Valproic acid and Depression: What Users Say

• Res...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 7, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "This drug is clearly extremely dangerous for some people. It was for me. I felt like I was an entirely different person - and not a normal person either. It was as if an alien had taken over my body. I had bizarre paranoid thoughts and started thinking I was seeing symbols in everything. I lost all motivation and purpose. I became depressed and suffered from chronic insomnia that caused me to be awake at night and asleep during the day. My right hand started to tremble involuntarily. It got so bad that I couldn’t write or type. I lost the dexterity of my fingers such that I had to purchase voice recognition software to type and use my computer for the work I was doing. And my memory crumbled. I would walk into the kitchen from another room only to forget why I went there. This happened constantly and daily."

• Mis...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 23, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Have been on valproic acid 1000 mg. Recently was told to lower to 750 mg at bedtime for insomnia. Feel flat affect; would like my feelings back. Tremors were a problem. Less after lowering meds. Diarrhea aplenty! Thinning hair, depression, nightmares. Sharp pain in the right abdomen wakes me up from sleep."

• Mis...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• December 23, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Have been on valproic acid 1000 mg. Recently was told to lower to 750 mg at bedtime for insomnia. Feel flat affect; would like my feelings back. Tremors were a problem. Less after lowering meds. Diarrhea aplenty! Thinning hair, depression, nightmares. Sharp pain in the right abdomen wakes me up from sleep."

• Tob...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 6, 2020

For Epilepsy "After my first seizure at age 9, I was prescribed 600mg of valproic acid daily, so without comparison it’s unclear if it reduced my seizures. I had a few more in the first two years. Definitely not worth the side effects. It made me fat, socially reclusive, and depressed to the point of suicidal ideation. (A big contrast to before) I found it hard to find the energy to wake up every day. I was joyless and lethargic. Teachers noticed, so I was diagnosed with ADD and prescribed amphetamines. This led to a drug habit (I used weed to sleep after amphetamine insomnia) and a distrust in doctors. To this day I’m seen as “all over the place,” and it’s a consequence of this neuro-drug rollercoaster in my teens, starting with valproic acid. Good news: I’m seizure-free since 2012, without meds. Using mindfulness to avoid triggers worked well enough for me to grow out of it."

• Sen...
• July 16, 2015

Valproic acid for Seizures "I was on this for 4 1/2 years, right up to a very high dose. I got the side effect of constantly feeling hungry yet never feeling full, no matter how much I ate. That immediately caused me to gain 10 lbs a month for 6 months: 60 pounds! It also gave me the side effects of major depression and a generally unpleasant mood overall. It was of the usual average effectiveness in controlling my seizures, which began due to neurological brain damage in a traffic accident. Note: This medication is highly dangerous to pregnant women. It will cause permanent damage to their fetus."

• Tro...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 26, 2016

For Epilepsy "I was diagnosed with Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy when I was 16. For nearly two years now, I have been on Valparin. Although I haven't had a seizure for that duration at all, I must say there were some unpleasant side effects. Firstly, it made me lose my focus very easily. I was getting distracted at the slightest provocation. It also made me unable to cry, you know, to let it all out just wasn't possible. And then there were also some bouts of depression that made me wonder if I am on the right drug. My final opinion is that you should take this med for a longer duration only if you can cope with the side effects. Talk to your doctor if you feel uncomfortable with this drug."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 29, 2020

"I have been on valproic acid for approximately 8 months, which they gave me for borderline personality disorder. Unfortunately, this medication has neither helped with my mental health, and the side effects are dreadful. I have been experiencing nightmares, tremors, weight gain, paranoia, depression, difficulty breathing, and I also had a kidney infection. As a result, I am weaning off of this medication and working with my medical team to utilize a non-pharmaceutical approach to treat my mental health."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2012

For Bipolar Disorder "Hallucinations, depression, mania, aggression."

• Bec...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 12, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "Son takes it and has coped well, but now depressed, and it is much less effective."