I took Depakote for a couple of years when I was first diagnosed. Mania was and still is a big problem for me as I get into all kinds of trouble when Im manic. The Depakote worked well but I gained 80 pounds the first year I was on it. I didn't notice any loss of emotions or creativity, in fact it made it easier for me to concentrate and get things done. Getting the labs done every month was a pain in the butt plus the weight gain was awful so I talked to my pdoc and he switched me to Geodon which has been a miracle drug for me.
I did recently find out something interesting about Depakote that I never knew. My daughter was on Depakote and she was taking birth control pills. She got pregnant and swears she took her birth control religiously. Her OB doctor informed us that Depakote interacts with birth control pills and increases your chance of getting pregnant. I was shocked so we asked her pdoc about it and he said yes that's true !