Depakote for Migraine Prevention User Reviews

• Coco
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 25, 2020

"I was terrified to try Depakote for migraines. I tried a dozen other drugs that didn’t work or eventually lost their effectiveness so I was basically left w/ no choice. I started taking it at night and it really helped w/sleep. In about 1-2 weeks I felt like a new person. My migraines were lessoned as well as the intensity. I monitored my diet faithfully and exercised when I was in less pain. And I never stopped praying it would continue to help me. Please don’t be as terrified as I was. At least try it..."

• Boss...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2019

"I was on Depakote 500 mg once a day with no effect on my migraines. BUT I have noticed I’m no longer impulsively spending. So I guess it’s possible that I’m bipolar as well...? My doctor has upped my dose to twice a day and so far so good. No headache this month and adding to my savings every week lol."

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

"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

"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."

• handc...
• May 1, 2009

"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 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 09 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

"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 1 to 2 years
• September 21, 2021

"I was using this drug for my insane migraine attacks. Before taking this medicine, I had migraine headaches with stomach ache, nausea, being sleepy, feeling extremely fatigued that I wasn't even able to get up out of bed, trouble in speaking and understanding the others, trouble in reading and writing. Started Depakote 250 once daily. Then gradually increased to 1000 daily. Worked great! I didn't have all that symptoms after being on this drug. Instead of having migraine, all day all night 7 days of week, I had like once a day for like 2 hours with mild symptoms. I was amazed by the result and it helped me so much. But I was still having migraine everyday. So my doctor prescribed Propranolol alongside Depakote. After that, I had migraine like once a week. But over time less and less migraines happened. After 2 years of being on this medicine, I quit and didn't have migraine even after quiting the drug. So I'm really amazed by the result. I didn't gain any weight. No serious side effect"

• Manny
• March 10, 2016

"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 Topomax was only a temporary solution. The thing is that after a two month regiment my headaches completely went away. I stopped taking the medication for two or three years before my migraines returned. I went on another regiment 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."

• socce...
• April 3, 2015

"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 tried all the time and broke out like I had never been before. Medicine works for migraines but has terrible side effects. Had to stop taking"

• kygent
• November 17, 2010

"I have had migraines most of my 67 years. 5 yrs ago I found a Doctor who prescribed Depakote 250 mg. My migraines decreased from one per month to maybe five in the past five years. Taken in combination with sumatriptan succinate tablets (only when I feel the onset of a migraine) I have a life mostly without pain."

• YDP
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 11, 2013

"I've always suffered from migraines. I take 500 ER twice a day and gained 16lbs in less than 3 weeks. Since I'm already overweight this caused severe back pain in which I can barely walk and my legs are numb. Works wonders for my migraine but the side effects aren't worth it!"

• simki...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 1, 2018

"I have a migraine 4 to 6 times per week. I have tried Maxalt, OTC drugs such as Acetaminophen, Excedrin, Advil, PM meds like Advil PM, amitriptyline, and now Depakote. Depakote has done nothing at all to improve my migraines. At this point, I wonder if anything is going to ever help my migraines. All of the meds I mentioned above do not help. I'm at my wit's end. I tried Topamax too a few years ago and it made me so nauseous and didn't help my migraines. I had an MRI done, and the ENT doctor said there were no brain abnormalities seen on the MRI disc. I don't want to be a guinea pig ( hey, try this), or a medical mystery. All I want is some pain relief. Caffeine doesn't help, nor does alcohol. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 14, 2012

"Before Depakote, I've tried vitamin B2, verapamil, and Topamax, but for one reason or another none of them have worked. About 6 months ago, my doctor started me on Depakote. Once I started using it, my daily headaches became a lot more tolerable, but haven't gone away completely, and my severe migraines are at about once a month. However, like many others, there was a noticeable weight gain--about 20 pounds--soon after I started, and it's been pretty steady since. I've also had a bout of depression recently, but it's hard to tell how that's related to the medicine because it isn't my first time. As of right now, I'm not sure the minor benefits are worth the side effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 3, 2019

"My 14 year old son went on Depaokote about 3 months ago for abdominal migraines and head migraines. After trying a number of other migraine medicines Depakote was the only medication that stopped the continual vomiting, nausea and headache he had be experiencing for over 2 months. It did take 4 weeks for the medication to build up in his system to prevent the symptoms. He is now on 750 mg of Depakote and feeling great! The only side effect he is experiencing is weight gain, but we believe with proper diet and exercise he will be able to control that."

• Cpcmom
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 23, 2014

"I have struggled with migraines for 14 years. I have tried so many medications over the years. The past 3 years my migraines have gotten worse. I have been put in the hospital for a week to a week and a half at a time. The last time I went to the neurologist they added Depakote twice a day to see if it would help cut back on the number of migraines I was having. I would have at least one a day. I was currently on Topamax twice a day, Fioricet, Zofran. When I started Depakote I noticed my weight was going up well I have been on the medication 3 months now and I have gained 40 pounds. This is so crazy. I used to weigh 298lbs. And I don't want to go back there. When my scale started going over the 200 mark again."

• Anonymous
• March 1, 2012

"Taking Depakote for migraine prevention. My headaches finally went away after a year and a half of chronic migraines. Free for 7 months but my headaches have returned now. I've also gained 10 pounds since I started the medication, had some hair loss at the beginning and I do have a problem with constant anxiety."

• VADie...
• February 22, 2017

"50 Year old male, 6'5" 210 lbs, I have had migraines for ten plus years. I am on 100mgs of Topamax twice a day which gave me four to five migraine a month. Doctor put me on 250mgs Depakote and so far I am down to one migraine a month with no side effects from the Depakote - that I can tell. I call that a win!"

• Kaye...
• April 23, 2011

"Depakote worked great as a migraine preventative, but caused a weight gain of over 100 pounds in less than 3 months. It also caused non-alcoholic steatoid hepatitis (aka extreme fatty liver). I also now have Type 2 Diabetes. My body was shutting down because of Depakote. If you decide to take it, please, please, please keep up with the blood tests to check liver function and see your doctor immediately if you have sudden weight gain. By the way, after over 12 years, the last 50 pounds of that weight gain is stubbornly hanging on."

• careb...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 9, 2013

"Got on it for migraines, it worked great for the first 8 months. The last 4 months I've gotten depressed, panic attacks. I lost weight so weight gain wasn't an issue but I've always had issue with weight loss and not gaining. Made me lose appetite a lot and I was never thirsty either."

• Lucy
• October 21, 2011

"For prevention, I give Depakote a 10 . I was having migraines 7 days a week. Mine began at the age of 4 (at least that's when I was old enough to put words to how it felt in my head. Dr. said I'd probably had them long before that). I have genetic and environmental migraines. Lucky me! I was in a test group that tried Depakote to see if it worked for prevention of migraines. I went 14 days without a headache for the first time in 10 years. That was almost 30 years ago. Then the weight gain started. I already had a yoyo weight problem. My weight (at 6' tall for a female) had never gone over 190. On Depakote it skyrocketed to 262 lbs. Not nice! I told my neurologist who told me it was all in my head. Changed doctors taking Topamax now!"

• Chelle
• May 11, 2009

"I have tried Depakote for migraines, as well as Childhood Epilepsy. My son has tried it for Bipolar disorder. It can and does make me and my son lethargic, can cause an increase in salivation, causes massive weight gain (from 105 to 155lbs). In my opinion, the possible benefits are not worth the side effects."

• csb
• May 5, 2010

"Very good for helping with migraines but if you're prone to weight gain, be careful or reconsider. I have gained about 30 pounds in 5 months. I struggle with depression so gaining weight is not something that I'm dealing with in a good way. It came on very quickly and I was already overweight...(Just a word of warning about the weight gain)."

• Overh...
• January 1, 2020

"In 1994 I was in a Semi truck collision. A one ton Ford hit my Semi flatbed loaded with three fork lifts. I received whip lash side ways then the fork lifts broke the tie downs the force started to throw me through the Cab over windshield my seat belt sat me down. I received whip lash front to back. I did not hit my head or get knocked out, as one Doctor stated. I had sharp severe headache's. For months I was allowed to take 10 aspirin a day, 300 a months. A year later I went to Portland Oregon, I found Dr. Christina Peterson she told me I was having rebound headache's. She put me on Depakote twice a day maybe 250 mg not positive. It was a miracle. I was able to work again."

• Jim
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 25, 2018

"I have been suffering from migraines for about 15 years. On average I would have a migraine at least weekly sometimes more. About 8 years ago I started on Depakote. I went from having migraines at least monthly to 1 or 2 a year. The last count was I hadn't had any for over 2 years. Now just recently I started having migraines more frequently. I have experienced some weight gain but not sure if it's the aging process or the meds."

• Meadow...
• September 4, 2016

"I had debilitating migraines for 15 years and went on a small dose of Depakote (125 mg) twenty years ago. It was amazing. Maybe five headaches over all those years. However I have now gone off hormones and having steady weight gain, increased dizziness and some depression. I am uncertain what to do. Our chemistry changes as we age, and the science is not keeping up."