[Blue_Bird]

What's your experiences with it? I will be starting on 250mg and increasing to 500 next week if I need to. My pdoc said I don't have to get blood work done with it.

[sideblinded]

Hi Blue_Bird

I took Depakote back in the 90's. It was actually the best mood stabilizer that I had ever been on. They thought I had bipolar then and maybe I still do but I am not being treated for it. I did notice that it kept my depression at bay and my moods very even. It may have some weight gain issues with it but I have found that if I eat right weight gain that is reported on any med does not apply to me. I really hope that this works for you. I only remember how better my moods were!

[Blue_Bird]

Thanks SideBlinded, that gives me hope. I'm only taking a small dose because my Antipsychotic takes care of the mania and everything else mostly. This just is for the hyperness and agitation I experience in the afternoon/evening.

[AncientMelody]

Originally Posted by Blue_Bird

What's your experiences with it? I will be starting on 250mg and increasing to 500 next week if I need to. My pdoc said I don't have to get blood work done with it.

Your psychiatrist is incorrect I this case Blue Bird. Depakote is a medication that requires very specific blood work on a regular basis. It's important to have lover enzymes, blood count, ammonia level checked when starting the med and then periodically. Serum drug levels for valproic acid are also needed periodically.

I'd sit down with your doctor and talk through things again to make sure they are willing to check into the requires labs and follow through with them before you start this medication.

Good luck and keep is posted

[Blue_Bird]

Thanks AncientMelody, I'll discuss it with her when I see her next week

Hey Blue_Bird!

I would like to know about your experiences with the Depakote. Next time I see my pdoc I think I am going to talk about a mood stabilizer. I feel that I am bouncing around quite a bit lately in my moods.

At that same time for some reason I am scared of the side effects (even though they are identical to my other meds lol). So I have been hoping it normalizes but if in the next few months it don't I will talk to her.

Anywho I do know that we check peoples Valporic Acid levels in the hospital when they take Depakote.

[AncientMelody]

oops: lover levels=liver levels. Embarassing typo!

[Blue_Bird]

I'll keep you updated blwi, I start it tomorrow. I'm kinda scared of it too, even more so because its a mood stabilizer and I had lithium toxicity before where I ended up in the ICU for a week.

[happywoman]

I have found it a fairly effective mood stabliser. It does slow me down in the day and helps me sleep. The side effects I experienced are probably Gastro , Weight and hair changes initially curly and now thinning. I have blood tests probably about yearly now but I'm overdue. I have taken lithium about 20 years ago but took a few other tablets at the same time and I wasn't diagnosed with bipolar then. In the last few years it is epilim and an antipsychotic Zyprexia that I have mostly taken and are pretty well managed at present.

[elevatedsoul]

it really slowed me down... i didnt like it

you do need blood tests while on depakote, get them regularly

[Blue_Bird]

Well my doctor said it requires no bloodwork unlike the Lithium I used to be on. I've heard several different things on this forum, no, yes, yearly, and so on but I'm going to stick by what she says.

One thing i can say is it made me quite sleepy. I was on a higher dose though. But if you have the choice it might be worth taking it at night rather than in the morning and that will hopefully help.

While I was on it i had one blood test to check the levels, think i was on it for nine months.

Hope it works out for you

[Moogieotter]

It sounds like a very low dose of Depakote. This might be why he is saying no need for lab work. Usually they prescribe by weight. At 150 pounds I was prescribed 1500 mgs 3 500s a day. I did lab work for it. It was a strong mood stabilizer for me, maybe too sedating and made me little cloudy. A good go to drug for me if I'm in mania. Good luck!

moogs

[Blue_Bird]

Thanks for the replies, it's working good for me. I'm on 500mg, I'm on a low dose because I'm only taking it for hyperness I experience throughout the afternoon and evening, not full blown mania or anything, my antipsychotic takes care of that

Originally Posted by Blue_Bird

Well my doctor said it requires no bloodwork unlike the Lithium I used to be on. I've heard several different things on this forum, no, yes, yearly, and so on but I'm going to stick by what she says.

Not true. When I was on Depakote I had to have blood work tests every 6 months or so to monitor my liver function.

[4aminsomniac]

Taking during the day makes me feel out of it, blurred vision/can't focus clearly, little dumbed down.

I'm only on 2x 250mg/day. And I'm taking it at night now only the ER version.

One thing I get is an allergic/sinus/itchy eyes reaction for an hour or so about 60-90min after taking it. Especially when I cut the ERs up for titrating dose for awhile.

Not sure about the long-term taking of this drug. I'm hypomanic..but I have some bad physical/anxiety type reactions with my condition. Flushing of face/spots on neck, itchy all over.

Basically klonopin has been dealing with that. The hope was depakote would replace the klonopin entirely and I could take one drug. But so far, some of the sides of the depakote as mentioned above, as well as some stomach distension/bloated feeling is likely sending me off it in another direction.

Good luck. All of these drugs have differing affects on people, dosages etc...all you can do is try it and see where it leads sadly.