Divalproex sodium User Reviews & Ratings (Page 4)

• sf1...
• 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 (2000 mg 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 lucky 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...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 9, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I take Depakote 500 mg 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 it's 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 four times their size. My ankles were very red, painful, and swollen."

• D P...
• 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 supplement. Overall, I feel it is working."

• X21...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 20, 2014

For Bipolar Disorder "Had to take it in conjunction with Seroquel for it to work. Currently on 1g of Depakote ER per day and 50mg of Seroquel per night. With the two mood stabilizers, I am able to take 20mg of Dexedrine ER for my ADHD to focus on work/school without spinning myself into a hypomanic episode. Keep experimenting until you find what works. I know it can be discouraging, but you'll get there eventually."

• J A...
• July 24, 2017

For Epilepsy "I used to have a wonderful, smart son. About 12 years ago, I noticed changes starting to take effect in his life. He was becoming agitated, he was losing his memory, he had no energy. I was told this was due to his having so many seizures. I just this week, after having a really bad week a few weeks ago, the doctor decided to take him off of this medication in a hospital-controlled setting. After one day of not taking this medication, I am starting to see the personality of my son come back. He had gotten to the point that he made terrible decisions, he was depressed often, he was confused and was losing his memory and his ability to talk and remember words. I'm sorry, but the benefits of controlling seizures were not worth this."

• non...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 8, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "Was given a choice of Depakote or lithium when diagnosed with bipolar three years ago. I chose Depakote while knowing nothing about it. I've had three manic episodes in my life, and Depakote's brought me back down from every one. And since I have mixed episodes, they get really dangerous, so I probably owe Depakote my life. The only downside I've experienced is nausea and vomiting, it can hit pretty hard and out of nowhere sometimes. Made me want to stop the drug at one point, but for me, the pros outweigh the cons. You have to get your blood tested every few months, and it interacts with some other medications (like Lamictal), so take care."

• Yel...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 7, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I've taken Depakote for 13 years along with Citalopram. 250 mg Depakote with 10 mg of Citalopram. It helped with my intense excitability, my severe depression, and suicidal thoughts, which happened to me 2 weeks out of the month. It was so bad. After taking these meds, I felt so much better, like a 'normal' person. I had no side effects. My symptoms were down to 3 days instead of 3 weeks, which I could deal with, and I didn't want to kill myself anymore. I'm bipolar and/or PMDD. They are not working for me anymore, so I'm going to have to change to something else. Hope this helps someone. :)"

• mou...
• 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 210 lbs to 304 lbs. I have been on just about everything over the years. A little bit lethargic, but this seems to have stabilized me the best."

• soc...
• April 3, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "I have been having migraines for 3 years. I took a beta blocker that didn't work. Then got put on Depakote for migraines. I was on it for a month with no big migraines unless I had my trigger food. Then I realized I gained 5 pounds, was tired all the time, and broke out like I had never been before. The medicine works for migraines but has terrible side effects. Had to stop taking."

• Her...
• July 14, 2017

For Epilepsy "Have taken this med for 28+ years with no seizures during this time. I have experienced no side effects except that my hair has become very curly. Lots of compliments! No downside. I am seizure-free. No other med has worked for me."

• Man...
• March 10, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "Started having migraines about ten years ago. The only treatment that has ever worked for me is Depakote. Everybody is different, but for me this was a Godsend. Nothing worked, and Topamax was only a temporary solution. The thing is that after a two-month regimen, my headaches completely went away. I stopped taking the medication for two or three years before my migraines returned. I went on another regimen, and again I went several years without a headache. Yes, I did have slight weight gain, and yes, it did affect my ability to perform sexually, but I did not have to continue taking it for more than 3 months. Cysticercosis as a child and a catalyst of factors cause my headaches. Depakote works."

• Rus...
• June 17, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "Since 2006, I have been on some sort of med for my depression or what my family doctor thought was depression. First med was Lexapro, and boy, did it send me into a manic stage. Never felt so high in my life, a cloud was lifted. That drug worked for a while, but soon after, it lost its effectiveness. Tried about every SSRI on the market until we ran out, and at that point, I did not want to live anymore. Family doctor sent me to a psychiatric hospital in which I saw my first psychiatrist, who said my OCD was the root of my depression, so he put me on Luvox along with my Klonopin. After a while, I seemed better, but not for long. Been on Depakote ER 1000MG ever since, and everything seems fine, except weight gain. Mood better."

• BAE...
• 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 led to me losing my job from losing so much time at work. I'm giving this medication a low rating even 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."

• Anonymous
• April 6, 2008

For Mania "I have been using Depakote for over one year, and it has helped me with my manic episodes. I have not had any since I started the medicine. It does not, however, do much in regard to racing thoughts and helping me stay positive. Hoping for a cure : )"

• Nic...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 30, 2015

For Epilepsy "Before I came to the US, I was taking other medications for epilepsy, but upon dealing with a US doctor, he recommended 2000 mg of Depakote daily. I immediately went to the library and checked the side effects, which were considerable. I asked the doctor if I could take a smaller dose, but he didn't think it wise. I decided to take matters into my own hands and reduce my dosage. I have been taking 250 mg now for 35 years with no seizures. Early on, I found that when I took long flights to Asia and missed sleep and became dehydrated, I would increase my dosage, and then when I came back home, I would slowly lower it again. I don't believe I am suffering from any side effects of this drug."

• the...
• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 28, 2016

For Epilepsy "This medicine took 3 weeks to fully kick in. I had the side effect of increased appetite, but I haven't gained any weight because I eat a low-carb diet and work out 4 times a week. I do not have any side effects anymore, and this mostly controls my temporal lobe epilepsy."

• Cow...
• June 22, 2014

For Migraine Prevention "I have only been taking Depakote ER 500 mg for 10 days now, or maybe I should say nights. I take it at bedtime and was supposed to start taking it twice a day after a week, but the upset stomach, the shakes (or extra nervousness), no sign of relief of my migraines, and I haven't been able to sleep at night either. I'm going to tell my Dr. that I just can't take it anymore."

• P I...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 19, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Depakote has proved a good med to keep me from being manic, has twice brought me down from mania, both times with increased dosage. Much more effective than antipsychotics alone, namely Abilify, Zyprexa, and Seroquel. Now I am on 2 grams a day, split into 1 gram doses twice a day. Great for mania, not for depression. I'm currently in a depressive episode, recently started another med for that, alongside the Depakote. I struggle to control my appetite on Depakote, but eating healthy, wholesome meals helps me not to give in to unhealthy cravings. Good outweighs the bad for me :)"

• Med...
• December 2, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I've taken a lot of meds in 19 years and took Depakote for around 1 year. Weight gain about the same as Lithium. This drug gave me hallucinations at night and freaked me out big time. Beware. I didn't hallucinate before the drug, and now that I've stopped it 6 months ago - no Depakote = no hallucinations."

• J2 ...
• December 1, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I'm going to say this. This medication has been a lifesaver for me. I've been on it for six months now. I take it for migraines, bipolar, and seizures. No noticeable side effects except for a lot of ear popping. I am a lot calmer than what I used to be. My anxiety is still there, but it isn't as bad as it was. I can actually function on this medication. My family can be around me now. I used to rapid cycle and have mixed episodes at least ten times a week. Now they're gone. It's nice to be normal for a change. No grandiose delusions. No audible delusions. I am a little bit sleepier than normal. But with a change of diet, I'm okay. No hair falling out. Just the normal hair loss when it comes to the change of weather."

• Anonymous
• April 11, 2012

For Migraine Prevention "I had used this medication for more than 15 years before it stopped preventing my chronic migraine headaches. I was taking it up to 2000 mg per night daily and didn't have any side effects of it since the very beginning of taking it (in a lower dose, of course) and even when I took the max dose as described. I had a very easy adjusting to it, also, and no unpleasantness whatsoever."

• Mel...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 2, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I am not very fond of Depakote. When I took it, it didn't improve my mood swings that much. In the beginning, it made me nauseous and caused my hair to fall out. No, I didn't go bald, but it thinned out my hair enough that my hairstylist noticed. Eventually, my hair stopped falling out, but I gained a lot of weight and I had very bad tremors and bad coordination. If you do decide to take this medicine, make sure your doctor tests your blood regularly. I think you are supposed to have your blood tested every 6 months."

• SF1...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 2, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I am a guy who underwent 30 years of treatment for anxiety/depression until I was finally correctly diagnosed with BP2 and ADHD. Depakote ER 2000 mg at night is my mainstay med. My default mixed states are well-controlled by Depakote. Xanax works as a rescue med at far lower doses than I took before Depakote. Early hair loss (now resolved), no weight gain. I take 20 mg Dexedrine daily for ADHD; Depakote doesn't let it trigger hypomania. Ketamine infusions and nose spray cover the depressive side."

• Sus...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 27, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "Honestly, this medicine has saved my life! I went from having multiple long-lasting episodes of mania to none. Yeah, I still get the thoughts, but I'm relaxed and able to make conscious choices now that I'm on it. The only negative side effect is the hair loss, but it's temporary, but so worth it. Nothing is better than feeling like you are in control of yourself, and this medicine does this for you. Don't be scared to ask your doctor about it!"