Depakote or Lithium...do they work for a mood stabilizer?

[vandeeje]

I am facing a mixed episode right now and I want to have some ideas for my pdoc when I talk to him on Monday. My questions are have you taken Depakote or Lithium for a mood stabilizer and what was your experience?

[Chiaroscuro]

I've taken Sodium Valproate (which is similar to Depakote) as a mood stabiliser in conjunction with my antidepressant Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq). I fond it good, but not as good for me as Seroquel has been, though Seroquel flattens me out too much!

In short, it was useful.

[San]

Depakote sent me into depression, I wasn't happy with it.

Lithium was fantastic. It has some side effects, and you do need to get blood work done (same with Depakote)

[bpladybug]

I have been on both of them - they are both mood stabilizers of course.

I have been told that Depakote is effective for mixed episodes.

Personally I love Lithium.

Your doctor will undoubtedly have an opinion.

[notfred]

I have heard Depakote works for mixed episodes, too.

[Squirlygrl]

I was not completely responsive to lithium, so now I am on Depakote, which I have found remarkably effective for mixed episodes.

I have gained weight (went from thin to borderline overweight, with diet and exercise a factor), but for me it was worth it.

[dedoubt]

I've been on both at the same time. I don't remember much about being on Depakote, other than it didn't seem to help much and was causing me to have some bleeding issues (I have an underlying clotting disorder, and Depakote can exacerbate those). We dropped the Dep. and stayed with the lithium, and I totally love it. It took away my suicidality that I had lived with for my entire life, and mostly stabilized my moods.

I do have hypothyroidism from it, but that is easy to deal with (just take one extra pill a day). Also some cystic acne, but I'm managing that with keeping my face clean & scrubbed. At first it seemed to really be dulling my mind, and diminishing my creativity, but looking back, I think that was all caused by being in a really fucking bad series of episodes. I'm more awake now and doing creative work.

[Mirazh]

Depakote is my sole mood stabiliser. I was in a depression spiral when we upped my dose to the current amount, and it lifted the mood episode away. It's hard for me to tell, but I may have more hair shedding from it, and it may be contributing to my acne, though I take a lot of methylphenidate which doesn't help my skin either. In any case the effects are so mild I'm not even sure if it's from the depakote/epival/valproex. I am on a rather low dose, and my blood levels are on the low end of normal. I ad frequent blood tests at first, and the last one included hormone checking as well, but it's all been fie and now pdoc says I can do a blood test every six months instead.

[Revan]

I have been on the Lithium and Depakote combination before. It worked wonders at stabilizing me. It took a little tweaking of the doses of each, too much depakote would cause depression and too much Lithium would make me flat. However at the right doses they absolutely decimated my anxiety and racing thoughts.

Lithium really helped my depression too and fit like hand in glove with the depakote.

Don't get scared of people telling you you will have horrible side effects from these meds. True some people get them...however, other than the sleepiness/depression from too much depakote I had NO SIDE EFFECTS whatsoever. They did not cause my hair to fall out (in fact my hair looked really good on it )... It surprises me how many people get the hair fall out side effect. Not a strand lost...

[vandeeje]

I really appreciate the input everyone. When I talk to my pdoc (or his nurse more likely) on Monday I'm going to see if he'll put me on Depakote. I don't know if I can take it with the Saphris or if he would just replace it with the Depakote. I guess time will tell.

[crtclms]

We have a family friend who is a Neuropsychiatrist, and he said to me he thought it made a difference what shampoo you used. I don't know which ones to use, although I think I was using Selsun Blue, or Head and Shoulders without incident at the time. But I remember he said not to use Herbal Essences or Prell (which I realize no one uses anymore, but it is still on the market).

I realize that that doesn't help that much, but I thought I would mention it.

[gizmo]

I've been on depakote for over a year and love the effect it has on eliminating my mixed episodes. It's very effective for me for that purpose.

I've really had no side effects from it above any other mental med.

[netsavy006]

I don't know if I can take it with the Saphris or if he would just replace it with the Depakote. I guess time will tell.

You can take Saphris and Depakote together. In the PI sheet for Saphris, it says you can take it monotherapy or in combination with Lithium or Depakote.

[lwamikids]

I took Depakote for 7 months in which I gained 50 lbs. I was up to a 2000 mg dose on it. It was pretty extreme but so was my mania. It was wonderful for me aside from the weight gain. From my experience with other friends and my mother, Lithium did the same but was more weight neutral for them but everyone is different. My son is now back on Depakote and he's never gained weight or had increased hunger from it so I guess it just depends on the person and the dosage.

[brokenchina]

I've never been on Depakote, but I'm currently on Lithium and it's working very well for me.

As a teenager its most undesired side effect has been an increase in acne, but as far as treating the symptoms of my bipolar disorder it's worked quite well.

I was struggling with intense suicidal thoughts and within a week and a half of being put on the lithium, they were quieted down and now about three weeks later they aren't a problem for me at all. I was also in a mixed episode for awhile and Wellbutrin and Abilify were used to bring me out of the severe depression and stabilize and quiet the mania, then Lithium was added about a month and a half later when the depression cropped up again. I'm really feeling awesome on the Lithium and no longer need the Wellbutrin or Abilify. I'm only at 600mg now and it's already made a huge difference.

[Will]

Give me what she's having.