DEPAKOTE Reviews (DIVALPROEX SODIUM)

Average Rating: 3.0 (584 Ratings)

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 ANTICONVULSANTS

 Type: Rx Drug

  

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)

  

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Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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More on DEPAKOTE: Reviews Summary  |  Drug Safety Information

RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR DEPAKOTECOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 1  Bipolar 1 Gained 40 lbs in two months, appetite through the roof, hand tremor, involuntary eye flutter (nystygmus) Try Lithium first. Depakote is a notorious fat making drug. I wish I'd taken this advice before I ballooned and became pre-diabetic. It didn't help my symptoms much either. F 33 6 months
1X day
3/3/2011
 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 day
2/26/2011
 2  Bipolar II big weight gain, shaking, dizziness, fatigue This drug really affected my balance. I also shook so badly that I had trouble using utensils or even holding a pencil. It was supposed to work with Lithium and Lamictal to stabilize my mood, but it really hurt my self esteem when I gained 40 lbs over the course of 3 months. I was just so tired and hungry. F 29 4 months
1X day
2/16/2011
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 1  Seizure disorder memory loss , trouble thinking, fatigue, weight gain, mood swings, I was on depakote for ten years. I suffered short term memory loss, slurred speech, weight gain and extreme mood swings. I also found thinking of simple words and trying to get them from my head to my mouth extremely difficult. I have been off the drug for two years and still am affected by the short term memory loss as well as calling up simple words, my mind goes blank. Also this drug caused a severe heart defect in my child that has required two open-heart surgeries so far. If you are a female taking the drug and of child bearing age i strongly recommend another drug. I have never felt better physically since being off of Depakote. Even though I still suffer from some memory and cognitive issues, my fatigue is gone as well as my mood swings and my weight has stabilized. F 31 10 years
250mg 3X day
2/10/2011
 2  cyclothymia slurred speech, memory issues, not feeling as sharp mentally yeah it stabilizes mood, but sometimes I feel like im not all together "there" mentally. Im to start a new job and im concerned that the depakote might negatively affect my performance. I dont like anything medication wise that dulls my cognitive thinking. Have to talk to my doctor about this. I think psychiatrists mean well but most of these meds they prescribe have horrible side effects. I havent had a full blown manic episode and im on a antipsychotic? Psychiatry has a long way to go. Its like the a hundred years behind the rest of medicine. M 51 3 weeks
500 1X day
1/27/2011
 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 day
1/26/2011
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 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 day
1/4/2011
 1  maigraine prevention and bipolar it was if this drug made all my other mood stabilizing drugs ineffective, i had severe mood swings, paranoia, anxiety through the roof. definitely rather have migraines than be as out of control like i was on depakote. F 34 4 weeks
500mg 1X day
12/29/2010
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 1  migranes severe migranes first two days, severe stomach cramps, feeling like being stabbed in the stomach and diahhrea up to 10-12 times a day I had been on 200 mg topamax and was experiencing cognitive issues, I would rather have that problem then ever have to go through this, I have rolled around crying on the bathroom floor for 4 days in pain worse than childbirth. F 46 4 days
500mg 1X day
12/21/2010
 2  Migraines Still having daily headaches and extreme nausea which is new since starting depakote. Nothing seems to settle my stomach. Decreased appetite. Feeling very tired during the daytime. Also take Topamax 200mg daily. F 31 10 days
500mg 1X day
11/11/2010
 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
 4  Cyclothymia (bipolar disorder) Memory is horrible. I jumble my words. I say words wrong. I forget what i was talking about often. My hands shake at times through out the day. I've developed a tic. The chaos caused by my mood swings is very destructive and disruptive to my life. The depakote does help me with them A LOT. So although the side effects I have been experiencing are frustrating at times, i am grateful that I'm not being yo-yo'd by my emotions. This medication is helpful for me M 24 3 weeks
500mg 1X day
10/28/2010
 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
 4  Hypomania DEPAKOTE ER is better than Depakote. I take the DEPAKOTE ER before going to bed so it helps me sleep and I am not tired during the day at all. At first I craved pancakes. I have gained weight. Short term memory stinks. But it cured the worst symptoms of hypomania. A few times I've run out of it and the symptoms of aggitation and anger come back fast. Overall my thinking is better with the drug, my emotions are stable with the drug and I am able to deal with day to day much better with the drug. So I eat pancakes. M 58 6 years
1000 mg 1X day
10/7/2010
 2  Bipolar II Loss of libido, inability to orgasm in many instances, weight gain, trembling hands, lack of energy, weak bladder (would "leak"), dull sense of self, lack of emotions I believe I was diagosed incorrectly with BP II, and have taken myself off the med after explaining my discontent to my doctor and his lack of response. M 32 6 months
1000 1X day
10/6/2010
 2  Bipolar 2 Tiredness, constant hunger, inability to concentrate, disinterest in life in general and things I am usually passionate about, rapidly becoming more depressed I feel sedated and more in control in that sense (less irritable, somewhat protected?), but I also feel like I don't care about anything and would rather just sleep all day. I have had suicidal thoughts on this medication, but cannot be sure that it is due to this. I do not take any other medication nor do I drink. I am more depressive than manic, and thus feel as though this is unsuitable. I'm off to the docs tomorrow to see what he says. F 25 14 days
250 2X day
9/28/2010
 2  Mood Swings Nausea, vomiting, impaired motor function of my eyes/neck, then loss of motor function in my legs (couldn't walk straight). Finally, I lost the ability to speak in completely sentences. ( I sounded drunk.) Next morning, I was hallucinating, and that is when I was driven to the ER, where this medication had become toxic. Normal: 50 Mine: 111. Could have destroyed my liver or had a stroke within a few days. The good? It did take away my mood swings. First sign of any odd behavior or loss of motor function STOP taking right away F 21 6 days
250 mG 3X day
9/19/2010
 4  Mood stabilizer I took it for almost 6 months, I was bloated all the time, felt unmotivated, forgot things easily, slept a lot. I gained 14 lbs in ~3 months. I weaned myself off it and can't wait to lose the pounds, I never weighed this much in my life... 5'2" and 134lbs because of this drug. I'm still on Celexa 20 mg and feel so much better. F 34 6 months
250 2X day
9/11/2010
 2  Bipolar II Hair loss, minimal weight gain, severe memory loss, increased agitation I was never made aware of any side effects of this drug and am waiting on an appt with a new dr. This medicine does help more with my moods than some of the others that I have been on but the side effects are not worth it F 30 8 months
500MG 1X day
9/7/2010
 3  Bipolar II (depressive) Drowsiness, fatigue, headache, weight gain (10lbs in 6 weeks), hair loss, short term memory loss and clouded thinking. All pretty "text book" side effects. Tremors in my hands. Also a lack of desire to get out of bed and do anything. Apathy. But could that be the depression? Depakote has definitely stabilized my depressive mood swings. However I am still dealing with the depression. One of the side effects that bothers me the most is the tremors in my hands. I am constantly dropping things. I don't hold any glasses or ceramic mugs for fear of dropping/breaking things. I am always spilling things. If it doesn't have a lid... I always use two hands, like a child. UGH. But... that's the worst of it so far. I think this medication is okay. Let me put it this way: I'd rather be on this than Lithium. F 28 6 weeks
1500 1X day
9/4/2010

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