first three days after getting off the drug, I was manic but not severely so--running around doing things and hap-hap-happy. But a few days later my brain was making extremely strange connections i.e. I lit a lighter under my dog's neck thinking it was a leash and I thought a garden trowel would quench my thirst. Also, I pulled into traffic when I consciously knew it was not the time to pull out but my brain told me it was. Luckily, I "came to" before I got hit by a passing car. It was very scary and extremely upsetting. It has now been about 2 months and all the scary stuff is over with. | Migraine patients, take care when stopping the medication. | F | 55 | 15 years | 8/18/2007 | 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 | 5 | Epilepsy (Juv Myoclonic) | I only take 750 mg a day 3 doses of 250. Unusaul amounts of fatigue (even when active in the gym), small weight gain, 1 time had the scary puffy eye's, temors in the arms and hands, headaches, indigestion(gone now). | Truthfully I have had very little problems over the years for being on it as long as I have. And as long as I have been GOOD in taking the medication right. Usually I don't notice the tremors until I pick up a cup or something, have been in the gym for a bit or someone says something. I have been able to miss a dose here and there not intentionally and I have had no seizures. I do believe the medication makes you overly tired and other little side effects can be quite annoying but I have found ways to deal with them myself or with the doctor. I was stupid as a teenager and rebelled in taking my med's which lead my seizures from being abstance(sp)/partials to full grand mal's but the depakote has worked through out all this just fine. | F | 28 | 15 years | 12/20/2005 | 4 | JME epilepsy | weight gain (60 lbs), but then added Topamax and lost it all, including my brain for a while (Dopamax!). Now am on Depakote 750 day/Keppra 750 day/ Diamox during menses and the new dr. added Provigil to help me stay alert and focused. | Depakote is the ONLY drug to really control my seizures. I've been on it since age 17. I had my first seizure in 10 years when the dr's took me off of it and put me on Keppra (am now back on Dep 750 day and Keppra 750 day). Depakote makes me tired and a little less motivated, a few tremors/twitches. Provigil has helped motivate and alertness. I've skipped a dose and been fine as there is so much built up in my system (I think.) The dr's want to take me off of Dep., but its the ONLY drug that really helps my petit and grand mals. I refuse to go off of it! Good luck to everyone! | F | 32 | 15 years | 5/28/2007 | 3 | siezures | well ive been on this drug for the past 15 years my head is bald but ive always shaved it anyways im 31 and i have no job i have no willingness to go out side and have no memory , my friends trip out on me because i cant remember stuff.but i also take phenytek so keep that in mind. | if you have seizures definitly try because this also helps with bipolar and having seizures doesnt exactly make you the happiest person in the world. | M | 31 | 15 years | 9/13/2008 | 3 | Bi-Polar Disorder | I have expierenced confused thoughts, lethargy, lack of co-ordination, eating something in the middle of the night and an effect that I would describe as being unable to grab something with my hands (muscle elastisticy),anxiety due to these side effects, ideas trailing off ( I have given up on the creative life that I had while manic) I understand the trade off! | M | 55 | 15 years 2500MG 1X day | 6/2/2010 |
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)