Drug Ratings for DEPAKOTEAverage Rating: 3.1 (487 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by Date Rating Was Added 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 | | | | |||
| 3 | Borderline Personality Disorder | Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, Significant Hairloss, Weight Gain of about 60 pounds in one year with no dietary changes. | Depakote seems to help with my mood fluctuations, but the side effects for me are very significant and almost not worth it. Possible liver damage is a huge concern with this medicine. Works wonders for some, not as much for me. | F | 33 | 2 years | 11/20/2006 | 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 | 5 | daily migraines | Some sleepiness, but it's getting better. | I started on Depakote ER after waking up in the morning with a migraine 17 days in a row. Never even read up on it until now, but I was in so much pain, I would have swallowed cow dung if I thought it would give me relief. I'm now 8 days in a row headache free! I'm up to 500 mg a day, and see the doc next week to have my liver function checked out. Weight gain and hair loss? Great, my two worse nightmares! Right now, I'm a fan of the drug, but my doctor said he might switch me to Topomax. | F | 50 | 12 days | 10/28/2006 | 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 | 2 | Bipolar Depression | inability to speak in complete sentences trouble remembering things I know I knew difficulty speaking and confusion frequent vivid and memorable dreams napping when I have the chance heavier monthly periods dehydration increased appetite weight gain 10 lbs in 3 months | I feel so much better mentally on this medication but when I gained 5 pounds in 3 months then 5 more in one week that was the last straw for me! I can't fit into some pants anymore! | F | 22 | 3 months | 10/25/2006 | 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. | 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 | 1 | migraines | causing me to have breathing difficulty,sever mood swings,sever stomack pain and reflux above all I am still getting headaches. | It is stopping me from getting the full blown migraines | F | 43 | 60 days | 10/16/2006 | 4 | Generilzed Tonic Clonic Seizures | behavioral changes, adominal pain, memory loss, lack of concentration.. | Depakote seemed to work for me when i first started to have Seizures at age 27, I went off of it for a while because the seizures stoped. I have been back on it for 3 months and have experianced a lot of problems with my old dosage, turns out I was taking 50% more than I needed so my doctor lowered my dose from 3000mg to 2000mg daily we shall see if this helps with the side effects as well as the sever mood swings. | M | 31 | 3 months | 10/13/2006 | 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 | 4 | MIgraine headaches | Severe hair loss, weight gain (about 10 pounds) and slight hand tremors. | Helped get rid of my daily headaches | F | 39 | 4 months | 9/25/2006 | 5 | Epilepsy (tonic clonic seizures) | Moderate hair loss, mild weight gain (5 lbs ?), mild tremors and balance issues. | I've been on depakote so long I can't really remember what it's like not to be taking it. About two years ago my neurologist switched me over to the Depakote ER, which has really been a blessing, since I couldn't remember to take the stuff twice a day before. It really controls my seizures--but I also know what factors induce seizures... for me, they're: alcohol, lack of sleep, flashing red lights, and stimulants. But usually I have to combine a few of these AND have missed a few doses of the meds before I have a seizure. Overall, I've been very satisfied with Depakote. The side effects are mild compared to all the awful things that can happen when a person has a seizure... Just remember: it's not always the seizure itself that does you harm, but what you're doing when you have the seizure... driving, swimming, walking alone at night etc. And make sure you take the medication regularly--that's the name of the game. Consistency. | F | 24 | 12 years | 9/20/2006 | 1 | BP II | I hate this drug. I have been on it for a year, trying to figure out the right dose. IT MAKES ME WANT TO KILL MYSELF. Aside from a dozen side effects, the worst being enlarged prostate, bursitis in my shoulder and tired all the time, it creates severe depression. I started with 250mg 3x a day and it took away my anxiety, but worsened the depression. I tried the ER in doses of 500,then 1000, then 1500. My psychiatrist said I was having mixed symptoms and once I was adapted, the side effects would go away. I started experimenting with doses and found that I felt better within days of decreasing the dosage until I was down to 250. The problem with 250 was that the anxiety came back too much. The depression nearly went away. I tried 500mg of the regular release, taking them at night and it fixed the anxiety, but the depression came back. This drug trades anxiety for depression - at least for me. If you are thinking about killing yourself, try going down on the dose for a few days and see i | Very dangerous - for me causes obsessive thoughts of suicide. | M | 47 | 1 years | 9/9/2006 | 5 | Bipolar II | Weight gain, itchy/dry scalp (don't know if my hair has fallen out because I have VERY thick hair) | Since recently being diagnosed with Bipolar II, this stuff has made a 100% improvement in my life. After trying what seems like a zillion antidepressants, none of which worked, depakote worked after only 2 tablets. I use it in combination with Cymbalta, as the Cymbalta doesn't completely control my depressive episodes. I'm only on 500 mg/day, but it seems to be working very well. I finally feel like I'm on the right track! | F | 49 | 3 weeks | 9/7/2006 | 4 | Bipolar disorder | none | M | 34 | 2 years | 9/6/2006 | 5 | Bipolar disorder | minor hair loss, minor swelling of hands and feet | have not had my first blood test yet, i guess we will see then,but i know i can't live with the symptoms before taking depakote. i worry about the liver and and other major side effects maybe the lesser of two evils? | F | 41 | | 8/31/2006 | 4 | Bipolar II | Food cravings - gained 65lbs in no time. Hair fell out, but grew back with more body & shine. Hand tremors | I call it depabloat because of the way I craved food. My doc said that it disabled my "full button," so I didn't know when to stop eating. For a while it increased my libido. Unfortunately that did not last. | F | 48 | 5 years | 8/29/2006 | 3 | bipolar II | @ 750mg taken before bed, no real side effects. 1000mg for 5 days and I have been nauseous and this morning I vomitted. | However I was advised to take 1000mg because I was having more depressed episodes. I have been taking the 1000mg for 5 days and I have been nauseous and this morning I vomitted. I will go back to 750 asap | M | 42 | 6 weeks | 8/25/2006 | 3 | bipolar II | @ 750mg taken before bed, no real side effects. 1000mg for 5 days and I have been nauseous and this morning I vomitted. | However I was advised to take 1000mg because I was having more depressed episodes. I have been taking the 1000mg for 5 days and I have been nauseous and this morning I vomitted. I will go back to 750 asap | M | 42 | 6 weeks | 8/25/2006 | 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 | Chronic migraines | Weight gain (25#) hair loss, faitgue, erectile disfunction, general G.I. upset | Have slowly been increasing dosage to current 1750 daily. I have had no noticable results as headache frequency has not decreased and severity has worsened since Dr's. are more concerned with rebound effect of pain medications. My (uneducated) opinion is that DePakote is not effective for migraine headaches. | M | 43 | 1.5 years | 8/17/2006 | 1 | Daily migraine preventive | Acne, nausea, hand tremors, weight gain (15-20 pounds), hair changed to curly, no menstral cycle, hot all the time | I found I had just as many daily headaches taking the medication as not. It was a horrible experience and I am still suffering from its "side effects" even after being off of it for 5 months. | F | 32 | 1 years | 8/17/2006 | 3 | Bi-Polar | I had EXTREME hair loss, tiredness, fatigue, depression worsened, nausea, hand tremors and anxiety | I would not take this drug because it really effects your liver. | F | 27 | 7 months | 8/8/2006 | 4 | Bipolar Mania | Intermittent stomach pains for several hours after taking it, then tiredness after that. Some nausea/dissiness when I first started taking it, but not so much anymore. If I take it all before bed (750mg), I don't notice any of these sideffects, except I still get more tired during the day than I used to. There is also some nervousness after taking it if I stay up more than 1 hour after taking it, before falling asleep. | It definitely helped stabilize my mood when I needed it (the part that was caused by my biological/bipolar). For the first few weeks I improved asymptotically, until things got better and now I feel fine (after about 2 months). However, I think now I feel worse than I would feel if I stopped taking it. I'm considering going off, since It makes me so tired so often. | M | 37 | 2 months | 8/7/2006 | 4 | bi-polar II, migraine prevention | severe weight gain, loss of concentration, jumpiness (my best friend calls it "seizure leg"), loss of libido | my shrink recommended trying depakote a year ago in trying to diagnose my neuroses. since i was having a migraine a week at this point, which was severely affecting my life, it seemed like a good medication, killing two birds with one stone. it has been very effective, changing my life dramatically for the better. despite the severe weight gain (35-40 lbs), i would be willing to stay on the medication for how effective it is for me, but the complete loss of libido has negatively affected my relationship and needs to be addressed. this medication effectively made me asexual when i was at the proper dose. i'm now in the process of switching to lamictal. | F | 22 | 1 years | 8/7/2006 | 2 | Seizures | Weight gain (30+ pounds), lethargy, tired - sometimes exhausted even right after a period of sleep, depression | 500mg in the morning, 1000mg in the evening. I have not had the serious seizures since I started this medicine - so that is a plus. However, I still have mild absence seizures which are typically followed by 12+ hours of sleep | M | 40 | 3 months | 8/7/2006 | 3 | Mood Stabilizer (bi-polar?) | Major hair loss, already gained some weight, some trouble with balance -- I walk like I'm drunk -- and at times my eyes won't focus, tremors in one hand, major lethargy, inability to speak in complete sentences or remember things I know I knew. | I've only been taking this for three weeks and I think I want off ... it has stabilized my moods (at what cost?) and I think it has effected my thyroid. | F | 43 | 3 weeks | 7/26/2006 | 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 | Epilepsy | Initally some tiredness and minor weight gain. These, however, are side effects I've experienced with every anti-seizure medication I've ever taken. | Have had epilepsy since I was 10 when diagnosed with petit mal. At 16 had my first grand mal seizure. From age 10 through 35 I was on many different meds--phenobarbitol, dilantin, zarontin, tegretol, etc. This is the only medication that has controlled my epilepsy without debilitating side effects. Other meds were over perscribed producing toxicity levels which in turn caused depression, exhaustion (sleeping 18-20 hours per day), clumsiness, etc. In my experience, starting with a low dosage and working up is preferable to starting high and working down. Find a doctor who will work with you. I have been taking 500 mg per day for 12 years. Note: Over the years I have noticed that if I forget a full days' dose, I run the risk of a seizure the following day. I attribute this to one of two things: 1)I'm purposely on a low dosage thus I don't have much left in my system after 24 hours, or 2)Depakote moves through the system fairly rapidly. Either way, skipping a day/dose for what | F | 47 | 12 years | 7/20/2006 | 3 | bipolar disorder | dizziness, diarrhea, edema in feet and lower calves, unsteadiness & weakness while walking, increased appetite, incredible weight gain: 50 pounds in 9 months and see no end in sight | On the plus side, Depakote brought my mental state back from a severe depression to "myself." Last summer I couldn't function at all and needed a case manager to help me do the simplest things, and now I'm completely independent. | F | 48 | 6 months | 7/4/2006 | 3 | they said i was unbalanced not sure | MASSIVE WEIGHT GAIN | well im really not sure if its the zoloft or the depakote...I think its the zoloft. I'm more content, more aware of myself and feelings. Less anxious. CONS: FAT FAT FAT AND UMM FAT. i weighed in at 140 now im 175. I cant fit any of my pants anymore. I joke about it but i am quite ashamed. my man loves me but i want to be comfortable in my skin. i now have a huge ass. | F | 27 | 4 months | 6/28/2006 | 2 | Depression\anxiety\panic attacks | lethargic. sense of hopelessness. | I was sooo sleepy.. couldn't get me to do anything.. I slept probably 20 hours a day... no joke..no appetite, just wanted to lay around... didn't gain any weight, lost weight instead cuz i didn't eat. no motivation to do anything. i felt good, but i felt like i was out of my own body... kinda scary.. i will never take this drug again because it also intensified my suicidal thoughts... really really scary.. | F | 26 | 6 months | 6/27/2006 | 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 | 2 | uni-polar disorder | I have had a total lack of sexual libido and erectile dysfunction. I have been given Cialis for this but it helps little. No weight gain at all on this actually I have a total lack of appetite. This reeks havoc with my type one Diabetes. | After a break down I was prescribed 1500 mg of Depakote which was lowered to 1000 mg after regulation blood levels to approximately 78. With this I also take 3600 mg of Neurontin. (3 900 mg 4x's a day) I am not certain which one or both are causing the sexual dysfunction but after checking it out I think I need to get off both. | M | 45 | 6 months | 6/24/2006 | 4 | Bipolar 1 disorder | Some weight gain | Depakote has worked wonders for me. If it wasn't for Depakote I would probably be dead.I have been on Depakote for 2 years and it is a good drug. My grades are much better and my attencion span is much better. It took a while for Depakote to work but now I'm living a normal life. No more crazy thoughts. I have experienced alittle weight gain but nothing major. I am also on Lithum and that has also worked some wonders on me. Therapy is also very important.I have been going to therapy for a year now and the mixed of that and the medication has helped alot. | F | 24 | 2 days | 6/20/2006 | 3 | Severe Migraines | Hair loss, extreme fatique at times | I have very thick hair so no one has been able to noticed my huge hair loss. I feel really tired all the time. Migraines are less than before and don't last for as long. I'm on 500mg and will likely go to 750mg in a few weeks. | F | 31 | 1 months | 6/20/2006 | 5 | rapid cycling bipolar disorder | I have gained about 20 lbs on this medication. | I wouldn't trade depakote unless I developed one of the severe side effects like liver disease. It has helped so much. I take 2000 mg a day. | F | 37 | 2 years | 6/3/2006 | 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 | 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 | 3 | bipolar disorder | Extreme fatigue-in waves throughout the day. Funny taste sometimes. I see things out of the corners of my eyes(usually dark spots, movement)-not a big deal. Maybe a little weight gain, 5lbs. Hunger pangs! Worsened my depressed state once it got going, but upping my Effexor helped. | At 1000mgs/day, I can't make it through the day w/o extra sleep. I have noticed that when I skip my morning dose, it's easier staying awake each day. My experience has me believing that my fatigue is due to D-kote and I hope to lower my dosage. I have intense "I'd kill for a cheeseburger!" thoughts, but as I noticed the xtra lbs. I just made sure I didn't cave & watched what I ate--no more lbs. D-kote seems Effexor friendly. Although I'd rather NOT be asleep all the time & hope to ease that, Depakote has helped my BP symptoms. The extremes in my thinking/behavior have subsided. No more racing thoughts. Mentally, I'm good for a change. | F | 31 | 7 weeks | 5/14/2006 | 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 | 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 | 5 | Bipolar Disorder | hand tremors, absent mindedness, easily confused, forgetfull, weight gain, trouble sleeping | Even though I have side effects, I would only trade in Depakote if it affects my liver or I develop a major side effect. This drug truly was a life saver for me after years of trying almost everything else. | F | 38 | 8 years | 4/26/2006 | 1 | Chronical depression | Sleepy, sore throat, lethargy, pimples, nausea, name it. I had to stop it after 10 days. | The dosage was 250 mg, 3 times a day. It did not work for me, but does not mean the medication will not work for other people. | F | 35 | 10 days | 4/22/2006 | 3 | | 4/13/2006 | 2 | bipolar 1 | Migraines, hair loss, large weight gain 120lb. In 2.5 years, tremors in the arms and hands, indigestion, reduced memory | This medication worked wonders, but due to the side effects it was not the medication for me. I gained 120 pounds in 2.5 years I went from 140 to 260 pounds. It gave massive migraines that rendered me useless. I do recommend this med but make sure you are willing to live with bad side effects | M | 26 | 2.5 years | 3/25/2006 | 3 | Cellular Amitosis | I walked out of the door to go to my job the first day taking it, and my dog attacked me for no reason, then I heard a voice in my head saying "I attacked you because Depakote sucks" | Sucks. | F | 24 | 12 weeks | 3/10/2006 | 5 | Rapid Cycling Bipolar II | Huge weight gain, edema in ankles. | My life-saver other than a 40 lb. weight gain. Keeps me even, helps me sleep soundly. Other than the weight gain, this has been a perfect med. for me for a decade. | F | 39 | 10 years | 3/8/2006 | 3 | Manic | I weigh about 200 pounds (very tall, skinny) and was supposed to take 1500 MG a day. I found at that dossage I had incredible lethargy, often napping whenever I had a chance. I've cut back to 0-1000 MG a day. Sometimes skipping days. I'm not lethargic, but I did notice a very marked decrease in libido, which is very frustrating when you're in a relationship. | Definately clears up manic episodes. It's like an eraser. They are just gone. My hyper manic fantasies I can't even conjure up even if I try. | M | 31 | 4 months | 2/23/2006 | 2 | Bi-Polar II | Extreme fatigue, periods of not being able to hold my eyes open. | Weight gain, mild hair loss, not sure that it's doing it's job. The body heat problem has seemed to have been improved (not as hot as usual). This is making working hard due to the fatigue and tiredness. | F | 39 | 3 days | 2/20/2006 | 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 | 2 | Grand mal, abscence seizures | A LOT! Tiredness, Lethargy, always needing a nap...not the greatest at night...Hair loss was significant, Weight Gain, Memory/muddiness, loss for words at times, tremors | I immediately gained 10 lbs though very active. I can't live with the constant sleepiness and tiredness. Or the weight gain. I don't recommend. From this area, it appears to be more beneficial to bipolar than epileptics due to effects in mood? | F | 37 | 1 years | 1/1/2006 | 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 | 1 | bipolar 2, severe migraine | Extreme weight gain 50 lbs in 6 months for no reason, unable to function due to fatigue, memory lapses, absentmindedness, clumsiness, thinning hair, eventual liver damage that created extreme pain and nausea for two months. When I got off depakote, I dropped fifty pounds in four months with NO EFFORT. | Depakote makes you morbidly obese. The insensitive doctors just kept telling me to eat less and exercise more, but with God as my witness, I was only eating 10 to 200 calories a day, exercising 2 to 4 hours a day, and STILL STEADILY GAINED WEIGHT. You CAN NOT control your weight on depakote, no matter what exercise or diet you do. This extreme dieting only resulted in extreme suffering and a few nasty nutritional diseases involving both b-complex and c vitamin. I was falling apart while infections ate away at raw, unhealing herhorrages that developed all over. My dentist saw the damage and got all her students in to see a real live 21st century case of a disease thought only to occur in the third world. (She's my friend and knew I would not mind!) Eventually my liver began to reject the drug and slowly fail. I almost died. As soon as I got off of that drug, the wieght melted off so quick without any effort. With the help of massive vitamin supplements, I got my health back. Look, | F | 27 | 2 years | 12/27/2005 | 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 | 2 | epilepsy | tremors,panic attacks,nervousness,memory problems,trouble speaking and confusion. | im in a real catch 22 situation.depakote redused my seizures by 50 percent but it is almost impossible to function as a normal human being with these side effects. | M | 47 | 9 days | 12/1/2005 | 1 | Complex Partial Seizures | Severe memory loss, tremors, significant weight gain, issues with low blood sugar | I've been off Depakote and on Keppra for about four months now, and while most symptoms have gone away, my memory shows no sign of returning. My doctors denied the connection between Depakote and memory loss when I asked them about it. | F | 35 | 10 years | 11/27/2005 | 4 | Bi-Polaqr 2 | Basically - the tremors are the major problem for me I've been on it for 10 yrs. Life has been good. I just switched to Trileptol because I can't handle the tremors. Now I feel like crap - spaced out, still tremoring., Depakote is starting to look better all the time. | I have had mild weight gain - maybe 20lbs over 10 yrs, good sexual function, no hair loss. I took it in combo with Wellbutrin. | M | 57 | 10 years | 11/23/2005 | 5 | bi-polar | I'm writing this for my daughter who is bi-polar and schizoaffective. She is SO much better with this new med. | Here's the strange thing: she tells me that ever since puberty she has felt desperately hot, all the time. She said it got worse and worse as the years went on (she is now 36) and continued until she started Depakote. Now, she has no problem with feeling too hot and would fight to stay on this med! | F | 36 | 1.5 years | 11/19/2005 | 4 | Hyper Mania | Having spent a lifetime as the 'skinny' guy, I've put on nearly 1.5 stone since starting the drug. Has given me my life back regarding the hypermanic spells though. I can work,think and get on with daily life without bewilderment. | 34 | 6 months | 11/8/2005 |