Generic Name: Depakene (valproic-acid)
Depakene Reviews
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."
"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, Weigh Gaining, Urination problems, Fatigue ( Specially for High Doses)..... I don't recommend this med for Bipolar, it's only effect for mania. 9/10 For Mania For other Symptoms of Bipolar and BPD : 4/10"
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. "
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 highlyY dangerous to pregnant women. It will cause permanent damage to their fetus."
"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."
"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."
For Schizoaffective Disorder "After trying about 10 different medicines this one has been the best."
For Schizoaffective Disorder "Effective for mood symptoms when at therapeutic level."
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."
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)
- Check interactions
- Compare alternatives
- Pricing & coupons
- Drug images
- Side effects
- Dosage information
- During pregnancy
- Drug class: fatty acid derivative anticonvulsants
- Breastfeeding
Patient resources
- Depakene advanced reading
- Depakene (Valproic Acid Capsules)
- Depakene (Valproic Acid Liquid)
Other brands
Valproate Sodium, Depacon, Stavzor
Professional resources
- Depakene prescribing information
- Valproic Acid (AHFS Monograph)
Other brands
Depacon
Related treatment guides
- Epilepsy
- Seizure Prevention
- Seizures
