I have been taking 250 mg Depakote every night for about 3 months. Everything was fine till about 3-4 days ago, when I got diarrhea. It's not debilitating like the Diarrhea i got 2-3 summers ago, from Cymbalta. That was the summer from h.e.l.l. Only my sister figured out was causing it then! She asked me if I'd had a med change recently!!!! Good question!!! The docs had no idea. Anyway, though, what can I do about the Depakote brand of Diarrhea ? I have been MOSTLY eating mild foods, including yoghurt and light wheat cooked cereal (Maltomeal, which I love). I have been swallowing about 8 lactobacillus acidophius capsules a day. Still, I "go" 4-5 times a day. And when I need to "go," I mean I really need to "go" right now. I know where all the restrooms are downtown. I have a silent alarm in my pocket I call a "pee alarm" because that's a problem, too, but that is not a side effect except it is a "side effect" of old age! I'm 74, soon yo be 75. But I need to pee about every 1-1/2 to hours, and often I have diarrhea at the times when I pee.

Does anybody here have experience with, and know how to alleviate/control/stop the diarrhea from Depakote?

[Moose72]

Eat more binding foods?

[Wild Coyote]

I am sorry you are experiencing this effect of Depakote.

I had this side-effect and handled it by adding Citrucel with meals of brown rice and protein. This helped yet did not completely fix the problem.

I switched to Depakote Sprinkles. There is a manufacturer's coupon for the sprinkles with a low co-pay. I have been on the sprinkles formulation for 2 years without Depakote GI upset of any type.

I hope you find a fix.


WC

Fascinating!!! I'll check this out!!! But I assume you eat other things besides brown rice and protein? What protein do you use? I don't eat meat, but I have some great protein powder I put in smoothies,and I eat cheese and eggs, and beans and lentils. But I've stayed off the beans and lentils for a few days because of the diarrhea.

Originally Posted by Wild Coyote

I am sorry you are experiencing this effect of

Depakote.

I had this side-effect and handled it by adding Citrucel with meals of brown rice and protein. This helped yet did not completely fix the problem.

I switched to Depakote Sprinkles. There is a manufacturer's coupon for the sprinkles with a low co-pay. I have been on the sprinkles formulation for 2 years without Depakote GI upset of any type.

I hope you find a fix.


WC

What foods are considered binding foods? Thanks for your suggestion. I'll try that if you can let me know what to look for. Sounds like a good idea.

Originally Posted by Moose72

Eat more binding foods?

[pirilin]

Yeah, more binding foods.

[bioChE]

If you were on it for months without the GI issues, what leads you to believe the Depakote is to blame? Just curious, as there are a lot of things that can cause days or weeks of GI upset.

[Wild Coyote]

Originally Posted by flowerbells

Fascinating!!! I'll check this out!!! But I assume you eat other things besides brown rice and protein? What protein do you use? I don't eat meat, but I have some great protein powder I put in smoothies,and I eat cheese and eggs, and beans and lentils. But I've stayed off the beans and lentils for a few days because of the diarrhea.

I was eating brown rice and fish. it was a very restrictive diet.

The full cure, for me, came with a change to Depakote Sprinkles formulation.
I can eat a varied diet with this form of Depakote.


WC