ptsd Is Anyone Taking Depakote Aka Divalproex

[hawkcrewchief]

I have been given divalproex to prevent my daily nasty headaches and the mood swings associated with PTSD but i am concerned this drug is not doing well with me. As i read online it has nasty side effects and doesnt work well for migranes. It is making me very tired and giving me bad stomach pains/cramps. Anyone out there taking this? Do you have these symptoms also? I think at my follow-up i am going to ask to be taken off this...

[john999]

I took it once and got lost driving home from the store. It is a drug for bi-polar mania. It is used for off the books reasons just like neurontin. It is actually an anti-convulsant. If the VA is giving you this drug because of headaches and PTSD it is because it is cheap.

[gp747]

i have been taking it for a long time. recently i was upgraded to take 1000 mg a day ,i have never had any side affects from it . i dont even know it is there unless i get off it awhile , i cant feel the affects of it i have been taking it so long. i am taking it for bipolar and the doc said it was a stabilizer.

[hawkcrewchief]

yes it seems like it is for seizures and bi-polar issues. But headaches and PTSD issues is pushing it. I feel weird and start hearing things different. Like my phone sounds diffrent, along with the stomach cramps and aches. I think I am going to stop this med today.

[broncovet]

I was prescribed this and I took it for a while. My VA Psych doc said it was mood stabelizer, but I didnt think the drug did all that much for me, so I discontinued it. My wife takes it now, and she gets headaches all the time. I took this with Wellbutrin 150 mg. For me, the possible side effects, coupled with the low/no results was the deciding factor for me to discontinue this med.

[allan]

I take Depakote for Bipolar.

Weight gain & drousyness are two of the side effects I experience.