HI,Me again..slipped up again day before and drank beer,so I didnt take my valporic acid. I take 250 mg. of it

Question

per day but my Dr. wants me to start taking it 3 times a day. so i dint drink yesterday,so I took it last night and 1 this morning.I am feeeling nausea and dizzy(which the dizziness i have had off and on for years,it just got bad in the spring when I stopped the valporic acid cold turkey.I take it for panic and anxiety plus also xanax. Does anyone know if it will help depression,and does it cause weight gain? how long after upping the dose of it(the valporic acid) will the nausea and yucky feelings go away? Thanks for all info

Answer 1

These are all questions that you should discuss with your doctor.

Valporates are anticonvulstants, typically used for epilepsy and as mood stabilizers for bipolar disorder or for the discontinuation of alcohol and concaine abuse.

I am not a Dr. but have been taking Depakote (divalproex sodium) for quite sometime and have done vast research on valporates.

Amongst the pharmaceutical group of mood stabilizers, valporates have the harshest side effects. What you are experiencing is quite normal and with regular use should dicipate in a few weeks, which are common to all psychotropic drugs.

As per treating depression, Depakote is theraputically proven to reduce manic episodes of bipolar disorder and bipolar depression, which is different from normal depression. Unless you are bipolar, there are a plethora of other medications available to relieve accute anxiety and major depression. I would suggest that you talk to your doctor and discuss the fact that you are having a hard time coping with the side effects of valporates and start on something else.

Based on the information you've given me, you are not taking the medication properly. Since valporates metabolize heavily in your liver, drinking in between doses can damage your liver and over time, become fatal. Taking alcohol with valporates will make you very very very very very sick and I learned this the hard way. If you don't have the discipline to stop drinking, you should tell your doctor and choose a medicine that won't kill you if you drink. However, it's strongly recommended not to drink while taking any psychotropic medication. Drinking will make the medication your are taking ultimately useless and you'll end up being more depressed and anxious then before you started taking the meds.

Discontinuing valporates is very dangerous, where in the worst case scenario, you can experience seizures, even if you've never had one before. There is also a discontinuation syndrome attached that will increase your anxiety and depression.

A word of advice, find enough strength within yourself to swear off drinking for a while and let your medication do it's work. I was at a point where I couldn't stop drinking and my Dr. refused to treat me until I took substance abuse therapy. It's a difficult thing to do, but believe me, it pays off. After I swore off the booze, I let the meds go to work and was very disciplined in following my Dr's orders. As a result, I'm much happier and experience the least amount of side effects possible.

Answer 2

u might be feeling that way cause u still got alcohol in your system, i also had a drinkong prob from being depressed, i got very sick from drinking ,it did a lot of damage to my kidneys, i quit drinking and have been sober ever since,and i have given my life over to the lord,now i'm doing good , depression is gone , and no more desire to drink, i look at alcohol as poison to me now,which is exactly what it is, poison! maybe if u look at it that way , it could help u too , god bless u and good luck

Answer 3

Doing drugs and drinking are gonna alway make you feel bad in some kinda way or another.....on and off.........the fact that the drugs are prescribed does not change the fact that they alter your mind, body, and state of well being......Go Straight.......Cowboy Up and Get YOUR life back.....IT can be done.....