Depakote and Nausea: What Users Say

• Cyc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 7, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I'm bipolar II. Recently started Depakote. Started out at 200 mg, now at 800 mg. So far, so good. Will write another review in another month or two. I was terrified starting this medicine, but it has been great so far. I'm still not at my target dose, but it has already helped racing thoughts, depression, and hypomania. I feel more hopeful, a lot calmer, and less stressed out. NO WEIGHT GAIN AT ALL. Not even a single pound. I've actually lost weight. Side effects? The first week I felt more depressed, but it didn't last. Tiredness, nausea, and a bit foggy after each increase. Easy peasy. I have tried 15 medicines including Lamotrigine, Trileptal, Abilify, Gabapentin, and countless antidepressants. Nothing worked. Fingers crossed. Big hugs to all of you bipolars out there!"

• MAN...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 15, 2013

For Bipolar Disorder "I have to say some of the side effects to DEPAKOTE ARE TOUGH! But the SIDE EFFECTS TO MY CONDITION COULD BE WAY WORSE. So I've been sticking to it and working through the side effects. It's DEFINITELY a miracle pill. I am only at 3 weeks but I've never felt calm, NO racing thoughts, and I feel HAPPIER. I only have LITTLE anxiety at this time. Before, most weeks I'd end up in the ER 3 times DUE TO A PANIC ATTACK. SIDE EFFECTS: headache, staring, head feels funny like an electric shock, nauseous. My lips and tongue are twitching. I have an instant cold and clammy feeling. BUT I LOVE THE CALMNESS and all these side effects have gone away and I feel like I am living like I've never lived! This medicine is AMAZING."

• Anonymous
• October 15, 2012

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication has kept me stable for 4 years. I am now 23 and was on 1000 mg at night. I recently went down as my blood tests came back too high. So I went back down to 700 mg and had another manic episode. I am now in the process of finding an antipsychotic to go with it. I have managed to stay at 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."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 21, 2021

For Migraine Prevention "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 speaking and understanding others, trouble reading and writing. Started Depakote 250 once daily. Then gradually increased to 1000 daily. Worked great! I didn't have all those symptoms after being on this drug. Instead of having migraines all day, all night, 7 days a 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 migraines every day. So my doctor prescribed Propranolol alongside Depakote. After that, I had migraines like once a week. But over time, fewer and fewer migraines happened. After 2 years of being on this medicine, I quit and didn't have migraines even after quitting the drug. So I'm really amazed by the result. I didn't gain any weight. No serious side effects."

• 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."

• 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."

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

For Migraine Prevention "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!"

• Sav...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 26, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "I've spent my life since puberty trying various SSRIs and one SNRI with poor outcomes. Finally, I received a BP2 diagnosis, and since then have been on this medication for a little over a year. I've had neither crushing lows nor frenzied highs since starting this medicine. Even old triggers, like poor sleep or the onset of wintertime, do not cause me much disturbance anymore. This is the only drug I take for my condition. It has significantly curbed my anger and anxiety as well. The only side effects are nausea and stomach cramps if I take it on an empty stomach. The pills smell like vanilla and have a coating that makes it easy to swallow (doesn't stick to your throat). For the first time in a decade, I feel very close to 'normal.' I have hope for my future. For me, this medicine has been a blessing. Bipolar is a serious neurological condition, never be afraid to seek help and advocate for yourself. To all reading: you've got this, and I believe in you!"

• SFL...
• June 10, 2011

For Epilepsy "I have used Depakote for the past 13 years now, 500 mg per day. The only side effects were nausea and anxiety for the first day or two. At that point, I was taking 1000 mg. My neurologist pulled back the dosage to 750 mg and later 500 mg. I've never had weight gain as a result of it and notice no ill effects with light drinking. I did stop taking Depakote for about 6 months about 10 years ago and soon thereafter had a petit mal seizure. I immediately went back on Depakote and haven't had an issue since. Really couldn't be more satisfied with this medicine."

• ang...
• November 27, 2010

For Bipolar Disorder "My daughter is 12 years old, and her Depakote was recently increased to 1,000 mg a day. Immediately, I saw some harsh side effects. To begin with, she has a very petite frame and dropped 9 pounds and now weighs 62 pounds. My daughter started vomiting with the high dose. She hasn't slept a normal night's sleep in a long time. She never wants to eat, which has caused her dramatic weight loss. She experiences nausea, vomiting, irritability, and many more side effects. Depakote may be a lifesaver for some, but this medication isn't for everyone."

• cha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 31, 2013

For Epilepsy "I take this medicine for unexplained seizures. The doctor said they were caused by severe panic attacks. I don't know. It has helped a lot. But the side effects are terrible. Stomach burning, nausea, itching, drowsiness, and much more. I take a 1000 mg dose."

• Suz...
• July 27, 2009

For Migraine Prevention "2-1/2 months of low-grade migraine (from old whiplash accident and cervical spine damage). Saw my neurologist (specializes in migraine), and she put me on a steroid pack. Migraine stopped within a day, but then started blotching on face and chest, having an allergic reaction. After stopping, got a HUGE rebound headache. Went in for my 1st time of Depacon via IV, which made me loopy, nauseous, and uncomfortable. This happened for 4-5 hours 2 days in a row. Migraine was pretty much gone. Then put on Depakote at night by pill. Made me feel a little loopy, but OK. So first night, I was restless, had nutty dreams, but slept. 2nd night, woke up at 2 a.m., awake and cleaned house, folded clothes, etc. Not tired yet at 5 p.m."

• Edd...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 31, 2022

For Epilepsy "I'm epileptic. I have been having seizures since my early teens. I’m 52 now. I was born with a tumor in my brain. The tumor has been removed, but the damage of the scar tissue is causing me to have seizures. I have been taking Depakote 2000mg a day, and I take with it Keppra 1000mg a day for 2 years, and the side effects suck. I can’t sleep, I stutter, I’m always anxious, and I have tremors. I have my ups and downs, mood swings. I lost my hair, I’m easily angered or frustrated and nervous. I also have high blood pressure now and have to take high blood pressure meds. I smoke THC and CBD to help. I’m usually nauseous, and I have digestive problems, if you know what I mean. I still have seizures, mainly blackouts. I haven’t had a grand mal seizure for a bit. But I would like to know if anyone came down with high blood pressure when started taking the meds."

• Sky...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 9, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "I started taking Depakote in high school. (250 mg-500 mg). It turned my life around. I was focused, driven, sociable, etc. I felt like I was on top of the world. I had little to no side effects. I was so happy with life and was taking care of myself that I lost 100 lbs. I took it for a couple of years and felt wonderful, so much so that I convinced myself that I was fine and didn’t need medication anymore. I was wrong. I crashed hard after I stopped. A couple of years later, I’m back on it again, and I feel amazing again. A little tiredness and nausea. I have trouble sleeping but was prescribed medication to solve that problem. My racing thoughts have stopped and my extreme mood swings are almost nonexistent. Others have noticed my positive change, and they enjoy hanging out with me. I’m really glad it worked for me."

• Jil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 25, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "Been on Depakote and Prozac for three days. I take 20 mg Prozac in the morning and 750 mg Depakote before bed. First day great.. I felt better! My mood was noticeably happy, and I could actually think clearer without being agitated. Second day had trouble sleeping, anxiety, tremors, and a little hallucinations. Third day terrible nausea, panic attack, in the bathroom every 20 mins seems like, bedtime abdominal pain, and diarrhea. I'm slowly coming off of this med now."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 10, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "I'm on 1,500 mg twice a day, so I'm just bothered by the side effects, which are: 1- Laziness 2- Drowsiness (frequently) 3- Lack of ambition 4- Lack of comprehension 5- Euphoria (sometimes) 6- Nausea after being caffeinated, I completely had to stop drinking coffee. 7- Double vision."

• sus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 20, 2021

"I don't like this drug. I was put on it for anxiety. I was on Ativan on and off. It was unbelievably effective. I felt calm, solid, and stable. With Depakote, I am having side effects: nausea, tired, full of anxiety, deep depression, dizzy. This is an old-school drug that should be retired."

• Dee...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 12, 2018

For Migraine Prevention "Lethargy, weight gain, depression, headaches, muscle aches, nausea."