Anyone have hallucinations while taking Depakote?

Question

I take it for mood disorders. I had previously been taking it with Lexapro but stopped both meds (bad I know.) I went back to the Dr. Monday and talked to him. He asked me to start back on Depakote for a few days and then start Exxeflor (sp?) for depression and anxiety. Since I have been on ONLY Depakote I have had hallucinations of people in my house. Its only for a split second. Has this happened to anyone else? I am calling my Doc 1st thing in the morning.

Don't believe in ghost. I have been in this house for 3 years. Also the "people" I see look like my husband and children...only its not them. And all 3 of them are still living.

I did research and saw that Depakote can cause hallucinations/phycosis but just curious what other peoples experiences are.

M. Moon. Thank you. Thank you very much. I love your answer :)

Answer 1

No,but I have taken codeine and it makes me have night terrors,I can see people I think i am awake when I am really in between sleep and awake.It's very scary,maybe you need to try something else.I don't like taking drugs myself.I believe in natural healing for my mind,exercise and a walk in the woods.exercise for anxiety,work that crap off.a walk in the woods for depression,nothing makes me appreciate life more than seeing the beauty around me.

(Many blessings)

Answer 2

Depakote Hallucinations

Answer 3

I don't know squat about the drugs you are taking, but I will tell you one thing. If the drugs you are taking are messing with you, stop. See another doctor or two and get a concensus. Doctors are human, and them dealing out perscriptions may be in the ball park, but its not an EXACT science. Example: I have a problem with my back occaisionaly, and because of some past experiences in the military, get very uptight at times. My doctor gave me two medications to take. One to help with the discomfort and the other to help me sleep or as he put it "take the edge off". The drug I take for my back is Loratab. I quit taking the one for "taking the edge off" because the Loratab helps with my back, and if it doesn't bother me, but I feel like I am getting a little to wound up, I take a Loratab, and it smooths me right out. I got a "30 day supply" a little over 3 months ago, and still have a weeks left if I took one every day. By the way, Loratab does not make me drowsy, just gives me a melancholy (for a lack of a better discription) feeling. I noticed it the first time I took it. Made my back feel better and I was not stressed. The other drug made me tired and lethargic. I didn't like the feeling it left me.
Point is, no two people react to medication the same way. Doses, types of drugs, body weight, physical and mental situations all play a part. Go see a few different doctors and see what they say. Don't tell any doctor what the other doctors have diagnosed. Get an honest evaluation from each doctor. Can be expensive, but it is your health.

Answer 4

Hallucination is a rare side effect of Depakote but possible. Call your Doc as soon as possible for his/her opinion.

"In people with a rare set of genetic abnormalities called urea cycle disorders, Depakote may adversely effect the brain. Signs of a developing problem include lack of energy, repeated attacks of vomiting, and mental changes. If you suspect a problem, see your doctor immediately. Depakote may have to be discontinued." So watch for other symptoms.

This drug can also also increase the effect of painkillers.

Answer 5

Yes, I was on depakote for mood disorder too. It was a nightmare for me. I gained over 100 pounds in no time and looked like a linebacker and sumo wrestler. I ended up taking myself off of it because it caused me more harm than good. I am better off of medications than on them but that is not how it is for everyone. It is a heavy medication. I was on 2000 mg of it a day. Horrible. I am glad to be off of it.

Definitely call your doc first thing in the morning. Have you by chance weaned yourself down on it or missed a dose because maybe that is why that is happening. Sometimes the side effects from weaning off of the drug is worse than the ones while taking the whole dose. That is what happened to me.

I do wish you luck.

Pam

Answer 6

Compare the result of the study between the ones on the drug and the ones on the placebo. Often the results are about the same in both groups. What this means is that if people think they are going to have a side effect then they do and it may not have really happened at all. I hope I explained that right. If this drug is comparable to Depakote then as long as you stay in the therapeutic range you should be fine. This will mean periodic lab tests to make sure you have the right amount of drug in your system. When taking any drug you have to weigh the risks and the benefits. If the benefits outweigh the risks then take the medication and see if it's effective for you.

Answer 7

I never did. Hallucinations can be a side effect, albeit usually an uncommon one, of many different medications. I'm sure you know that severe depression and mania can also cause hallucinations. If you're sure you're not in the midst of an episode then it's most likely a med side effect. You are wise to talk to your dr as soon as possible.

Answer 8

I worked with people that took Depakote, but didn't really see any
hallucinations with them . Maybe your seeing a ghost.

Answer 9

This medication has rarely caused serious (sometimes fatal) liver problems. Children less than 2 years old are more likely to develop severe liver problems, especially if they have metabolic problems, severe seizures with mental retardation, brain disease (organic) or if they take more than one drug for seizures. If divalproex sodium is being used in patients with these conditions, then it should not be taken with additional anti-seizure medications. Liver function tests should be performed before and during treatment.

Early signs of serious liver problems include vomiting, unusual tiredness, swelling of the face or loss of seizure control in patients with seizure disorder. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop any of these symptoms.

This medication has rarely caused severe (sometimes fatal) disease of the pancreas (pancreatitis). This problem may occur at any time during therapy and may worsen quickly. Tell your doctor immediately if you experience stomach/abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite while taking this medication
And yes Hallucinations are possible one of the rare side effects,See you Dr. asap!.

Answer 10

Do Not listen to those idiots. Yes it is possible call your doctor and tell him in fact call the office right now they will have someone on call. You can have hallucinations on Depakote. It work on chemicals in your brain and without getting to complicated can cause hallucinations

http://www.drugs.com/depakote.html go down to possible side effects.

Please do call the office they will have someone on call. It can mean the difference between life and death hallucinations can get very wolly.