i was prescribed depakote for bipolar II. i am not going to take it. there are so many warnings about liver failure, hair loss.... and i also read that it is used for bipolar I not II. is anyone on depakote? is there something that works better for bipolar II with mainly depressive moods?

[Larry_Hoover]

Lamictal (lamotrigine) has a growing reputation for efficacy in bipolar II and major depressive disorder.

Lar

[lenjan]

I was on Depakote for bipolar II for a year, year and a half. It did OK with my mood (though Lamictal is doing better), but:

The first 3 weeks I was on it, I puked my guts out.
When I washed my hair, handfuls would come out in my hand.
I had elevated liver enzymes.
I had unexplained bruising (which ultimately is what got me off it)

I don't remember what else, but I'm sure there was something -- I really didn't tolerate it well at all. And the withdrawal was a ******. Lasted about a month and I was so anxious I was ready to jump out of my skin.

Keep in mind that this is only MY experience. Everyone reacts differently to different drugs.

Candy

[darkeyes]

I say "yay" to Lamictal, I am Bipolar - II and it has works wonders, Depakote sucked and made me depressed besides the damn ugly things that happened, weight gain, fatigue, and depression.
Give Lamictal a try.

Lots of luck with this.

DE

[apislily]

I took depakote for bipolar 2. The only side effect I had was a weight gain of about ten pounds. It worked well for me, and brought down my anxiety considerably.

Have you talked to your doctor about your concerns? They usually are pretty sensitive to our fears. It is possible that your doc has prescribed depakote for a particular reason, such as a constellation of symptoms you are exhibiting.

Good luck in your quest for health.

-apislily

[darkeyes]

Hi there
I take it the second part of your reply may have been for the original poster.
I must mention that meds affect people differently, and I feel whatever works for a person, to go with it.
I apologize for or if I made it sound Lamictal was the best, hope you understand my running off about it, I'm sure you do, right?
Out of all that I tried so far Lamictal has been the one to hit the target for me, I guess I was so happy about it I tend to get carried away, ha!ha!
I'd probably be a good salesman for the med., add campaign, but that isn't for me.
I am happy we can share our critiques of all the meds and personal experiences, it makes it more real than the books or internet info.
Thanks for your input, and everyone feel free to add your experiences with your meds., etc.
It helps others here to hear the various treatments and outcome

Sincerely,
DE

[Malady156]

Hi hon,

As mentioned in the other thread, I'm on Depakote for severe bipolar I. I told my pdoc about my fears and concerns and he told me he wanted to try Depakote with me specifically because I manifest mostly mixed state episodes and it is supposed to be top-notch in dealing with those.

I have noticed a tendency to retain water and an increase in appetite -- both of which are probably famous in the anecdotal "depabloat" reports of how it makes people gain weight. BUT after nearly 4 weeks I am also starting to notice my moods are a GREAT DEAL more stable than they were for several months before I started on it. There is far less anxiety and while I'm still troubled by intermittent insomnia, overall I'm sleeping more and sleeping better -- I'm even dreaming again, which means I'm getting REM sleep.

OK, so I'm going to have to watch what I eat a little more closely, eat more healthy things, and get some regular exercise. OR ELSE perhaps give up all efforts to reclaim my once hard-won (in 2002) and now-lost (last year) and thus coveted size 4, and resign myself to becoming "Rubenesque" -- gaining some pounds and turning into a zaftig size 12-14 for the rest of my life. Is all that really so bad? To me it seems a small price to pay for mental health, for stability, for being able to be functional and not be freaking out over everything constantly or eating myself up with anxiety and racing thoughts.

Granted, if my hair was coming out in real HANDFULS on a daily basis, or my liver functions were shot, of course I'd be concerned and demanding a different Rx. But a few extra pounds and a little evening puffiness I can deal with -- so long as it doesn't become something ridiculous like doubling my size or developing diabetes or whatnot! My teenage daughter was on it for awhile, it never made her gain an ounce ... so maybe if you're younger and your metabolism hasn't hit the infamous mid-30s slow-down, you're in the clear ...

I feel very fortunate to be experiencing some stability already after just 4 weeks of trying this medication. Many people have to go through tons of meds before they find something that works for them. I say go for it -- give the Depakote a shot. See if it will help more than it will harm, or whether it will even harm at all.

thanks ... i might try it. im not happy about the weight gain thing, i already put on weight in the last few years, i used to be a 3, but im a 5, sometimes 7 now. bummer! im not 30 yet though so maybe ill get lucky and not gain more from meds. ... ive noticed when im feeling well, i dont overeat. i used to binge and i was bulemic for a while so i think it made me gain weight. i did it to try to lose but ended up gaining 10 pounds!
anyway, im getting off the subject, sorry. i am just glad to hear some good news about depakote, since my symptoms are a lot mixed like you say yours are, it means even more, like maybe there is hope for me yet!