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 |
| 1 | Migraine prophylaxis | Horrendous mood swings; weight gain | My neurologist switched me to Depakote as my first anti-seizure med for migraine prevention (off-label use at the time). Total disaster! After two months of dose titration, I'd gained 15 pounds, and my mood would switch from cheerful to vicious in seconds for no apparent reason. Worse yet, it didn't have much effect on my migraines. Five days after stopping Depakote, my mood evened out again and my eating patterns returned to normal. | M | 44 | 2 months | 3/25/2007 | 3 | mood stabilizer | extreme fatigue- could not finish a short day without having to sleep in between, but it is getting better. i am also taking 80mg of prozac daily so i am not sure which side effects are from what. my tongue is currently broken out in bumps and cracks with the appearance of dark blackish veins on the underside. i do not know if this could have anything to do with my medication. | i have been doing much better since ive been taking it. no severe side effects, no hair loss as many mentioned. however some negative mental/emotional effects seem to be present. | F | 17 | 4 months | 3/22/2007 | 2 | Chronic Migraines | Moderate drowsiness, diarrhea type incontinence | I have had chronic migraines for most of my life and have taken just about everything imagineable. Mostly the meds I have had were for stopping the ache after it started. I was first put on increasing doses of topamax which did not work. So far, I have been on 1000mg depkote for 2 months and still have a migraine each day and need to take imitrex to stop it. Seems that the headaches are weather related, but are definitely not sinus related. I have had three sinusectomies for sinusitis in the past and no longer suffer from that problem. Do not notice any inhibitive effect for the headaches yet from the depkote. About to stop it due to mentioned diarrhea side effects which are progressively getting worse. At my age that is more than an inconvenience. | M | 73 | 2 months | 3/11/2007 | 4 | Frequent Migraines | Ever since, even with a good sleep schedule, I've been tired, and if anything else I get headaches every now and then. | Other than that it didn't really do anything bad and I don't have migraines anymore, I used to have about 3 a week ever since I was about 10. I think being tired is better than waking up with migraines. | M | 13 | 1.5 years | 2/27/2007 | 4 | Bipolar Disorder I | Weight Gain (60 Pounds) Lethargy Hypersomnia Diminished Activity | When I began taking Depakote ER I was a complete mess. I had completely destroyed my life due to my Bi-Polar tendencies. Depakote ER changed my life for the good within weeks. It was a drastic change to my personality. It also has some severe side effects that you need to consider. I have gained a lot of weight, lost my job, feel tired all day, and 90% of the time I'm numb to everything around me. I also feel very lethargic. | M | 20 | 1 years | 2/23/2007 | 3 | Basilar Migraines | Hair Loss, Drowsiness, Weight Gain | Prescribed to control basilar migraines that were increasing in severity and number. So far, only 1 migraine and it was less painful and of short duration. However, reading about all the side effects of this drug makes me nervous. I need to lose weight and have been cutting calories, but I'm steadily GAINING weight since taking depakote. It goes up 1/2 pound every other day or so. That's very stressful, but my migraines and auras were so scary that I'm accepting this side effect for now. My md said he may switch me to Topamax. Good luck to all. | F | 46 | 26 days | 2/19/2007 | 5 | epilepsy | none that i know of. i have been taking this since i was 15 years old, So, anyside effects are just part of "me" | I have been taking this drug for my epilepsy for 20 years. I love it!! it works for my petit mal and grand mal seizures. I have only had 1 seizure since taking Depakote... a new dr. had taken me off it, it took 4 days before i had a seizure. i will never go off it as long as i live. | F | 36 | 20 days | 2/16/2007 | 3 | Migraine prevention | significant weight gain and water retention. I gained about 30 pounds in the first two months, and it has nothing to do with increased appetite; my husband agrees that I am eating much less. | Oddly enough, although I read that it might cause hair loss, it has made my thin, fine hair a little thicker and a little curly. I was taking topamax, and it realy gave me trouble thinking; the depakote cleared that up, but with the other side effects, I'm looking for something else. I have constant migraine without any medication, and depakote has me down to a few a month, but I still have to make trips to the ER. | F | 40 | 6 months | 2/14/2007 | 1 | seizures | I gained 35 pounds during the 3 months I was on Depakote. I literally couldn't stop eating. I think it also messed my metabolism up because I haven’t been able to shed any of the weight I put on, no matter what I try to get rid of it. I also suffered from extreme fatigue, tremors all over my body, extreme short term memory loss and severe mental confusion- which was the scariest part. Taking this medication also seemed to make the depression I have suffered from for years, and always been able to successfully treat with anti depressants- much much worse. I basically could not function while taking this medication- at all. In the end, I also started experiencing hair loss. Even now that I have been off of the Depakote for a good two months, my hair is still falling out by the handful. I am not sure what that is all about. The negative side effects were so awful for me; I basically refuse to try any other anti-convulsent medication- even though I know I should be taking som | F | 37 | 3 months | 2/12/2007 | 1 | seizures | I gained 35 pounds during the 3 months I was on Depakote. I literally couldn't stop eating. I think it also messed my metabolism up because I haven’t been able to shed any of the weight I put on, no matter what I try to get rid of it. I also suffered from extreme fatigue, tremors all over my body, extreme short term memory loss and severe mental confusion- which was the scariest part. Taking this medication also seemed to make the depression I have suffered from for years, and always been able to successfully treat with anti depressants- much much worse. I basically could not function while taking this medication- at all. In the end, I also started experiencing hair loss. Even now that I have been off of the Depakote for a good two months, my hair is still falling out by the handful. I am not sure what that is all about. The negative side effects were so awful for me; I basically refuse to try any other anti-convulsent medication- even though I know I should be taking som | F | 37 | 3 months | 2/12/2007 | 1 | Migraine Prevention | Total opposite of drowsy - my heart races and it feels like I've had about 4 cups of coffee. Also, diarrhea. | F | 45 | 2 days | 2/7/2007 | 2 | BPD | Weight gain, lethargic and tired most of the time | I felt better after a week of taking Depakote. Suicidal thoughts were minimal and was happy with it for a while until lately. My mood has gone up and down and I'm very emotional and frustrated at times. | F | 30 | 3 months | 2/5/2007 | 4 | Cough/exertional headache | Major weight gain (>20 lbs) and constant hunger, tremor in hands, vivid dreams, libidinal depression and orgasmic difficulty. TERRIBLE leg cramps that wake me up at night. Sleep difficulties. Lethargy and need for frequent afternoon naps. | I developed a rather strange syndrome known as "cough headache" and Depakote ER was prescribed. I've only been on it about 2 months; started at 1000 mgm/day - no help. Dosage gradually increased to current 2500 mgm/day (3 a.m., 2 p.m.). It has proven to be quite helpful with the headaches, which were EXTREMELY painful and debilitating and I'd not trade them for the side effects. That said, Depakote is obviously not a drug one would consider to be without consequence, especially at higher doses. My doc and I are considering reducing the dosage to 2000 mgm/day to see if that helps with the leg cramps. | M | 68 | 2 months | 1/16/2007 | 3 | MIxed State Bipolar Disorder | Well, since I have no side-by-side comparision with my former self - that "before" illness and medication - I cannot definitively attribute any experiences to the drug. Anyhow, while on a 1500mg daily dose of Depakote ER I've experienced the following: -Grainy vision -Mild fatigue -Increased penis length (not really) -'Excersize' tremor (after lifting) -Some forgetfulness -I suppose "confusion", though an emotion, could be added as it is among the listed side-effects associated with the drug. I don't really understand how confusion can occur unless there happens to be a causal side-effect of short-term memory inhibition or a inhibited thought process. I guess "confusion" sounds more easily controlled by the patient... as compared with the term "stupor" listed among lithium's side-effects. -Scapegoat syndrome: This is a sydrome in which the syndromist blames his or her deficiencies on an external object; in my case, Depakote. -Complac | If you don't have insurance and you are taking as much Depakote as I, a 6' 3" musclebound maniac, you are likely paying close to $300.00 a month for this medication. Depakote is a gold mine! Good work Abbott!! Way to take advantage of inelastic demand. | M | 24 | 4 years | 1/11/2007 | 3 | Bipolar II and BPD | chest pain, dizziness, spacing out | I've only recently started taking this medication, but I've noticed 2 fairly disturbing side effects of dizziness and spacing out. i can watch tv for two hours or so and it'll feel like only a half hour has passed. i can't drive because i can't piece together how fast cars are moving and how far away they are. also my short term memory is almost non-existent after about the 3rd day into taking it. however, it has improved my disorder quite a lot. | F | 18 | 10 days | 1/5/2007 | 4 | BiPolar | nausea if I dont eat within the times i take it. hair loss, tremors in my hands and feet bruise easy | i take it with welbutrin. i am not really sure if it is working, i dont know what normal is anymore | F | 24 | 2 years | 11/30/2006 | 3 | Bipolar I | HORRIBLE FATIGUE, increased lethargy/depression, weight gain, hair loss/change in texture, hand tremor, GRINDING of teeth at night (sore jaw) | It worked really well in managing a severe dysphoric mania that I experienced after the birth of my child. I am on 1000 mg and trying desperately to convince my doctor to let me be on just lithium and my anti-depressant. I cannot continue to function at this low energy level...especially with a toddler! | F | 28 | 2 years | 11/28/2006 | 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 |