Well, for starters..if you feel like you were misdiagnosed with Bipolar disorder then you really need to talk to your dr. Depakote is a very strong medication, and if you don't need it then you shouldn't take it. That's like someone taking medicine for high blood pressure when they don't even have hypertension. Depakote is used for many things like migraines, bipolar disorder, and to control seizures in people with epilepsy. I have taken Depakote since I was 15 and am now 25 and never had any "severe" side effects. I did have some sensitivity to sunlight in the beginning and some drowsiness, but those symptoms passed once the medicine got in my system and my levels were where they were supposed to be. You really should talk to your dr though and just explain to him/her that you feel like you were misdiagnosed. Hope this helps some:)
(heres a new person writing in:)
Also, you could have a lesion in the right temporal lobe have you ever had any neurologist test you for epilepsy, this is another disorder for which depakote is prescribed.. Often behavioral symptoms coming from righ temp lobe are misdiagnosed as stemming from manic depression and then one can be prescribed lithium which wont work--but Depakote does. Tgretol also may work, but its best to stick with what you know --and where the side effects are bearable-- rather than try a new med and risk bad discomfort. I have been thru all this.
Symptoms from lef temporal lobe can be misdiagnosed as schizophrenia. Yerachmiel
That all depends on the medication. Different medicines used to treat bipolar are often used for many other purposes. Tegretol, for example, is sometimes prescribed for bipolar but is also used to treat certain kinds of headaches. Seroquel, as another popular example, is often used for sleep or for depression.
Mood swings- Manic and Depressive
Although Bipolar Disorder effects everyone differently, Bipolar Disorder has been known to effect happiness, sadness, interests, likes, dislikes, etc. If you are intersted in learning more I encourage you to search "Bipolar Disorder" in a search engine. (Here is a site I like: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder/index.shtml)
Yes. Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder, not a sleep disorder, although it can effect sleep, depending on the person. It is very individual and differs from person to person in how it effects them.
DepressionOverexcitement (mania)Mixed statesMood swingsEmotional disturbances
It is for Bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
Yes. The effects make you think the intoxicated person is a drunk bipolar with schizophrenia.
The literature says to allow as long as 6 weeks.However when I was placed on depakote for Bipolar Disorder, I was feeling that something was different within about 3 days of the first dose (although I was not sure what was different at that time).
Sarah A. L. Marshall has written: 'Probing acute opioid effects in bipolar disorder'
NO! Even though Topamax and Depakote are used to treat a lot of the same things, Depakote can cause interactions with Topamax. If your doctor prescribed both prescriptions to you, I would call a Walgreen's or CVS and ask a pharmacist. They usually have one specifically to answer questions about medications. But even the website for the makers of depakote and topamax said they shouldn't be taken together.
Depending of the nature of the bipolar disorder, you may not be given anti-depressants at all. Frequent meds for bipolar disorder are Lamictal (new, powerful, low side effects, common skin rashes but rarely life threatening), lithium (very old, many side effects, may be lethal on OD, requires blood monitoring, but very strong - I love it), valproic acid (Depakine/Depakote, old and tried, requires blood monitoring), carbamazepine (Tegretol, old, requires blood monitoring). If mania is severe enough, your doctor may prescribe you an antipsychotic like Risperdal, Seroquel (some weight gain and sedation) or Zyprexa (sedation and massive weight gain).
The majority of paych. Meds. Have caused major sexual side effects. Now have Rx for depakote. Are there sexual side effects with this medication ?