Can I stop taking 500 mg. of Depakote cold turkey? My Neuro told me it was ok?

Most sources suggest tapering at a rate of 20% to 25% every 2 weeks. You could taper slower or quicker, but this makes roughly for about a 2 month withdrawal period. Even 25% may be too quickly for you if you have been on the drug for a long period of time at a high dose. Take the time to work with a professional and come up with a custom plan to minimize withdrawal symptoms. To be on the safer side you could even reduce at a rate of 15% every 2 weeks."

"Below are a list of possible symptoms that you may experience when coming off of Depakote. Keep in mind that you may not experience every symptom listed below and that the severity of what you experience will largely be based on individual circumstances.

Anger: Some individuals report feeling anger to the point of rage when they initially come off of this drug. It may have to do with the fact that the drug itself tends to elicit a calming response – inhibiting the reuptake of GABA. When stopped, this may lead a person to feel more angry than usual.
Anxiety: If you notice that you feel more anxious and less relaxed, it’s largely due to withdrawal. It is pretty common to experience anxiety and have anxious thoughts when you initially stop this medication. If you didn’t have anxiety prior to taking this drug, you should gradually become less anxious over time.
Bipolar relapse: For those who have bipolar disorder and are on the drug to help control manic cycling, you may experience mania when you quit. When you take away the drug that was helping control the cycling, it is possible to experience a shift in mood.
Concentration problems: A very common problem that people report during the first couple weeks of withdrawal is concentration problems. These can be more severe if you quit cold turkey or taper too quickly. In general you may have a difficult time staying focused and completing work or school-related tasks.
Confusion: There are a combination of symptoms that contribute to feeling confused. These include things like: foggy thinking, poor concentration, mood swings, memory issues, and physical symptoms. The confusion should ease up as your brain gradually begins to function without the drug.
Depression: Another common symptom to experience is that of depression. Although Depakote does not prevent cycling into depression, coming off of it can lead a person to feel depressed. It could be in part due to neurotransmitter changes, particularly involving GABA.
Dizziness: Perhaps the most common symptom associated with the withdrawal process is that of dizziness. Many people report feeling extremely dizzy and or have sensations of vertigo. If you feel dizzy, just know that it will improve in time. If you quit cold turkey, this may be significantly more severe.
Fatigue: Do not be surprised if you feel pretty tired with low energy for the first couple weeks after you quit this drug. Do your best to work with the energy that you’ve got and eventually you should notice your energy levels increase.
Headache: Many people experience general headaches when they stop this medication. Individuals that were taking Depakote for migraines may notice rebound migraines upon discontinuation.
Insomnia: This drug tends to calm people down and can make individuals sleepy. When you discontinue, you may notice that you experience an inability to fall asleep at night. This may be in part due to anxiety and/or inadequate GABA.
Irritability: It’s pretty normal to feel irritable when withdrawing from this drug. Expect the irritability to slowly decline in intensity over the course of a few weeks following your last dose.
Mood swings: It is common to experience general mood swings (non-bipolar) upon discontinuation of this medication. One moment you may feel very angry, the next depressed, and the next very anxious. Just know that you may experience some general fluctuation in moods as you recover from withdrawal – these will eventually subside.
Muscle weakness: Some people tend to experience muscle weakness and/or pains when they initially quit this drug. This weakness should improve gradually over the course of a few weeks until you no longer feel weak.
Nausea: In some cases, people end up feeling nauseated if they taper too quickly or during the first week of withdrawal. This nausea may be unpleasant, but keep in mind that it will eventually subside.
Seizures: If you have epilepsy you may experience rebound seizures during withdrawal if you remain unmedicated. It is always important to make sure that you slowly taper from AED’s or you could experience a seizure. If you are unsure of a good tapering protocol, talk to a professional.
Sleep changes: You may experience changes in your sleep patterns during withdrawal. In other words, you may have difficulty falling or staying asleep or you may sleep too much. You may also have difficulty sleeping at normal times (e.g. sleepy during the day and unable to sleep at night).
Suicidal thinking: In some cases, the depression that people deal with during withdrawal can lead to suicidal thinking. If you are feeling suicidal and haven’t felt this way before taking the medication, you should recover to normal thinking in some time. In the meantime, be sure to see a therapist and talk about your feelings if they are extreme.
Tremors: Withdrawal can lead some individuals to experience shakes or tremors upon discontinuation. These can be minimized if a proper tapering protocol is followed, but if a person quits too quickly, the tremors may be severe.
Vision changes: It is common to experience vision changes while taking the drug. Some people experience similar vision changes when they withdraw as well. Over time your vision should return to normal functioning – give it some time.
Weight loss: Since many people gain weight when they take Depakote, it should be obvious that they are going to lose it when they stop taking it. If you gained weight while on the drug, you should eventually lose most of it as time continues to pass. The weight loss will not be immediate, but should occur gradually."

Work with your MD and advocate for yourself. You are the patient and if you have any concerns at all a good Dr. will respect those concerns and together you can come up with a plan that you are comfortable with. I urge you not stop abruptly, you may have no side effects from doing this as suggested by your doc but as a general rule of thumb it is NOT recommended. Stick to your guns, play it safe! You wouldn't have posted this question if you didn't have questions about your treatment. You could stop suddenly and experience no side effects, a great outcome... but what if you drew the short straw unnecessarily... Good luck to you and follow your instincts as well as educating yourself as much as possible!