3 questions about depakote

hi everyone,

My grandma is being put on depakote because of her mood swings and agitation. She started it today because Zyprexa isn't doing anything. (She's in IP.)

(1) How long for it to take effect?
(2) What is your experience with it?
(3) Any negative side effects I should watch out for?

I'm on lamictal and I've never tried depakote, so I'm unfamiliar with the med. And knowing my grandma, she doesn't like to speak up when something is bothering her, so I want to pay attention to her behavior and possible side effects. Thanks!

Took it for a couple months. Hated it. It stabilized me right at "everything sucks and I'm p---ed off at it and nobody better say s--- about anything." It worked for some other people I know. I started gaining more weight on it, and hated how I felt so I stopped taking it. A change in doctors changed meds too and I've been on lamictal since, but other meds added and subtracted since. Watch out for the anger. I've seen it on more people than just me.

Weight gain. 60 pounds.

Been on it since 2015 no side effects... Helps keep my swings to a manageable level

I was on it for about a year. Took care of mania but not depression. I didn't gain much weight on it. It took effect pretty quickly. The only other side effect was that it prolonged my QT heart rhythm, but not by much. (Of course, unless your grandma was hooked up to an EKG you probably won't see that one...)

yikes...

My grandma is already in that mood right now. She's kicking and screaming on the floor, and throwing things. She won't stop wandering and threatening people, either. Lots of yelling and cussing as well, and minimal sleep. The hospital has had to restrain her several times, at least 7-8 times since she started IP 8 days ago. She's a very big danger to herself. Not sure if depakote could make things worse for her, so hopefully not!

Thanks for letting me know, though. I like lamictal a lot too, but I know it takes like 4-6 weeks to titrate up to a therapeutic level. Maybe the depakote is being used because the doctors need something fast acting?

She has her vitals taken every night by the IP nurses. Well... err... when she's not kicking and screaming on the floor.

Apparently she's done the kicking and screaming a couple of times already, and they said they don't try to get her vitals when she's like that. They just restrain her instead because she's going to hurt herself.

I'll ask about the QT heart rhythm thing after a few days to see what they say. Maybe she'll be ok with that

With the anger already, it's going to be hard to tell if it's the meds. I think lack of sleep might be a serious factor here. It is hard to sleep when you haven't been sleeping. That sounds backwards but a lot of bipolar people know what it means. They aren't giving her anything for sleep? That much anger usually gets some thorazine or something. They had me the option of 4 different benzos and two antihistamines that sedate while inpatient. I used none of them because I could sleep there. I felt like I would be safe, from even me. I did do some things that forced sleep and they didn't seem to notice

I was on depakote for a long time (7 or 8 years?). It worked really well for me although I still needed a combination of lithium, an AD, an AP and a benzo (but I'm very hard to medicate). Weight gain wasn't bad until high doses that they are very unlikely to use with a geriatric patient. It did make me tired all the time but with the combination I was taking and the high dose of depakote I wouldn't have expected otherwise. It does work pretty fast; I think about 4 days to start seeing an effect. They do have to monitor the level with blood work.

I hope she is feeling better soon.

I take it together with Lithium and Seroquel XR +IR.
1. It took 2 weeks to take affect. Another two weeks for levels to even out.
2. Hated the first time (2yrs ago). Put on it Nov/dec last year. Feeling the best I’ve felt since BP diagnosis. Great for mixed episodes.
3. Weight gain

On a separate note, I don’t understand the use of physical restraints?? I don’t want to offend but that’s so 1990. Chemical restraints I.e. meds are used now.
E.g. My grandfather was not mentally ill but had dementia. He was super aggressive. But after being put on meds (not sure which ones) he was much more like his normal self but calmer and nicer.

Mine seemed to work within two weeks or so. I had no side effects. Long term concerns are liver damage. My p-doc switched me over to lithium after about six months.