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
 
 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
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 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
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 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
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 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
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 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

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