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 |
| 5 | Bipolar I | Hair loss | I've been taking 750 mg of Depakote for over seven years now and the only side effect that I've noticed is hair loss. I've heard it can cause weight gain but I've never had a problem with it. The hair loss seemed to come and go in the past but recently I've been losing quite a bit of my hair. The drug itself has worked a miracle on me as far as my manic episodes are concerned, so I suppose my next step is to find a wig shop. But then... I'll save a lot on shampoo! :) | F | 46 | 7 years | 8/29/2005 | 3 | Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy | Whether it's caused by the Depakote or not I'm not sure... but I have cyst-like growths in my earlobes, on my back, behind one ear, and on-and-off swelling in 2 spots on my face. I sleep a lot, have very vivid and memorable dreams, am usually tired, have to choke down breakfast (can't eat right after waking), nervousness, and I get cold really easy and shiver a lot. It's not the cold though, it could be 60 outside, but it somehow feels like 20 below, and it's on and off- sometimes I'll be uncontrollably shivering in the summer! Always at night, too. Weight gain (a little) also, but no seizures anymore! But I feel kind of wiped-out and drained all day, and pretty depressed. Lacking motivation you might say. | I started at 1500mg/day extended release for JME- I was really twitchy and fell down in the mornings, right after waking. I got REALLY sick when I first started taking it, but was fine after a few days... now I take 500mg (1 big pill at night), but my doctor doesn't know this. Oh well, I haven't had a seizure since I started with the medicine- my mornings are fine now. I sometimes skip doses, taking a pill every other night or something. I really want to get off this crap, it seems like I have all these little irritating problems ever since I started taking it. Oh yeah- I'm a musician and I was very idea-less when I was on 1500mg. I seem more creative when I take less Depakote. I think it's because it just drains your energy... made me depressed. Still am, but less so. | M | 19 | 3 years | 8/29/2005 | 4 | mood swings/atypical depression | gained about 20 lbs, tiredness, dry mouth, decreased libido, sleepiness, dizziness | This really helps me. I tried every class of drugs and this is the only thing that works with tolerable side effects. Helps with fatigue in my head (similar to headache) too. That was an unexpected surprise. I don't like the side effects, but they are usually mild. Hard to lose weight on this. | F | 38 | 7 years | 8/26/2005 | 2 | epilepsy | I took 1500 mg a day to stop my seizures (tonic clonic and petite mall). I slept a LOT; got sick to my stomach a LOT (had to take promethazine and ranitadine for stomach problems). I stopped weighing myself at 205. I was a small woman...5 | PLEASE tell your doctor what's goiung on! With your weight AND your seizures. As far as headaches and Depakote...I seemed to get worse headaches. It DID affect my moods...I was sleeping all the time. | F | 47 | | 8/24/2005 | 4 | Dissociative disorder NOS | I'm on 250 mg of depakote ER at bedtime. Noticing that I feel hot all the time, and the smell of my sweat changed. Also I sweat like a pig even with a little bit of alcohol. | It's really helping to quiet down the internal system and allowing me to progress more rapidly through therapy. | F | 30 | 3 months | 8/21/2005 | 5 | Bipolar Mood disorder | not much, but there was a sudden weight gain of 10kgs. | M | 30 | 250 days | 8/14/2005 | 2 | ADHD ect. | M | 16 | 2 years | 8/4/2005 | 2 | manic depressive bi-polar adhd ect. | dizziness nose bleeds and i had no energy | it worked for a little bit but then i felt the same as normal so i quit takeing it. | M | 16 | 1 years | 8/4/2005 | 2 | mood stabilization | Unusual allergic reaction, blood platelets dropped drastically and resulted in a triple, accute brain hemorhage. | F | 54 | 14 days | 8/3/2005 | 1 | Seizures | Seizures, pins and needles in hands and feet | My Son was on this medication and it made him so scared. He's only five, so he didn't know why his hands and feet felt like needles were poking him in his hands. He would start screeming and we couldn't figure out what was wrong, until we read the side effects. After one week of being on this medicine, he was having 5 minute seizures, every 1 1/2 hours. It was awful. | M | 5 | 10 days | 7/30/2005 | 3 | Bipolar Disorder | I had some weight gain and too much hair loss. My daughter also tried Depakote. She also had weight gain and major hair loss over time before she realized what was causing it. | F | 45 | 6 months | 7/17/2005 | 1 | bipolar 2 | WEIGHT GAIN!!!!!!!!!! 85lbs in a year drowsiness, dizziness, major tremor and ticks (hands mostly) | i just want to say that i was put on depakote for bipolar and i gained 85 lbs, yup thats right 85 friggin pounds in a year ... and im still gaining... and no im not pregnant | F | 17 | 1 years | 6/22/2005 | 2 | depression/anxiety/bi-polar | fatigue, some stomach upset, similar visual experiences as noted from others above | taking 500mg; no noticeable difference in depression. agree with previous comment made, seems to have stablized the depression, which seems a very small benefit given the risk of taking the medicine. | M | 54 | 5 weeks | 6/11/2005 | 2 | depression/anxiety/bi-polar | fatigue,lethargy, some stomach upset, similar visual experiences as noted by others. | taking 500mg; no noticeable difference in depression. agree with another comment made, seems to have stablized the depression, which seems a very small benefit given the risk of taking the medicine. | M | 54 | 5 weeks | 6/11/2005 | 5 | juvienile myoclonic epilepsy | I take 1200 mgs a day for seizures. it is the only medicine that can treat jme. I am always exhausted. But, I dont really eat well or exercise...i am a student at 45...and i sit a lot, and sleep, too much. | I also have hand tremors...i dont notice, but people comment on it. It is a very sensitive drug, if I miss a does I have seizures when I wake up. My seizures are very odd, happening after sleep only, when light hits my eyes. Ugh | F | 56 | 7 years | 6/10/2005 | 2 | panic disorder | Lethargic, overweight by 100 lbs for past 10 years. Last year, I lost 20 lbs due to gall bladder surgery and another 20 due to South Beach Diet. All 40 lbs are back on. I walk daily but am too tired to walk more, or have little incentive | I don't bring anything into my house that is high in sugar, salt or fats. However, a neighbor stores ice cream for me. I know it is loaded with fat and yet I can't resist. My internist and psychiatrist tell me that is no connection with weight and this drug. | F | 63 | 10 years | 6/9/2005 | 5 | Seizures | I am taking a large dose (in my opinion) 1000 mg am and pm. With each step up I have experienced very vivid and memorable dreams. Not frightening - just vivid. At this time, it seems to be handling the seizures. I haven't had one since I've been on the increased dosage. | Also a slight hand shakiness - not exactly what I would consider a tremor, but I am watching it carefully | F | 61 | 10 weeks | 5/28/2005 | 2 | Bi-polar II | Severe appetite increase, but the most troublesome is tremors. I cannot sleep, cannot sit still. I feel like my skin is crawling. I don't like this med at all. | M | 31 | 3 weeks | 5/28/2005 | 2 | absent seizers | big weight gain (50lbs) some loss of hair but isnt noticeable i i twitch way more in my sleep | dont like it | F | 14 | 4 years | 5/25/2005 | 4 | migraines | drowsiness, itchy skin, some hair loss | My migraines have decreased from one every three days to only 1 or 2 a month. | F | 41 | 50 days | 5/16/2005 |