Depakene User Reviews & Ratings
Depakene has an average rating of 2.3 out of 10 from a total of 3 reviews on Drugs.com. 50% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 30% reported a negative experience.
Condition | Avg. Rating | Reviews | Compare |
---|---|---|---|
Seizure Prevention | 2 reviews for Seizure Prevention | 32 medications | |
Seizures | 1 reviews for Seizures | 64 medications |
Reviews for Depakene
- hon...
- Taken for 5 to 10 years
- May 17, 2022
"I have been taking this med for 6 years, very effective to control mania but not as effective for depression (I had to take Cipralex). This med has a lot of side effects: hair thinning, memory loss, weight gaining, urination problems, fatigue (especially for high doses)... I don't recommend this med for bipolar, it's only effective for mania. 9/10 for mania, for other symptoms of bipolar and BPD: 4/10."
- cau...
- July 6, 2011
For Bipolar Disorder "My doctor prescribed me this medication, and on the first night I took it, I had bad nausea. I told my doctor about it and decided to give it another chance a few days later. The second time, it caused nausea, heartburn, and left an acid feel in my mouth, so I don't know if it works for other people, but the side effects weren't worth it."
- Sen...
- July 16, 2015
For Seizures "I was on this for 4 1/2 years, right up to a very high dose. I got the side effect of constantly feeling hungry yet never feeling full, no matter how much I ate. That immediately caused me to gain 10 lbs a month for 6 months: 60 pounds! It also gave me the side effects of major depression and a generally unpleasant mood overall. It was of the usual average effectiveness in controlling my seizures, which began due to neurological brain damage in a traffic accident. Note: This medication is highly dangerous to pregnant women. It will cause permanent damage to their fetus."
- Anonymous
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- September 7, 2023
"I have been using this medicine for 9 months and it has definitely improved my mood. I have unfortunately slipped into some small episodes of hypomania and depression recently (due to external stressful life situations), and the medicine helped them not spiral out of control. The negative for me has been some nausea which comes and goes. The higher the dose, the more the nausea. But it definitely settles down eventually - I have figured out it is from having an empty stomach, so I have taken to eating smaller meals more often throughout the day."
Are you taking this medicine?
Your review helps others make informed decisions.- jak...
- Taken for 6 months to 1 year
- August 18, 2023
"I gained weight, 15kg in 1 year. Good stabilizer of the mood. I still take 37mg of Effexor, which I started in 2017 and went up to 150mg. It didn't resolve my mood swings, but with Depakine it's better."
- cot...
- October 9, 2011
For Schizoaffective Disorder "After trying about 10 different medicines, this one has been the best."
- ger...
- Taken for 2 to 5 years
- March 24, 2013
For Schizoaffective Disorder "Effective for mood symptoms when at therapeutic level."
- Lei...
- Taken for 2 to 5 years
- September 23, 2015
For Seizure Prevention "I wouldn't give this to my worst enemy. The side effects are so severe that they outweigh any benefit regarding seizure control. After 2 years on this medication, I was a walking zombie."
- Rx2...
- October 27, 2009
For Seizure Prevention "The side effects of this drug were so harsh I didn't stick around for its alleged benefits, i.e., seizure prevention."
More about Depakene (valproic acid)
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- During pregnancy
- Drug class: fatty acid derivative anticonvulsants
- Breastfeeding
Patient resources
Other brands
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For Bipolar Disorder "Appreciated what this medicine has done for me. I'm on a pretty high dose and haven't experienced any of the symptoms of nausea or anything like that except right in the very beginning, and that quickly wore off."