Generic Depakote

Depakote is the brand name for the drug divalproex sodium. It is actually an anticonvulsant medication indicated for the prevention of seizures characteristic of epilepsy, but it is also often prescribed for the treatment of the manic episodes that accompany bipolar disorder. It is also given as a preventative treatment for migraine headaches.

Manic episodes are periods of abnormally elevated or irritated mood that often come as part of the bipolar cycle. Depakote has been found to be an effective mood stabilizer, especially for cases of bipolar disorder which are difficult to treat. Epilepsy is a seizure disorder that affects both children and adults. Depakote, as an anticonvulsant, helps to prevent the seizures that accompany epilepsy. Migraine is a disorder in which you suffer a particular type of severe headache, accompanied by other symptoms. Depakote is used as a preventative treatment for migraines, but is not helpful once you have already begun to have one.

Depaokte can be given to children as young as ten years of age, and is often given to younger patients who suffer from epilepsy. It should not be given to babies or very small children, however, as their liver and kidney are unable to process it efficiently. It is also appropriate for elderly patients, but with these patients it should be started at a lower dose and increased more slowly than with other adults, as older people tend to show more side effects at more severe levels.

Depakote is a very useful and versatile drug, but it can come with side effects. You should be cautious in taking Depakote, because it can result in weakness, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, headache. indigestion and loss of appetite. Other common side effects include shaking hands, sleepiness or sleeplessness, dizziness, forgetfulness, respiratory infections, and hair loss. Other less common side effects can include back pain and chest pain, increased heart rate, high blood pressure, twitching, leg cramps, anxiety or confusion. You might also experience dry or itchy skin, runny nose, cough, menstrual irregularities, and urinary incontinence.

Although anticonvulsant drugs should never be discontinued suddenly, they should also not be taken by pregnant women. Depakote has been shown to increase the risk of birth defects and malformations in the babies born to women taking it. Depakote and other anticonvulsants should only be taken by pregnant women if they are absolutely necessary for the management of their condition. Other than pregnancy, no differences have been shown in the treatment of men or women using Depakote.

Depakote should be taken strictly according to the prescription, because overdoses can have serious consequences. An overdose can result in excessive sleepiness, blockages in the heart, and even deep coma. There are other medications that can help reverse the effects of a Depakote overdose, but they can also reverse the treatment being given by Depakote. For this reason, these antidotes should be given with special care to those who suffer from epilepsy, as it may make them more susceptible to seizures. Depakote should also not be given to anyone who has liver problems, because a weak or inefficient liver can’t process it well.