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 Date added. 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 |
| 3 | bipolar disorder | Rapid weight (+45 lbs.), fatigue, almost complete lack of motivation, increasing swelling of hands and feet (during later stages. Needed to augment with an anti-depressant to combat the lows. | Have taken for a year and am now changing because the weight gain has created a new issue with my joints. | F | 38 | 15 months | 6/4/2008 | 1 | bipolar I | weight gain (30 lbs) | not worth it | F | 27 | 6 months | 6/1/2008 | 1 | depression | I have never seen or heard anything that was not there, ever....I suffer from depression and anxiety only. After taking this drug for a short period of time, I became troubled with hearing whispers, sounding like someone whispering my name!!! I had a horrible time sleeping, kept thinking someone was in my room. Yuck!!!!!!!!!!!! | Scary side effects for me, never have experienced anything like that before. | F | 37 | 15 days | 5/8/2008 | 4 | BP II | I have been on Depakote 1000mg(500mg in am and 500mg at bedtime) since Sept 06. It controls my hypomanic symptoms very well but I have just recently put on about 20 lbs. I didn't have any wt gain initially. I had hair loss, headache and dyspepsia in the beginning but that has subsided. Now I'm having extreme swelling in hands and ankles and depression and lack of motivation and sleepiness. Why now? | I would love to know why my wt gain was delayed and why a new onset of side effects almost a yr and a half later? | F | 44 | 1.5 years | 4/21/2008 | 3 | Bipolar Disorger | Dizziness, restlessness, violent dreams, constant fatigue | F | 29 | 4 days | 4/15/2008 | 5 | Bipolar/Anxiety | Some heartburn at first and occasional slurred speech. | It works ok for me. My copay is higher for the extended release version but I need this to keep my brain normal. | F | 29 | 4 years | 4/12/2008 | 3 | migraine | Short term -- breast tenderness, change in menstrual cycle (mid-cycle spotting), stomach upset--these all went away after the first 2 weeks. Long term -- extreme tiredness, mood swings, curly hair. No weight gain or change in appetite. | I started on 250 mg of Depakote ER and went from five days a month without a headache to 18 straight days headache free. But then the number of headaches increased again, so went to 500 mg. Another 18 days headache free but increasing after that. Up to 750 mg and another 18 days headache free but every month the number of headaches increased until I was back at maybe 5 days a month headache free. I am now taking birth control pills that I can take 365 days a year since my migraines seem to be related to fluctuations in estrogen. I feel much better and cut the depakote back to 500 mg for a month. I only had 7 days with headaches and have now cut back to 250 mg without any problems except slight upset stomach. I'm very hopeful that regulating my hormones is what I need and can get off of the depakote totally. It might be too soon to tell. | F | 52 | 15 months | 4/8/2008 | 3 | Bi-polar, anxiety | stomach pains-like I was being poisoned, hair sheds a bit more than normal, tired, can't remember what I was saying in the middle of a sentence, weight gain, constant dull headache, mild visual hallucinations, some ear-ringing | Liked Effexor XR much better combined with Topomax, but... have also tried abilify, seroquel, lithiam, and others I can't recall. The side effects are a trade-off for major mood swings. The Depakote (250mg am, 500mg pm & increasing)has definitly taken the edge off. Dislike having to get blood tests done. | F | 36 | 1 months | 3/31/2008 | 4 | migraine | Side effects I experienced:clumsiness,e.g. dropping things, edema in leg that had bad circulation from surgery for cancer(I am a 20 year survivor),that got worse the longer I was on the rx, weight gain, | This was the second time I had tried the Depakote ER: 500mg.taken at bedtime.It really did help control the migraines.I had two migraine episodes( one episode can last from 1-3 days of migraines) while on this rx, this time. The second episode, I went 3 weeks before getting one and that was something I had not done for I don't know how long ago. I have had menstrual migraines since around 1984.I had a partial hysterectomy,but that did not help the migraines. I took Indomethacin(that really controlled the migraines so I got one about every 14 to 21 days) before getting malignant fibrous histiocytoma in 1986, and again in 1987. I am a 20 year survivor now. I could no longer take Indomethacin because it affected my red blood cells in the bone marrow. I tried going back on it this year but it did not work as a preventative now. I wish I could stay on the Depakote ER but the edema made my foot and ankle on my "survivor foot" swell to twice the size. I do not have normal lymph sys | F | 63 | 41 days | 3/25/2008 | 1 | Bipolar 1 with Rapid Cycling | 50 lb weight gain in 2 months, excessive tiredness, hair loss, dizziness. I took 2500 mg a day and continued to spiral out of control. | I hate depakote more than any other drug I've taken (and trust me, I've tried almost all of them). I'm finally getting off it with the hope of finally losing all this weight. A word of advice: if your appearance is important to you, don't take Depakote, especially if you're already taking Lithium. | F | 19 | 6 months | 3/16/2008 | 4 | Migraines | dizziness, lethargy | Just started taking this medication 500mg daily for migraines. Althought it has prevented my migraine from returning, I have been getting dizzy spells when I first wake up in the morning, when I have to bend down, or stand up for any prolonged period of time. I've also been very sleepy and weak during the day even though I get 8 hours of sleep at night. | F | 29 | 5 days | 3/12/2008 | 1 | mood stabilizer | Turned me into a zombie. Had no motivation or energy to do anything. Just sat and watched TV for the 3 months I was on it. | M | 54 | 90 days | 3/12/2008 | 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 | 1 | Sunlight absence seizures | Began taking Depakote for absence seizures but it caused a tonic clonic seizure once Topamax was completely eliminated. Acne breakout within days of starting Depakote CR got progressively worse and none of the dermatologist recommended products would help. Also weight gain, water retention, feeling that legs were heavier than usual. | Depakote was the first med prescribed but caused severe GI issues and behaviour problems. Topamax was not controlling 100% of absence seizures so dr believed Depakote CR would be better and not cause side effects since other pts who had issues with Depakote did not have them with Depakote CR. Same level of discomfort with CR but different issues. Started taking Topamax again starting to feel better already and skin clearing too. | F | 13 | 4 weeks | 2/25/2008 | 2 | Bi-Polar Type 2 | Medicine or Misdiagnosis? Regardless, 10+ pound weight gain and have been craving carbs and junk food I would have previously never given a second thought. Even though I exercise, weight gain continues. Definetely a feeling of being in a "rut", activities that used to bring much pleasure I no longer care about. Agitation, anti-social, impatience, and easily distracted. I feel that everyday I just go through the motions, am I am a typical type "A" personality always on the go. The doctor has me on 1500mg at bedtime and this diagnosis was formulated from a 10 minute interview. | Physician has me weigh in on a bathroom scale when I go to his office. He has commented that my weight has not increased rapidly enough and may have to increase the dose! At this rate he is going to have to throw in a shirt that says "I beat anorexia". Not to mention the fact it will probably cause my liver and kidneys to fall out. So, if you like walking around like a zombie, finding little to no pleasure in life's activities, like your monthly copay, eating horse pills, tiredness, difficulty focusing, memory loss,decreased libido, etc. Depakote is the right drug for you. | M | 36 | 2 days | 2/22/2008 | 4 | Bi-polar | I have not had any side effects except trouble waking up in the mornings...but hey, I'm a college student. Out of taking it 4 years, my hair has been falling out for the last year. It wasn't as noticable until just recently, and I realized I'm actually losing a lot in the front! I had to stop using hair gel because it's so noticable. I just pray it comes back if I quit. | It has been the most effective drug in helping me be stable. I've taken Zyprexa (yuck) Topomax, Wellbutrin, and a few others. If you don't mind going bald, this isn't that bad. Hmm...would I like to keep my hair or my sanity? | M | 21 | 4 days | 2/8/2008 | 4 | Migraines | Hair loss and weight gain | This is one medicine that has actually helped prevent migraines for me. I can now go as long as 10 days sometimes without a headache, where before I had 3-4 migraines per week, despite avoiding my known headache triggers. The hair loss has been noticeable, but nothing I can't live with. I have gained about 17 lbs. since I began Depakote, despite continuing on a diet with which I had previously made slow steady progress. The weight gain is more distressing to me, especially since I had just dieted off about 25 lbs. gained when taking an antidepressant. | F | 55 | 6 months | 1/28/2008 | 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 | 4 | bipolar | I have had a little of everything. I gained about 20 lbs at the start, once in awhile dizzy, my hands tremble a lot, losing some hair (but also runs in family), and I need a lot of sleep (most bipolars do). Good sleep is key. I am worried about my memory and job performance. I can be unusually unmotivated, too. No stomach/internal problems. | I tried lithium, prozac, lexapro, welbutrin. None of it worked. Then I tried depakote and have been on it for 2 1/2 years combined with welbutrin. I am continually trying to engage more at work, it's a tough battle with 3 young children, too. I am taking 500mg in the morning with 1 welbutrin and 750mg at nite. I might try to cut back a bit, not without Pysch approval, though. I started more exercise and intense vitamins, that seems to help a lot with mood and weight. | M | 47 | 2.5 years | 1/25/2008 | 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 |