Depakote User Reviews & Ratings (Page 3)

• Linda...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 19, 2012

For Bipolar Disorder "I have just been diagnosed with bipolar disorder after goodness knows how many years of episodes. It took my shrink the best part of 2 years to finally diagnose me after many different antidepressants, sleepless nights, racing thoughts, and wild partying until the early hours (sometimes on my own!). I just started on Depakote 3 weeks ago, initially on 500 mg per day, which didn't help my mania. Now I'm on 500 mg in the morning and 500 mg in the evening, which calms me down, helps me sleep, deals with my irritability and mania, and generally slows me down. I have found that I get eye jolts and fuzziness, but for the first time in 3 years (when it all started back up!), I am beginning to feel 'normal.' We'll see how it goes. My consultant has mentioned lithium also."

• Anonymous
• October 3, 2012

For Bipolar Disorder "Depakote has been a lifesaver for me. I take 250mg in the morning and 500mg at bedtime. Weight gain was minimal, 5 lbs that I have lost recently by going on the South Beach Diet. I also take 200mg of Zoloft. I sleep okay but usually need a nap in the afternoon. I look forward to my life now instead of just existing."

• Rhond...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 9, 2020

For Migraine Prevention "I've had migraines since the age of 12 and I'm in my mid fifties. I had chronic common migraines for years, up to about 15 or more a month. Tried every prophylactic out there with no success until I tried Depakote 500mg ER at night. Took about 2 weeks and I have not had a headache in over a month, and when I do have one I take 50 mg of Sumatriptan and its gone in 10 minutes. Its been a miracle for me and has changed my life! Only side effect is increased hunger but I'm managing that. I take that over pain that took over my life any day!"

• Barb
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 14, 2020

For Migraine Prevention "I have been taking Depakote over 20 years for migraines. Tried everything out there and this is the only drug that helped at all. I had no side effects. However, after about 15 years, I had to increase the dose from 500 to 1,000 daily. About four years after that, found that my osteoporosis had significantly worsened. Just a warning if you are a woman nearing menopause or past menopause, keep an eye on bone density as this drug can potentially reduce that with long-term use or high dosage."

• theni...
• August 11, 2010

For Bipolar Disorder "I've read many people have been gaining weight from this drug. This is why it is SO important you care about your health from day one and it should be a part of your lifestyle and regimen, no matter what. This way, whatever the side effects are of the medicine, you're on top of your game and won't get hit as hard. I've been on many bipolar medications which make you gain weight, but I barely noticed because I work out and eat very healthy. It's of utter importance that you lay down a solid, healthy foundation before and during therapy. The healthy lifestyle will also make the medicine work better. It's common sense."

• mdan
• March 26, 2008

For Mania "I have been using Depakote for nearly eight years now and it has kept my mania episodes under control. The only thing is I have weight gain from using this medication, but that's a small price to pay. Thank you."

• qwert...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 26, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "Love this medication, after 2-3 years of severe long lasting manic episodes finally decided to take meds full time. Hardly any side effects, very hungry, simply eat normally and you wont put weight on, the medication doesn't make you fat, eating does. Occasionally very tired and my stomach from time to time gets a little funny, just take with lots of water and food. Very calm, can concentrate, no racing thoughts, level, basically gave me my life back, works well at 750 even though I'm 80kgs, Dr upped me to 1000mg but felt too sedated so dropped back down. I move to 1000mg if I feel like I'm starting to drift a little for a few weeks then move back. However, this is the 7th med I have tried, all others have failed, never write one med off"

• BellaSN
• July 22, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "This was my first medication for Bi-Polar, I'm a 40 year old woman and a long distance runner. This medication was great because it made the rapid thoughts and anxiety go away. However if you're an athlete like I am, I found this difficult as it caused extreme fatigue to the point where I was a couch potato not wanting to do anything. I gained 10 pounds in the first month and found it exhausting to run even a mile where I'm accustomed to running much more. My doctor is switching me to Topamax, today will be my first day taking it and I'm praying for good results."

• 46j15...
• August 18, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "Depikote was prescribed to me after 2 manic episodes. I've been on a lot of bipolar meds so many that have made me so depressed I spent a whole summer in bed. Depikote def saved my life. It's been a year now a little anxiety but not nearly as much as I've had in the past and a little weight gain and tiredness. But no mania and very little to no depression so thankyou depikote I rate u a 10 it's been a year and no mania :) ur a life saver I take 1500 mg though to so that might be y I'm so tired"

• Anonymous
• October 15, 2012

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication has kept me stable for 4 years. I am now 23 and was on 1000mgs at night. I recently went down as my bloodtests came back to high. So I went back down to 700mg and had another manic episode. I am now in the process of finding a antipsychotic to go with it. I have managed to stay 110 lbs for 4 years with a healthy diet and exercise. The only side effects I had were major hair loss, slight tremors, and nausea. All of which have passed within a year"

• Cricky
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 4, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "First day of starting it had bad abdominal pains ,headaches , lower back pains, spasticity in legs, dystonia , tired, ankles hurt, tender muscles very sore . Blurry vision not happy at all. But lamictal also caused all of these side effects as well. I hate the bipolar meds they offer ."

• gfano
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 28, 2020

For Mania "I have taken Depakote (or a 'good' generic) of this medication for nearly 3 decades. It is very effective, has few side effects (with the exception of weight gain which is responsive to diet and exercise). This is a far more effective and moderate drug than what I was initially prescribed (Lithium-on which I hallucinated and felt terrible). I've had no long term effects to date, maintain my dosage and lead a healthy life with this medication. Be careful when using GENERICS...some vary immensely. Let your doctor and pharmacist know immediately if you have issues. (IE: Find the right generic or return to the original Depakote brand). Lovely and effective for a "unipolar" patient that I am."

• knopie
• September 24, 2008

For Mania "This stuff works great. I have recommended this medication to many others who have similar symptoms regarding bipolar and hyper-mania. I am very fortunate to have been diagnosed correctly and to have been treated correctly with Depakote. I have noticed the changes myself and so have many others."

• D Peo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 22, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "My husband says Depakote is having a positive impact on me as well as our family! I'm not in bed all day or hanging around the bedroom. I'm up and about the house. Since decluttered, even organized! My personality has blossomed too. The last six years I tried a wide spectrum of medications; Seroquel, Lamictal, Latuda, zonisamide, carbamazepine to name a few! My bipolar worsened five years ago after our last child. The side effects were hair shedding within three weeks but no significant weight gain. I have always had a thick head of hair so it's not really noticeable but I can tell one side limp and not hanging full. I've started biotin along with a multivitamin. My Doc also told me to try a zinc a supplement. Overall I feel it is working."

• handc...
• May 1, 2009

For Migraine Prevention "I've suffered with bad migraines as far back as I can remember, and finally, after 52 years, they got so severe I ended up in the hospital. A new doctor took my history and decided to try Depakote (500mg) for 2 weeks, and then in 2 weeks double the dose. I started with the 500mg and never had to double the dose. This July 2nd, 2009, it will have been 2 years without any kind of headache. Not even a little one. THANKS Depakote."

• Becca
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 29, 2014

For Migraine Prevention "Used this for a few months as recommended to prevent my frequent and painful migraines that I've had since I was 12. Depakote was okay I guess. I still had two major migraines while on it, and didn't give it any extra time because the side effects are awful! I wanted to sleep constantly. Felt depressed and irritable, and hated life! Plus, the weight gain alone I experienced in a couple months was absolutely enough reason for me to not want to be on it anymore.... I gained about 15-20 lbs!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 28, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "My husband has bi-polar. When we first started dating, I didn't know he was bi-polar but everyday was crazy until he had a nervous breakdown and this great doctor put him on Depakote. It took a while but he got back to handling life and being more of his self. Don't get me wrong there are still bad days, where he needs to sleep all day or he's ready to fight everyone but I try to be his anchor no judgements but just being there for him. I married him for better or for worse and it's now been 14 years. He's now on disability with Medicaid, helps a lot. I love him. He knows that no matter what"

• Ross
• October 31, 2019

For Mania "My mother who has a mental disability and is 56 years old was prescribed this medication twice while residing in a long term care facility under the reasons of "behavior." The first time she was on approximately 1000mg and it made her sleep for hours, put her in a fog, made her delay in response if she even responded at all. I asked several times for her to be taken off of the medicine and the facility was disagreeable. She was hospitalized for malnutrition and severe dehydration where I was able to convince the doctors to remove most of the dosage. They kept her on a low dosage between 125mg to 250mg. She did fine, three years later they increased the med to approximately 500 mg and put her on more behavior meds. Same thing happened, went back to hospital this time with sepsis in the blood from lack of hydration and UTI. This medicine is good for some and not for others, doctors should listen when expressing concerns and symptoms caused by this med."

• Beach...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 17, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Depakote has worked amazing well for me for the past 2 decades. I have changed over to something else for a short period of time when it became ineffective. That has only happened 3 times in 17 years. It is not the greatest drug when you have to get off of it. You have to taper down very slowly."

• Sion
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 12, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "2007 - Put on 750 mg/day of Depakote alongside Lithium 800 mg/day. Killed libido stone dead. Did not help stabilise mood but worked away destabilising good lithium effect. Found this out after stopping Depakote 2014. Depakote has caused prostate cancer which was removed by radical prostatectomy June 2014. So it has caused me to be severely incontinent now, with erectile dysfunction. This month June 2016 it has been confirmed I have Multiple Myeloma a blood cancer. Depakote is the suspected trigger again. These effects result from being put on Depakote for seven years with no investigation of physical symptoms being reported to "psychiatric professionals""

• sf100
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 7, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety 35 years ago, but finally received a diagnosis on the bipolar spectrum two years ago at the age of 60. Depakote ER (2000mg at night) fixed things I didn't know were wrong and has stilled the ultradian cycling that was really my problem all along. I feel luck that the only side effects I have encountered are hair loss at first (now resolved) and occasional heartburn. It relieved most of my depressive and hypomanic symptoms within three weeks, but I just added Lamictal to help a little more with depressive symptoms. I take a complicated stack of meds to manage psych. symptoms, but Depakote is by far the most important."

• M M 555
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 9, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I take depakote 500mg extended release at night for bipolar. Mostly mania. I like depakote because it keeps me leveled. I feel normal. No mania. No depression. I do sometimes have trouble sleeping but not much. I have felt nauseous but I'm gonna go to my primary doctor because my psych says the nausea would've happened in the beginning of depakote and I've been on it for a while so probably not caused by depakote. Anyone taking depakote, make sure you go to your follow ups to check liver enzymes in your blood since it can cause liver damage. Overall I think depakote is effective for me. I tried lamictal and abilify and I hated them. They made my ankles swell up to 4 times their size. My ankles were very red and painful and swollen."

• Depab...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 4, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "After the birth of my daughter I had a depressive episode, I would like to note I was 40 pounds over weight after having my daughter, normal after childbirth. I delivered a healthy baby and my pregnancy had no complications and I had normal lab results on physicals before depakote. After being on it, I ballooned up another 40 pounds. The depakote messed with my thyroid issues, gave me obesity, sleeping about sixteen hours a day, mental fog, severe fatigue, depression, fatty liver diagnosis. I like walking every day and after the depabloat I could not get the energy to walk anymore. The doctor blamed everything on me, (wonderful doctor). Before depakote, I did not have any of these problems. So beware. The professionals can care less what the medication does to you. I wouldn’t take this medication again. This was all over the course of eight months. The doctors will blame you for every adverse side effect to cover their own bottoms when prescribing this crud of a medication."

• mouse...
• July 19, 2013

For Bipolar Disorder "Have been Bipolar since 89. I have been on Depakote for 9 years, 500 mg x 3. I went from 210lbs to 304lbs. I have been on just about everything over the years. A little bit lethargic, but this seems to have stabilized me the best."

• BAEEE...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 30, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "Depakote worked for me as a mood stabilizer, but caused a lot of side effects. Weight gain = 30 pounds in 3 months and pancreatitis. Doctors didn't realize the pancreatitis was from the combination of two of my medications until I had it three times - pancreatitis is excruciatingly painful and lead to me losing my job from losing so much time at work. I'm giving this medication a low rating event though it worked well for my mood because there are so many other medications out there for bipolar that are weight neutral and don't cause organ damage."