Divalproex sodium for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 5)

• Rach
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 2, 2013

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "I've been on this for 3 weeks now. It has definitely helped my mania. But I'm still very depressed. I've been having very vivid nightmares. Which is strange because I take medicine for those. I also take Ambien and citolopram. I feel like that's a lot of chemicals in my body. I am a drinker but that hasn't seemed to affect anything. My side effects are pretty much exactly what I've been told and read up on. With the exception of the bad dreams. Blood work must be fine. Doc hasn't called. So far so good."

• mopar...
• June 4, 2010

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "My 17 year old daughter started taking Depakote 750 mg 1 1/2 months ago. She has gained 28 pounds. When the dose was upped to 1500mg she had daily migraines. We have seen several improvements in her symptoms but not enough to keep her on a medication that makes her gain weight and decreases her self esteem."

• Still...
• March 19, 2018

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "This review is on behalf of my 16 year old son. Manic Ups and downs for years, between over the top excitement/happiness (rare and short lived) or anger/violence or full depression /sadness. Just trying to help him level out. Has been moved on and off many different medications to try to find a fit. Most recently Dr added depakote to his 900 mg lithium & 15 mg abilify. First four days started with depakote 500 mg; then added another pill to 1000 mg. Started to have digestive issues and tremors but pulled through. Increased to 1500 mg 4 days later which led to more tremors and violent vomitting. Dr suggested splitting the doses am/pm. Within 2 hours of taking the am dose the next day- same violent vomitting. Confirmed no stomach bug. His body was unable to handle the level of Depakote. Now, No longer taking. I've read many positive reviews on this medication , but sadly ours is not one of them due to his adverse reactions."

• wholl...
• October 24, 2011

Depakote ER (divalproex sodium) "I've been on DEpakote ER for about 7 years and regularly for 5 years before. I am a rapid cycler I think. Currently prescribed 2000mg/day (1000 in the morning and 1000 in the evening). I notice weight gain (though could be due to less nightly manic behavior and age), some upset stomach at times, overall, I think it stabilizes me. Caffeine does make me feel more alive when on ER. Otherwise feel quite lethargic, apathetic, less motivated. I tend to feel more like I am depressed when taking this medicine. Will look into combination of Anti-depressive. "

• dave
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 20, 2019

Depakote ER (divalproex sodium) "have been taking Depakote 1500 mg for 2 years, find it calms me down, when anxiety is overwhelming. It is worth side effects of weight gain, and hair loss. I keep taking regular dose and don't play around dosage. "

• Saria...
• December 13, 2014

Depakote ER (divalproex sodium) "I have been on Depakote ER for 4 months. My dosage is 1500mg a day. I went untreated for many years (18yrs) because I didn't have health care and failure to accept something was wrong even though I was a lot off the wall. After 3 weeks of Depakote my moods were pretty even and stable. I also felt a little numb, I missed my highs, but it was better than being psychotic one minute and crying in another. But at the 4 month mark my hair has started falling out in clumps, that was my only side effect. So I'm now transitioning to lithium. Fingers crossed."

• Ash
• January 26, 2018

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "I have been diagnosed as bipolar for 20 years now and just a month ago listed as bipolar 1 severe with mixed moods. This is the only medication that REALLY works to help control my manic moods. ONLY side effect for me is a little bit of shaky hands after taking for a few hours."

• larubia
• December 7, 2009

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "I was prescribed this because it is a mood stabilizer. In other words, I sank down pretty low in mood with long term stressors such as death of family members and a couple of moves, not going to AA and not being in therapy (ugh). I started this recently and at 500 mg seemed to be able to sleep. At 1000 mg, I was restless. If I'm feeling low then it's doing what it's supposed to I suppose. I will cut back to the 500 mg and take it in the morning and see if it makes me sleepy or hyper. I take 22 mg of Buspar at night because I was also suffering from anxiety that was not letting me sleep. I liked the fact that Depakote works well almost immediately, and I was assured that after three weeks, I should feel "normal" again and can quit."

• Pizza...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 17, 2022

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "HORRIBLE!!! I tried taking this for 4 months and I had to cut it cold turkey. The side effects- Unmanageable, it made me manic, it made me HUNGRY all the time, for carbs carbs and more carbs, irritable at things I never would imagine being angry at, bloated, screaming, crying daily, it made everything so overwhelming. I couldn't take it anymore. Now I never recommend cutting cold turkey I just never have physical side effects from doing that, my whole life. I just could not do it anymore it made me feel like I was going crazier than crazy."

• Pepsi...
• December 10, 2011

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "When I started this I was 135 pounds. When ended this I was 198 pounds. Went to the gym all the time, ate healthy and didn't eat fats and I still gained. And this was not working to stop me from sleeping too much. I was also on Seroquel that made me sleep like 12 to 14 hours. When the doctor took me off this I went from 198 and now I am 145 and went off Seroquel. Now I don't sleep too much."

• Aladd...
• August 2, 2011

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "I take 2500mg Depakote per day for rapid cycling bipolar disorder and it works very well. I've been taking this dose for 4 years. Few side effects apart from the inevitable weight gain and some hair loss. Depakote keeps the mood swings away for good and doesn't impair my movements or thoughts. I prefer this mood stabilizer. "

• troyz
• March 6, 2010

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "Took depakote for almost ten years (300 x 3)...now I will admit I had three minor episodes in that time. Super, yes, I know but I started at 140 lbs in six months I bottomed out at 206lbs. I slept 12 hours a night, plus a nap of 2 hours in the evening. Someone finally caught the Depakote/Paxil fiasco, and lithium and wellbutrin became my friends...more importantly, I feel like I "woke up". I lived the life, but it seemed so surreal looking back on it...IT completely controlled me. It's not the Wellbutrin and the Paxil, it's the lack of Depakote (and for a large part, Paxil) that made me almost another person. I'm sure Depakote works for thousands of people...it just took me out of the equation TOO much."

• jessi...
• August 9, 2010

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "I have been on Depakote ever since I was diagnosed (finally) with bi-polar disorder. I am currently on 1000 MG per day, but have taken as high as 2000 MG per day. On 1000 MG per day I am (or have been somewhat stabilized, which leaves me somewhat hypo manic which seems to be the best level for me. I say somewhat stabilized because I started to go hyper manic in the past 2 weeks, have no idea why. Going to see doctor tomorrow). For the 2 years or so when I was on 2000 per day I was also taking 40 MG per day of Paxil. My moods were stabilized all right, but I turned into a zombie. I have never taken another mood stabilizer so I can not make comparisons. Depakote makes me gain weight big time!"

• Yes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2022

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "I have been mentally unstable nearly all my life i am a Rapid cycling manic depressive. Multiple drugs and alcohol related problems from trying to self medicate. I can rapid cycle between moods so quickly it can be scary. Also when I am having a manic episode, I feel like the world is ending and nothing is worth living for. I tried many medications. To name a few: zoloft, wellbutrin, deplin, mirtazapine, lithium..... none worked, in fact a couple made me literally freak out and I got baker acted. When I was in the hospital the psych they had me stop taking lithium and start depakote and I thought - here we go again, I'll probably be in jail or dead soon. Within 1 week, I had my emotions back, was actually feeling happy, and could feel that my mood was stabilized. This medication has saved my life. God bless depakote. I recommend giving it a try when nothing else has worked. This one is different. Best wishes to you all. Love and gratitude"

• Rain...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 20, 2019

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "I take 1000 mg at night and 500 mg in the morning. And I'm always tired. I slept 15 hours last night and I'm still tired after drinking 3 cups of coffee. I have bipolar disorder 2 and I don't have manic episodes anymore. Still experience delusions but certainly less. I seem to have gained about 15-20 pounds. I also take 300 mg of seroquel, which can cause weight gain and drowsiness. If it weren't for weight gain, and drowsiness things would be good"

• John
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 29, 2019

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "I had a very rapidly fluctuating merry-go-round of symptoms, particularly psychotic type symptoms and Depakote didn't seem to have any effect. Cycling continued. It also made me physically slow and caused weight gain that mostly dropped after going off of it."

• Anonymous
• November 14, 2019

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "29 year old Male w/ Bipolar 1, 10 years on Depakote Depakote was the first medication I was prescribed during a manic episode along with Seroquel, which I discontinued or use only for emergency mania/sleep at very low doses<25mg. Depakote worked excellent for me for about 6 or 7 years as I was predominantly manic. The last 3 years or so I have become depressed and hypomanic and I have found Depakote to be much less effective. I switched to Lamictal and it appears to be working much better for depression."

• soul...
• August 24, 2013

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "I've been on Depakote for 10 days. I also take 250mgs of quetiapine 50 mgs. My psychiatrist is reluctant to diagnose bipolar but seems to be treating me for it. I feel calmer so far on Depakote, but still feel a bit down. I was a bit high my psychiatrist said I wasn't manic."

• Anonymous
• November 18, 2011

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "I have been Bipolar for 20 years and have tried many medicines, with Depakote and Lithium being the worst. I also needed antidepressants too. I went from 117 lbs to 225 lbs in 2 years on Depakote and being a zombie I did not notice the huge weight gain. I switched to Lamictal and Effexor and felt so much better. I started a daily exercise program and was able to cut down on food and lost over 100 lbs within 2 years."

• blessed
• March 11, 2016

Depakote ER (divalproex sodium) "Have been taking this med since 1992 w/ some breaks here and there. I too have been on, what would seem, every med for Bipolar diagnosis. I take 1750mg and also take 400mg of Lamictal (another mood stabilizer which seems to help with the depression) My only issue had been weight gain which remains a problem. 10 years stable, after being hospitalized for 8 months due to manic episode and psychotic break (was only taking Topamax at that time). Would highly recommend."

• qwert...
• July 12, 2011

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "I use Depakote 500 mg twice daily, and felt improvement in the first 10 days, my mood is stable and my severe anxiety has disappeared. Also I see improvement in OCD and I now can better focus. I'm also on Seroquel 100mg twice daily."

• Alt...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 17, 2018

Depakote ER (divalproex sodium) "I have had three severe manic episodes in my lifetime. First was not diagnosed. The 2nd severe mania hit in 02 and I was given zyprexa. This took the edge off but I would wake up in the early morning manic again, once it wore off. When depakote was added, I really came down. I was Manic-episode free 15 yrs, w/ relapse in ‘17. I was put on zyprexa and lithium but was still flying high and fast - complete manic. Once high dose of depakote added, I came down for good. This drug has been critical for resolving my manias. My experience with it for long term treatment has not been good though - lost a lot of hair, and a lot of enthusiasm and felt like I was in a stupor. I gained weight, but that has happened on all the useful drugs."

• Ockmed
• December 28, 2010

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "Been on Depakote for 6 months and gained 30 pounds, now with the disorder I worry about my weight like crazy. I also take Geodon which has slowed me down with NO motivation at all. Beginning to wonder if it's all worth it. I do notice I never want to argue with anyone at work and at home I'm quiet 24/7. "

• angry...
• November 27, 2010

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "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 nights 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 life saver for some but this medication isn't for everyone."

• Anonymous
• May 29, 2011

Depakote (divalproex sodium) "I started taking Depakote 500mg with Lexapro about 2 years ago. It made me feel like a zombie all day but worked well on my swings from extreme anxiety to deep depression and crying spells. I was very tired all day and had a hard time waking up for work so we reduced to 250mg daily. That seemed to be the sweet spot for me. I don't think I have many side effects from it besides maybe trouble losing weight, I'm very active and eat well but never seemed to get any weight off. I would also occasionally feel disconnected and distant from the world, but this was rare. I can't imagine life without Depakote, it has it's problems but I can function again."