Hey everyone. I'm fairly new to this forum. This is my 3rd post but I'll be on here much more I'm sure. Please bare with me on my questions, this is all new to me. Long story short, if you haven't read my other 2 posts, I'm a average 37 year old male, married, with 3 great kids. Normal full time job. I'm just your average Joe, lol. Anyways, I've been having issues for a few years with my mood swings and depression that it has put a burden on my family and also effected my job as well. I'm on short term disibility leave cause u had a breakdown at work. Well, since May, I have been on 300mg Xl wellbutrin and 1mg Ativan 4x daily. This has kept my "anger mood swing" in check but the last month has been rough. After what I thought was a manic episode, I asked my family doc to refer me to a PDoc. Now, I've been there and today he has diagnosised my bipolar. Well, I'm kinda scared, lol. He is putting my on valproic acid and keeping my on the wellbutrin and Ativan. Now, my question is, what is the effects of valproic acid and how is it getting started. Wellbutrin was hell for e first few days but then it was fine. What am I in for?