Divalproex/Depakote/Depakene/Epival

I just want to post my satisfaction with this drug.

I was taking Citalopram previously and it is horrible, the side effects are horrendous and the withdrawal just as bad. When I did stable out on it, it made me too hyper.

I was on Divalproex before and it was amazing for keeping my anxiety/panic in check along with helping with my moods. I started it again after getting of that garbage Citalopram and 4-5 days in (yes it does work in that short of a time) I am sooo much better. This drug is amazing at how quickly it works and its ability to reduce and almost eliminate your anxiety/panic.

There honestly should be a sub-catergory under Medications for this drug as it does treat anxiety.

I don't know how many people have tried this drug, but like I said my experiences on it have been great so far. As for the side effects, the first time I started it, I don't recall having any. Same thing this time around, I don't have any side effects that I can notice.

The drawback to Divalproex is that you need to have your Valproate levels in the blood tested every couple of months to make sure you stay in the theraputic range and your liver function tested every 5-6 months to make sure there is no liver damage.

This drug can cause liver problems and potentially cause pancreatitis even if you've been on it for years. Those are my only concerns with this drug, but I suppose the benefits outweigh the risks.

You also can not just stop taking this drug cold turkey, you should do that with any drug anyways. As this drug is also used to treat epilepsy, if you stop taking it all of a sudden cold turkey, you could have a grande mal seizure, even if you've never had seizures before.

Anyways thats my 2 cents on this drug. No more SSRI garbage for me.