Divalproex sodium for Epilepsy User Reviews (Page 3)

• kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 22, 2019

Divalproex sodium "I was on Depakote when I was 16 or 17 for my epilepsy. I started having suicidal thoughts two weeks after starting Depakote. It really freaked me out. I told my parents and my doctors, and they took me off of Depakote. As soon as it was out of my system, the suicidal thoughts went away."

• Anonymous
• November 22, 2011

Divalproex sodium "This medicine has been generally quite effective in controlling my seizures, once I controlled for other factors like sleep, caffeine, etc. I gained 10% or so of my body weight in the winter, but I'm pretty confident if I work harder I can reverse that (by more regular workouts and more careful fat and especially carb intake)."

• Zar...
• February 6, 2009

Divalproex sodium "It did do okay for my seizures, but I ended up with so many of the side effects, it was unbelievable. They had to take me off. I still have seizures to this day because they haven't found the right medicines. I have had a VNS implant, though, but still having seizures."

• Ban...
• September 14, 2015

"It cured my seizures I was having every night. I started taking this drug about a month ago and have gained 15 pounds already. I work out every day, which didn't make sense to me, so I had to look up the side effects. This medicine gave me terrible stomach pains no matter what I ate, terrible gas, and diarrhea. Gave me weird dreams, acne, bad pain to the point I couldn't sleep. I woke up feeling terrible every morning, I could go on forever. I'm going to call my doctor to get switched to a different one."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 26, 2021

Divalproex sodium "Thought it was okay until I gained 100 pounds. Never controlled my seizures well, but nothing has. Now starting a new drug and seeing a new doctor to keep me on the Keto diet. Lost 65 lb now. Still working hard to lose more. My new neurologist could not believe a doctor would put a female on this drug. My doctor will not even prescribe it."

• Epa...
• July 25, 2020

Divalproex sodium "Due to seizures, I’ve been on different meds, starting with Carbamazepine/Tegretol for 25 years, then a neurologist switched me to Keppra and Depakote. My question is to all who have taken these meds: have you ever been diagnosed with high blood pressure because of these meds?"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 30, 2017

"My husband took this for a week, and he turned into an unmotivated, angry, heart-palpitating, paranoid zombie. He had no relief for his headache and had tremors so bad he could not hold a fork to eat. Stomach pain, loss of appetite, hair falling out, and left arm pain, to name a few more. I don't know why any doctor would order this for brain tumor pain. It is just awful. This drug may work for others, but for pain, it's useless."

• Ros...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 9, 2019

Divalproex sodium "I just recently started taking Depakote for seizures. I was on Keppra 1000 mg 2x daily. I was losing a lot of weight, from 150 to 129. I had a seizure that caused full body paralysis. It usually only happened on the left side of my body. I suffered 2 strokes and then started having seizures after 1 year ago. I was diagnosed with a blood disorder that causes clots, hence the strokes and then seizures. The neurologist diagnosed me with what they call Todd's Palsy. Then, just recently, I had a bad seizure with blackouts and full body paralysis. She also diagnosed me with FND (Functional Neurological Disorder), my brain isn't sending the right signals to tell my body parts what to do. Slow, slurred speech. Memory issues, word searching when speaking. So we changed the medication to Depakote as I was losing a lot of weight. I was a week away from signing my DNR because of how thin I was. Mind you, I'm only 48 years old."

• jam...
• December 29, 2009

"I was on this med in Europe before it was available here. (35 years ago) I was in the clinical trials in the US starting with Depakene and then moving to Depakote and Depakote ER. At this point, I can't really point out the side effects since I've been using it for so long. Being tired is probably one of them. Also, blurry eyesight occasionally. It started out as an anticonvulsant and then was used for other things."

• Reb...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 27, 2021

Divalproex sodium "72-year-old man with epilepsy diagnosed at 13. Many seizures as a young adult, but seizure-free for approximately 30 years. Take 500 mg Depakote ER twice a day and Dilantin 100 mg twice a day. My side effect has been weight gain. But the medications have been very effective in my case."

• Izz...
• September 15, 2016

"My 10-year-old daughter has had seizures for 2 1/2 years. She has had about 100 petit mal seizures a day. She has been on two other medicines that didn't help. She started taking this medicine, and her seizures are down to 1-2 a day. Love this medicine for her!!!"

• Mr ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 20, 2020

Divalproex sodium "Not sure if this drug caused me to get into a car accident triggered by a dizzy spell or not. Initially, doctors thought I was having seizures at age 53. I had to consult with three neurologists before one came to the conclusion I didn’t fit the clinical context of seizures. The only credible diagnosis seemed to be adrenal insufficiency causing blackouts. I may have had an underlying undiagnosed issue but would be very cautious with this drug."

• Jan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 6, 2020

Divalproex sodium "Depakote caused an increase in seizure occurrence as well as severity of the seizures. Extreme changes in sleep habits, appetite, behavioral issues, as well as severe and erratic mood changes, vomiting, and regular kidney stones."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 25, 2025

"Have only been on this medication after asking to NOT be given levetiracetam any longer due to extreme irritability. I have not found any side effects except vivid dreams and sometimes a feeling of surrealness. But after a month of taking 500 mg twice daily, I had an episode of confusion where I couldn't figure out where I was and how I got there. So, I am now questioning the effectiveness to the point of hoping for a normal life to return. I am not allowed to drive until I am seizure-free for 6 months, and I live 10 km out of town, and my career is driving, disability is NOT enough to survive on as a single income. Wanted badly to trust the medication. Feeling helpless."

• Mar...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 25, 2019

"So this medicine makes me bipolar on occasion. But my doc just told me about 2 months ago my blood level was low. So I started doubling up on it now no reading at all. Is there a recall? I can't understand I had 45 min grand mal seizures before this medication. They put me on Keppra. I then had 3 to 5 seizures a day at 45 min each. I had to learn how to read and write again, reeducate myself. Long-term memory is intact. Now I have short-term memory loss. A lot of brain damage. To where a speech therapist told me I should be talking like I'm 2. But I had my blood tested because after years of Depakote and no seizures I was having seizures, felt them coming and was aware while having them. Short but horrible feeling. That's when doc said the valproic acid was low. Now no reading of valproic acid can be detected. I don't want another 45 min seizure. I don't know when they come or that I've had one unless I see blood."

• NRu...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 16, 2013

Divalproex sodium "I have been on Depakote for 15 years, I have juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. No side effects for me. I really like this medicine. It makes me feel safe all the time."

• Ale...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 20, 2020

Divalproex sodium "If you want to lower your IQ 50 points, take Depakote."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 25, 2022

Divalproex sodium "Long-term use results in involuntary hand tremors. Can't miss one dose without risk of suffering from nocturnal seizures. Bad!!"

• Joe...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 4, 2018

Divalproex sodium "Makes me so drowsy all the time. I'm on 1000 mg a day. Gained 40 pounds. Affects my work and grad school. Slows down my brain and gives me anxiety. Icing on the cake is I’m balding now at age 24."

• JRM...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 16, 2012

Divalproex sodium "Hair loss, extreme fatigue, weight gain, hands trembling, and sometimes ringing in ears."

• Joe...
• November 15, 2020

Divalproex sodium "Lost a couple years of my life to this drug Depakote. If you start acting irrationally, or your cognitive ability deteriorates, or you start shaking, stop taking this drug."

• Blu...
• June 30, 2020

Divalproex sodium "Been on valproic acid for 30 yrs. No seizures. Wouldn't go off it for anything. No side effects."

• joe...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 24, 2019

Divalproex sodium "Depakote causes extreme tremors and weight gain. The first week I got off the med, I lost 20 pounds."

• Anonymous
• February 10, 2009

Divalproex sodium "I took the medication for two years as a teenager. It stopped the seizures, but I lost all my energy and put on 40 pounds. Once I stopped Depakote, I nearly lost all the weight within 2 months."

• Jm7...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 2, 2020

Divalproex sodium "I have been taking medication for the past 17 years for a seizure disorder. I must say the medication seems to work great, very minimal episodes. The only side effect I had has been severe hair loss."