Depakote and seizures

I took Depakote for a few years and I will never go on that drug again. I gained over 50 pounds, my hair fell out in clumps, and I developed very bad acne. I also could not go out in the sun because I would blotch up for weeks. It worked great on my migraines and seizures, but the side effects weren't worth it.

I have been on Depakote for several months, for migraine related seizures. The side effects have kept me from functioning , as I have had chronic pain in my bones & joints, muscle fatigue, muscle spasms and my favorite wieght gain.

listlessness, outragous hunger. weight gain over 100lbs in a yr no energy sleep all day all night every day no enthusiasm or interest in anything. sweats profusely at any kind of exertion. am on them for seizures but they never stop i still have them, i am on over 3000 mg a day.

People taking this drug for seizures are going to have very different experiences then the bipolars, I believe. Pretty much everyone has some weight gain, but not major (10-20lbs).
I was diagnosed as a rapid cycling bipolar, and before this drug, I was completely miserable. I was started on Depakote instead of Lithium due to fewer side effects, and it was a huge sucess.
Moods are stable, manic episodes are gone, sleep is stabilzed, libido is normal, depression is rare. I am 20 lbs heavier, happy, and "normal". I can't say enough good things about this drug.
Bipolars, steer away from the negative comments here and go to the bipolar support sites. You will find almost nothing but positive testimonials about this drug for our condition.

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.

I have been taking this med. for years now and I have put on so much weight. My legs hurt all the time and as well as most others I am very tired all the time and dizzy also am unable to concentrate.But I am so afraid to get of this med. because I have been on it so long and thats all I know to prevent my seizures.

I have son takes Depanke Liquid because he can't swallow the tablet for Depakote. And also he takes Tegretol. His behavior was terrible and get worst since he takes two medications together. Now the dr is cutting off Tegretol down slowly. And he will be on Depanke Liquid for good. SOme day he will learn to swallow the pills instead of carrying the liquid all the time. Do you think Tegretal and Depanke make him worst behavior? Thank you I need your opinion please t hank you again

would like to know if anyone has taken a combination of depakote and carbatrol. my son is on both of these for seizures and since on this combo has lost a tremendous amount of weight and has mood swings. has anyone else had these side effects. not even sure if they are side effects.