Depakote and cold turkey

I take Depakote ER which is extended release and coated. The doctor said I am not supposed to gain as much weight but I am still gaining so I have to excerise more but I has REALLY helped the mood swings. AND DONT stop it cold turkey I did and my moods were horrible. I am still looking for informaition on it too to know more.

My son started taking depokote at the age of 11. We kept him on it for about 3 months and decided to take him off of it because he absolutely did not like how he felt on it. Tired all the time and just not himself. The seizures continued and I felt like I had to do something so we took him back to Childrens Mercy in Kansas City, Mo and the dr. put him back on it reassuring me it wasn't the medicine that was making him feel this way. He has been on the extended release med since June of 2005 and he is in his first year of high school and he is failing all but 2 classes. He and I both told the dr that he is having trouble concentrating but the dr chose to ignore my remarks. Now the first semester of his first year in high school is over and I don't think he has passed most of his classes because of this drug. I have since then contacted the hosp and I am changing dr's and we are getting him off the drug. No they tell me that you can not go off of depokote cold turkey. It is going to take 6 wks to take my son off of it and change to something else.

My son is 15 and has been taking Depakote for 6 years. He stopped taking it about 3 weeks ago. He says he feels fine. Is it okay to stop taking it cold turkey. He has a doctor appt next month and I would prefer him to be off of it. He was diagnosed with mild bipolar for his mood swings. I just want to make sure there are no real concerns with him stopping the medication so abruptly. (The only side effect he had during his taking the medication was that his legs hurt him)

Thank you.