Is it safe to take Depakote and Lithium together?

Answer 1

My doctor prescribed 400mg Seroquel, 500mg Depakote XR 2x a day, 450mg Lithium 2x a day, and next week he is adding Lamictal. I spent one month inpatient, and have been released for a week with no problems. I would assume this means Lamictal is fine with Depakote.

It is IMPORTANT to have blood tests done weekly while on Lithium, to ensure you don't get toxic levels. I have been told to NEVER just stop taking Lamictal, as it causes Steven Johnson's disease (requires an immediate trip to the ER burn unit because your skin will "fall off your body".

So just TRUST YOUR DOCTORS ORDERS!! :)

Posted 2-1-10

Answer 2

Yes, it is safe to take Depakote and Lithium together. Lithium is a first line agent used to treat Bipolar disorder. It usually takes 7 to 14 days to take effect and reach it's therapeutic levels of 0.8 to 1.4 mEq/L. During that time, a physician will usually prescribe another medication to treat symptoms more rapidly. Depakote, an antiepileptic drug, is usually the first drug to be prescribed in conjunction with Lithium. Depakote will relieve symptoms during the 7 to 14 days so the person is not left untreated during that time. Antiepileptic drugs are effective at treating manic episodes because they decrease the firing of certain neurons in the brain which will slow down the manic symptoms.