Bipolar & Sodium Valproate

sherlock holmes · 13-03-2012, 01:55 PM

My head's reeling to be honest.

I've been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and started on sodium valproate.

I walked home from the appointment to give myself some time to think and I feel angry that I wasn't diagnosed sooner. Everything now fits into place and why didn't anyone pick up on it sooner?

My psych said that sodium valproate wasn't as heavy as prescribing antipsychotics like quetiapine and shouldn't be too sedating. What is everyone's experiences of sodium valproate?

I'm starting off on a tiny dose, I think 200mg working up to 600mg.

Cedrus · 13-03-2012, 02:27 PM

I was on this for a little while (I have schizoaffective) all i can say is that i didn't get any side effects, but then, i didn't get any benifits either.

I hope it works for you.

sherlock holmes · 13-03-2012, 04:22 PM

Thank you.

Whispered Secret · 13-03-2012, 04:32 PM

I'm on sodium valproate as depakote ER. I'm on 750mg but I originally started on 250mg to control impulsive symtoms, and then after a hypomanic episode that meant my diagnosis got changed to bipolar I was upped by 250mg each week until I was on 1000mg. 1000mg was too sedating for me, so once the hypomania was under control I went back to 750.

750 controls most of my symptoms but not all, so I've recently had a low dose of quetiapine added in too.

Depakote really helped turned my world around - I've now reached the point where I haven't self harmed in nearly 10 months, and my moods are far more stable and reliable.

It has a habit of causing stomach pain - if it does take it with food or ask for the extended release version. xx

sherlock holmes · 13-03-2012, 05:36 PM

Thanks very much.

I have stomach pain almost daily anyway but I hope it doesn't make it worse.

Great to hear you haven't self harmed in 10 months.

sherlock holmes · 13-03-2012, 06:57 PM

Actually I think I am going up to 750mg. It's hard to work out out from mls to mg and I can't remember what the psych said.

sherlock holmes · 13-03-2012, 08:57 PM

I'm not okay.

Mrs Sam · 13-03-2012, 11:07 PM

What is making you feel not ok? The meds, the diagnosis or something else?

Try not to think about the what ifs of being diagnosed earlier, the problem with MH stuff is a lot of it overlaps and symptoms can change over time fitting into a new diagnosis.

At least now hopefully with the right meds and treatment you should begin to feel more stable.