Generic Name: Depakote for Mania (divalproex-sodium)
"I was prescribed Depakote ER 500mg to help my anxiety, and it has decreased my anxiety by 90%. It has made a huge difference in my quality of life. The best part is that it’s been on the market for many, many years, is affordable, and has no long-term dangers. Do try it. I do not like pills, but this one is worth it if you are anxious and/or depressed."
"So glad I had the opportunity to read how others feel about Depakote. I have used Depakote for 8 years now for the manic side of bipolar disorder. I have not had one manic episode since on the medication. Great, right? I also feel as though the past 8 years of my life have slipped by and are a bit of a blur. I was an artist, graphic designer, and had a sense of humor. Now I feel like a numb hermit who continues to stay on this medication because she doesn't want another manic episode."
"I have been on antidepressants and benzodiazepines for over thirty years for depression, anxiety, and racing thoughts from the anxiety. Started Depakote ten days ago, and it has made an amazing difference, slowed my mind down enough to significantly reduce my anxiousness, only side effect, mild tiredness, no groggy feelings. This has been so wonderful."
"I have been using Depakote for nearly eight years now and it has kept my mania episodes under control. The only thing is I have weight gain from using this medication, but that's a small price to pay. Thank you."
"I have taken Depakote (or a 'good' generic) of this medication for nearly 3 decades. It is very effective, has few side effects (with the exception of weight gain, which is responsive to diet and exercise). This is a far more effective and moderate drug than what I was initially prescribed (Lithium-on which I hallucinated and felt terrible). I've had no long-term effects to date, maintain my dosage, and lead a healthy life with this medication. Be careful when using GENERICS... some vary immensely. Let your doctor and pharmacist know immediately if you have issues. (i.e., find the right generic or return to the original Depakote brand). Lovely and effective for a 'unipolar' patient that I am."
"This stuff works great. I have recommended this medication to many others who have similar symptoms regarding bipolar and hyper-mania. I am very fortunate to have been diagnosed correctly and to have been treated correctly with Depakote. I have noticed the changes myself and so have many others."
"My mother, who has a mental disability and is 56 years old, was prescribed this medication twice while residing in a long-term care facility under the reasons of 'behavior.' The first time she was on approximately 1000 mg, and it made her sleep for hours, put her in a fog, and made her delay in response if she even responded at all. I asked several times for her to be taken off of the medicine, and the facility was disagreeable. She was hospitalized for malnutrition and severe dehydration, where I was able to convince the doctors to remove most of the dosage. They kept her on a low dosage between 125 mg to 250 mg. She did fine, three years later, they increased the med to approximately 500 mg and put her on more behavior meds. Same thing happened: went back to the hospital, this time with sepsis in the blood from lack of hydration and UTI. This medicine is good for some and not for others. Doctors should listen when expressing concerns and symptoms caused by this med."
"I have been using Depakote for over one year, and it has helped me with my manic episodes. I have not had any since I started the medicine. It does not, however, do much in regard to racing thoughts and helping me stay positive. Hoping for a cure : )"
"I cannot account for those with bipolar I, but this may apply to you if you have been diagnosed with social anxiety, bipolar II, or a mild form of the disorder. On 1000 mg (combined with 200 mg Lamictal), I felt 'far away' when talking to people. I cut back down to 500 mg. I began to feel it was inhibiting my creativity; sometimes I felt 'dumb.' I used other drugs to combat the Depakote from holding me back. Plus, drinking on it caused depression and knocked me out. My doctor should not have put me on this medication to treat me for anxiety."
"I have been on Depakote for 4 years now, and I haven't had an episode of hypermania. This has changed my life. I have gained about 40 pounds, but it is a small price to pay for the positive changes. I control the anxiety with occasional Klonopin. I am working on a healthy diet and exercise for the weight."
"Good medicine. Blood tests are annoying. I wet the bed a couple of nights a week on this med because it knocked me out. It takes a while to get used to, but it's overall not that bad of a med. Works well for mania."
"After all I have been through, this medication seems to have helped the most. I wake up rested instead of on edge, I sleep plenty of hours, I can enjoy things. There needs to be like some sort of psychiatric training to spot mania because I went years with schizophrenia and bipolar undiagnosed with mania. I don't eat too much and my thoughts are all there. I haven't gained much weight, and my body image mentally is just fine."
"Depakote has helped my racing thoughts and anxiety so much. I take depakote DR in the morning with my lamictal it’s great for racing thoughts. Depakote can make you kind of tired one reason why I’m on lamictal ! I’m on 250 mg will increase to 500 soon."
"I have just started taking Depakote for anxiety to help me sleep. It causes pain in my stomach and makes my eyes tired when reading. Now suddenly my right hip has become quite sore. It is helping me sleep though."
"I started on 2000 mg a day 1000mg morning 1000mg at night got taken off 7 other meds that were working for it have been having bad manic episodes depression and anxiety have tremors can't eat or sleep almost as bad as haldol not a wonderful drug at all been on it over a month and now have to wean myself off it I just want this out of my life"
"I'm on a very high dose, 2000 mg/day of generic Depakote ER -- I don't know why -- except the MD at the hospital put me on it and my current MD just went along with it. Has it helped? I can't say. Has it hurt? Yes, I believe it has caused an enormous weight gain."
"I was in a manic state, unable to sleep, racing thoughts. My doctor prescribed Depakote. This was a miracle drug for me! My manic state dissipated, along with the severe anxiety. I was able to sleep."
"Helps me to focus and organize thoughts. This drug works very well with moderate exercise."
"This to me is a wonder drug. I have been using it for 20 years now."
"I have had great success with this in conjunction with low doses of Prozac. The combination does a great deal to still the racing thoughts and anxiety."
"I've been taking Depakote for eight years and have not had a manic episode. I had two severe manic episodes prior."
"It made my mania go away. I was less tense and more calm... but it seemed to increase my anxiety."
"Depakote is helping my anxiety and resulting alcohol abuse. It is not a "cure" for drinking heavily, it does make it much easier to maintain though."
"I didn’t care for it. On one it just made me sleep. When it got moved up it just made me more manic."
