depakote - in real life.....

[betcsu]

hi all, im taking 500mg depakote that i just started 3 days ago.  i think were gonna up it to 1000mg in another 3-4 days.

ive read thru all the links stickied to the top and ive browsed the boards reading what others have to say but i guess i wanna know what it should make me feel or not feel, etc.

for instance, if you get seasonal allergies or hives, benadryl makes it go away (and makes you sleep.)

if you get a headache, tylenol or advil make it go away.

valium calms you down.

etc.

what exactly is depakote supposed to make go away or help or do to you?

im also taking .5mg risperdal so im gonna be posting this same question on that board. im just so confused as to which one is suppsoed to help which symtoms and what effect their supposed to have and why.

not the technical mumbo jumbo. but from real people and real life experiences.

thanks in advance for any help you can give.

[InfoNut]

My personal experience is that Depakote has evened out my moods quite a bit. I've never done huge see-saw rapid cycle changes, but I can still feel it working.

The problem for me was that I ended up on the low side of neutral. I wasn't fluctuating to extremes, but I was moderately depressed. Depakote is good for preventing mania, so my pdoc felt safe giving me Wellbutrin to bring my emotional level up. It worked.

I'm sure you've got all the side effect information, so I won't go into all of that again.

I guess bottom line, is for me it prevents me from becoming manic, or crushingly depressed.

InfoNut

2000mg Depakote (up from 1500mg)

450mg Wellbutrin

50mg Lamictal

[Lisa_K]

My personal experience is that Depakote has evened out my moods quite a bit. I've never done huge see-saw rapid cycle changes, but I can still feel it working.

The problem for me was that I ended up on the low side of neutral. I wasn't fluctuating to extremes, but I was moderately depressed. Depakote is good for preventing mania, so my pdoc felt safe giving me Wellbutrin to bring my emotional level up. It worked.

I'm sure you've got all the side effect information, so I won't go into all of that again.

I guess bottom line, is for me it prevents me from becoming manic, or crushingly depressed.

InfoNut

2000mg Depakote (up from 1500mg)

450mg Wellbutrin

50mg Lamictal

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree with InfoNut...it made me feel alot more stable...its also helped my epilepsy a bunch. Im on 1000mg of Depakote ER.

[Ammity]

My boyfriend takes it, and it helps control his anger as well as mania

[betcsu]

how about drug interactions? specifically, otc cold/allergy meds. weve got bad seasonal trees, grass, and pollen here. id like to take a benadryl but dont wanna mess anything up. thanks in advance and let me know.

[Lisa_K]

how about drug interactions? specifically, otc cold/allergy meds. weve got bad seasonal trees, grass, and pollen here. id like to take a benadryl but dont wanna mess anything up. thanks in advance and let me know.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Best thing to do is ASK YOUR DOCTOR OR PHARMACIST...Depakote has a big interaction with Aspirin, and I know this from my own experience...it makes you feel really yucky. I took aspirin for several days while having stomach cramps and I was feeling 'overmedicated' and kinda sick...I called my doctor to set up an appt. then I thought about what all I was taking, and I thought about calling the pharmacist...I found out that youre not suppossed to take Depakote and aspirin together...so yeah...I have allergies too, and I get horrible headaches this time of year (have one right now matter of fact) I take aleve or Ibuprofen now.

[NARS]

Here's a great site to check drug-drug interactions that's very user-friendly:

aidsmeds.com

My only advice is that since both benadryl and depakote can be sedating you may want to try the experiment at home first.  Once you've adjusted to the depakote there shouldn't be a problem combining them.  When I was on depakote I took both (and many other antihistimines) together many times and had no trouble.