Posted by Terry on February 12, 1999, at 18:11:15
In reply to Valproex -- Did it work for anybody?, posted by Baudelaire on February 12, 1999, at 15:08:25
I've been on 1,000 mg Depakote a day for about a year and it's helped tremendously with controlling my hypomania. (I was on lower doses for more than a year before that, and I was still hypomanic.) However, there are 2 side effects I don't like: sleepiness and weight gain. I'm willing to put up with it, though, because I'd rather have that than mania. I've also found that Depakote alone does not help my depression, so I'm on a low dose of Serzone (150 mg) at night, which helps. Some docs don't like to give antidepressants to bipolars because it can "Switch" you over to mania, and that has happened to me on other antidepressants (Paxil especially). I know some bipolars who have to take the high dose of valproate (Depakote) like me and who have low-grade depression with it have to just keep trying an antidepressant until they find one that works. Also, because it can cause liver damage, my psychiatrist checks my liver function twice a year on Depakote. So far, so good.
> Hi1 I recently sought treatment for depression -- and what sounded to me a hell of a lot like bipolar disorder, and my doctor prescribed Valproex. Just wanted to see what anyone else's response to it had been. I'm a bit worried about the possible side effects, and wondered how common they were.
poster:Terry
thread:2960
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990201/msgs/2962.html