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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by becksA on January 25, 2006, at 12:41:26
Anybody experience depression with depakote? I do not truly need it that bad and am considering either lowering the dosage or going off it completely.
Thanks.
Posted by Berberis on January 25, 2006, at 13:59:17
In reply to depakote bring down, posted by becksA on January 25, 2006, at 12:41:26
I became depressed on 1,000mg Depakote (also on Seroquel at the time). I took a 2-month holiday from the drug and restarted at 500mg and no depression.
Ironically, Depakote supposedly helps alleviate depression, not cause it.
Posted by linkadge on January 25, 2006, at 14:51:33
In reply to Re: depakote bring down » becksA, posted by Berberis on January 25, 2006, at 13:59:17
I would try adding folic acid 1000mcg=1mg. I took depakote by itself which caused depression. Doctor suggested adding folic acid which reduced depression significantly.
Linkadge
Posted by becksA on January 25, 2006, at 15:54:59
In reply to Re: depakote bring down » becksA, posted by Berberis on January 25, 2006, at 13:59:17
Berberis - Is it really supposed to alleviate depression? I thought it was supposed to work the other way around. Lamictal, I thought, if anything was supposed to work more in that direction, and if anything, depakote would create more hypomania.
Posted by blueberry on January 25, 2006, at 17:07:56
In reply to depakote bring down, posted by becksA on January 25, 2006, at 12:41:26
Depakote "can" work for either depression or mania. For me though it was strange because I got a nice warm strong antidepressant effect the first day, continued into the second day, but after that it melted into a dull depression that just lingered for weeks. I stopped and restarted it two times during the months I was on it and got the same exact pattern. Now if it could just keep working like it did on the first two days, that would be so awesome.
Anyway, yeah, depakote gave me a dull depression. Different than the depression I started with, but just as bad. Interesting, in some clinical trials there were some spectacular individual responses to it in treating depression.
I shouldn't single out depakote though. In my own personal experiences, any psychiatric med has the potential to cause depression even if it's supposed to treat it instead.
Posted by Phillipa on January 25, 2006, at 19:28:58
In reply to Re: depakote bring down, posted by blueberry on January 25, 2006, at 17:07:56
Blueberry even the SSRI's and SSNRI"S TCA;s MAOI's? Never heard this before but then they don't seem to alleviate depression either. Any reason you know of? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by 4WD on January 25, 2006, at 22:29:02
In reply to Re: depakote bring down, posted by linkadge on January 25, 2006, at 14:51:33
> I would try adding folic acid 1000mcg=1mg. I took depakote by itself which caused depression. Doctor suggested adding folic acid which reduced depression significantly.
>
>
> Linkadge
Hey, Linkadge,My pdoc also put me on that same dose of folic acid when i started Depakote. No added depression so far. I'm on 500 mg.
Marsha
Posted by 4WD on January 25, 2006, at 22:32:03
In reply to depakote bring down, posted by becksA on January 25, 2006, at 12:41:26
> Anybody experience depression with depakote? I do not truly need it that bad and am considering either lowering the dosage or going off it completely.
>
> Thanks.If I remember correctly, you are on 1250mg? I have been on 500mg for about three weeks now and am feeling better than I have in a while. (I've also switched ADs back to Effexor). I've found that 500mg is plenty for me to stop the mixed states thing I've had going on (well, for the most part and only for the last three days).
Maybe you should lower the dosage?
Marsha
Posted by linkadge on January 26, 2006, at 14:29:20
In reply to Re: depakote bring down » becksA, posted by 4WD on January 25, 2006, at 22:32:03
Yeah, I found that folic acid really reduced both the conative effects of depakote, and the depression.
Linkadge
Posted by blueberry on January 27, 2006, at 5:27:57
In reply to Re: depakote bring down » blueberry, posted by Phillipa on January 25, 2006, at 19:28:58
> Blueberry even the SSRI's and SSNRI"S TCA;s MAOI's? Never heard this before but then they don't seem to alleviate depression either. Any reason you know of? Fondly, Phillipa
Phillipa, yeah. Why, dunno. But if the "chemical imbalance" theory is correct, then it just seems logical to me that in an attempt to find the right balance, one could go too far and create a different imbalance in the process. Or perhaps the medication is rebalancing the wrong culprit. I also think some of it could be side effects that mimic depressive feelings.
This is the end of the thread.
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