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Author
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Anonymous
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Review Date: Sat July 1, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $20.00| Rating: 4
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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It works well as a mood stabilizer but not in the same class as Lamictal.
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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Trembling of hands, fingers,dry mouth and confusion.
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A cheap substitute for other mood stabilizers. A combination of lamictal and lithium have been more effective for me without the nasty side effects.
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razeljenny
Veteran Member
Registered: May 2006
Location: Wasington State
Posts: 353
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Review Date: Thu July 6, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 7
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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does a good job taking away disorentation and moods
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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made me put on a great deal of weight
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It will really help you when things are bad but now I wouldn't reccommend it because I gained a great deal of weight yet I was so very successful the year I was on Depakote. I did very well. Now I am using an alternative herbal called MOrnida Citrofolia which worked for me but it may not necessarily do the same outcome for you.
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niko851
Member
Registered: March 2006
Location: Noblesville, IN USA
Posts: 82
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Review Date: Tue July 25, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $30.00| Rating: 4
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Has somewhat stabalized me (less episodes w/other drug combinations)
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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Sleep issues; some stomach cramping; expensive
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Since I'm using Depakote in combination with other meds, I can't really say for sure how effective or ineffective Depakote alone is. I don't understand how a primarily anti-seizure medication can help stabalize a mood, but something is working with this medication. My only gripe about it, other than the minor 'relief' I get from it, is that it is a brand-name and therefore quite costly.
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Daffy
New Member
Registered: August 2006
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Tue August 15, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 6
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Leveled out moods a bit
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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Gained weight
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I liked it except for the weight gain
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candybear
Grand Magnate
Managing Editor, PC
Registered: April 2004
Location: the frozen tundra
Posts: 4830
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Review Date: Fri September 8, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 8
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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helped even out moods
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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too many to list
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Depakote made me barf my guts out nonstop for the first 10 days I was on it. I finally called my pdoc and BEGGED to be taken off. Since it was working well on my mood, he refused, and I fought him for another 18 months before I finally was able to get off it.
The mood stabilizing properties are great. The hair loss ... the unexplained bruising ... not so much. The side effects just didn't make it worth it for me.
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eskielover
Magnate
Registered: October 2004
Location: Harrodsburg, Kentucky, USA
Posts: 2650
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Review Date: Thu September 14, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 5
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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nausea, headache, & extreme dizziness & sleepiness
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This medication was given to me while in the hospital. It effected my blood pressure, causing the dizziness. Migraine pain also couldn't be tolerated. Because of the side effects it caused, I wasn't able to stay on it long enough to determine if it had any effect on the depression.
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darkeyes
Moderator
Community Support Team
Registered: May 2001
Location: US
Posts: 9696
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Review Date: Fri September 15, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 4
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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quick acting towards calming and/or reducing manic behaviour/episode
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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causes extreme fatigue,weight gain,hair loss,just blots out total feelings of emotion,zombifying.
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I did not care for Depakote,and for me,it just worsened my depression.
For the hypomanic (mild) state I was in,was like total knockdown,for mania was never a huge issue and only had one or 2 hypomanic episodes in my life.
I'm sure a person that is truly,in a full blown manic episode or approaching one may benefit by it,but I personally would prefer Lithium or Lamictal as a mood stabilizer.
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Suzy5654
Poohbah
Registered: May 2006
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1089
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Review Date: Sun September 24, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 2
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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decreased agitation when I was in a mixed state
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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didn't help with the depression at all
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Didn't do a thing for my depression when I was in a mixed state, but did decrease the agitation.
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Anonymous
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Review Date: Wed October 18, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 1
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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none
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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grogginess and weight gain
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it made me feel worse than i had felt before. i was groggy and all i did was eat and think about eating. i gained 35 lbs on it.
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pinacolada
New Member
Registered: February 2007
Posts: 4
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Review Date: Sat February 24, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 1
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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absolutely none
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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extreme tiredness, extreme weight gain, excessive hair loss
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I Was Forced to take this medication by foster parents and therapists, I had no good outcome from it. I gained 35 pounds in 5 months. Hair loss was extreme everyday I ran my fingers through my hair while nin the shower and it was like endless thick strands were falling out. I Was a pretty healthy cheerleader and within a few months I despised how much weight I continued to gain. I slept all through the night and could sleep the next day away no problem. my eyes watered all the time. I felt slow mentally and physically and withdrawn. Within 3 months of quitting Depakpote I returned to normal body weight, made new friends and enjoyed playing sports and being myself.
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tweak
New Member
Registered: February 2007
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 3
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Review Date: Tue April 10, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 7
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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I seemed to be able to focus on things better and it was calming.
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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Big time weight gain, gradually dried my skin out with discolorations and when my hair started coming out in clumps I quit using it.
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Depakote really helped my hyper moods. I tend to talk to much and get angry off the cuff.
What it did to my skin is very depressing, dried out with a plethora of different marks and spots. Already fighting the pounds all my life, this just put my eating out of control. I was always hungry. It's a real battle.
After a couple of years of using it, my hair started falling out in clumps when I washed or brushed it. That's when I quit using it. No withdrawal and my hair stopped falling out, but my skin is ruined. It looks like a homeless person's leathery skin and I rarely even go outdoors.
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lunakit
Junior Member
Registered: April 2007
Posts: 12
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Review Date: Thu April 12, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $10.00| Rating: 10
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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excellent mood stabilizer
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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none
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I'm bipolar with a tendency toward dysphoric mania. Since taking this med I feel like a normal person (or what I imagine a normal person feels like!). It stabilizes my moods without inducing brainfog. I can think, I can work, I can play, I can sleep. I haven't gained any weight or lost any hair. I take 250mg 3x per day. My pdoc told me that most people who get extreme weight gain and/or hair loss side effects are taking too much. If you're considering trying this med, start with a low dose, titrate gradually and if you start gaining weight or losing hair, taper down a dose. If it doesn't work well enough for you at the lower dose, talk to your pdoc about combining it with a low dose of another med.
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prime23
Junior Member
Registered: April 2007
Location: California
Posts: 14
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Review Date: Tue April 17, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $0.03| Rating: 6
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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controls mania; no migraines
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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hair loss; no help for depression; occasional diarrhea and stomach upset
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I've been on Depakote for almost seven years. It's a good mood stabilizer, but my hair has thinned and won't grow more than a few inches. I don't think this is due to other causes. I can count on one hand the number of headaches I've had since I started on this med, which is nice. This med is very expensive, but I'm Medi-Medi; so I get it for almost nothing. The worst thing about it is, if I get depressed, about all I can do is wait for it to go away. I don't do well on antidepressants, and Depakote doesn't work for depression.
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meinghoh
New Member
Registered: April 2007
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Thu April 19, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 3
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Ok mood stabilizer.
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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Weight gain, hair loss, skin issues
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Sure, in the stabiliztion department it worked ok, however I gained 40 lbs in 6 months, my hair thinned out, and my skin looked....old?
Dropped the medication, trying to loose the weight grow my hair back and attempt to revive my skin to a somewhat healthy level and appearence. It is difficult, but I am managing with taking a small dose of zoloft.
It is sad that I wasn't told about these side effects before I was placed on them. From here on out, before I swallow another pill, I will throughly check it out - outside of the prescribing doctor.
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PiperWilson
New Member
Registered: April 2007
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Thu April 26, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 8
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Helped my son's moods and migraines
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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Elevated ammonia blood levels
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It worked well for him for a few years, but at one point he started throwing up for no apparent reason. The doctor's monitored his liver enzymes regularly. BUT, I was attending a conference and the presenter mentioned something about ammonia in the blood. I had my son tested, and his ammonia levels were at least 3 times higher than they should have been.
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cherryblossom
Member
Registered: April 2007
Posts: 24
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Review Date: Sat May 12, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $90.00| Rating: 8
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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It helped me consentrate
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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upset my stomach
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It had to have it raised a month ago.So the name change to Valproic Acid.know I feel alot better than I did.It really helps and I can even tell when I don't take my meds that I am relapsing.The price is so high that I can't afford my med's.My husband is worried that it will keep me from taking it like I am suppose to.But I am because I don't care anything about going back in the hospital.
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Bookish
New Member
Registered: June 2007
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Fri June 8, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 3
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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I felt subdu.ed somewhat. Less hyper
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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Nausea, Bloating, FAST WEIGHT GAIN !!! Early symptoms felt like morning sickness and lack of motivation. Very tired and listless.
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I have now taken myself off of Depakote after about three months of treatment because the side effects are worse then the disorder. I have been diagnosed as having a mild case of Bipolar disorder with mild depression and more manic episodes. Now that I am drug free, I feel a sense of well being and freedom. Depakote is not a drug to take without first weighing the side effects verses the actual disorder it may be helping. In my case I was very unhappy with the weight gain and the perpetually tired look on my face. I felt fat, old and bloated.
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Psychotic_Phil
Member
Registered: February 2007
Location: Seattle WA USA
Posts: 295
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Review Date: Fri June 22, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 4
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Relieved me of my moodiness symptoms that Lithium didn't treat
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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Weight gain, sedation makes my brain not work.
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Depakote, while not being as bad as Lithium is still a mood stabilizer and a bad one too. Weight gain, sedation and making your mind shatter? This is not a good med. Stay away from all of the mood stabilizers!
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drummergrl
Member
Registered: July 2007
Location: CA
Posts: 224
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Review Date: Fri July 6, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 3
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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none
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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shakes, weight gain, drowsy............
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Depakote was the first original drug choice from my Psychiatrist after being diagnosed with Bipolar 1 Disorder. After 6 mos. I was having too many episodes that weren't getting relieved, and I was finding alot of my thoughts jumbled and suicidal. Not a good drug to stabalize mood swings. Too unreliable. Too many nasty side effects.
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BrazilMaster
Junior Member
Registered: August 2007
Posts: 6
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Review Date: Mon September 3, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 8
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Helps to prevent Migraines and focus
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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expensive med .
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My pdoc has prescribed this medication for treating the GAD. I can focus and especially concentrate better; ex. reading, writting, etc...
Without it, it seems that my mind is "wandering" too much, and without proper functioning. The headaches also tend to re-appear if I dont take the med. I take 225-500/ day.
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dreamin
New Member
Registered: October 2007
Location: Georgia
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Mon October 15, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 4
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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It did help my mood/anger alot
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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weight gain
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massive weight gain made me so much more severe depressed, so I stopped taking it. they had me up to 4000 mg a day! The Dr never warned me of the weight gain first and he knew one thing I was depressed over was my weight to begin with was my weight.
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mattchicago
New Member
Registered: October 2007
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Thu October 18, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 5
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Less manic episodes
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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Weight Gain, Shaky Hands
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Hard to say whether i recommend or not as this is the only drug I've been on since I've been diagnosed (3 plus years now). I feel like I've had less manic episodes, but feel like I've been more depressed as well. Weight gain (10-15 pounds) & shaky hands have been a side effect.
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Gianna
Junior Member
Registered: October 2007
Location: NC
Posts: 11
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Review Date: Wed October 24, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 1
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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none
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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made me gain 70 lbs, made me stupid, did not help my psychological problmes
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Causes polycystic ovary syndrome in young women which causes infertility. I know a lot of people that this has happened to.
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Anonymous
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Review Date: Thu November 8, 2007
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: $20.00| Rating: 2
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Forums at Psych Central
;)
