Welcome!!!! The same thing happened to me, first just depression now BP2. I was hard core in denial about it. But through the support of many on here I'm coming ot accept it as it is. I'm here if you ever need to talk about whatever.

I took depakote for about 2 weeks. It made me sick and adgitated. It's different for everyone though.

Bipolar is a long road with many ups and downs. Your gonna need alot of patience to wait out the tough periods. I've been on Depakote for years and I take it at night because it does make me tired. Different people need different amounts of sleep though.

Dont worry ,it will pass, is really hard to realize that you are sick. But you have to get inform. Ask as many questions that you need to understand bp.That will help you a lot to learn to live with it. Sorry about your sister, I will pray for both of you.

Hey ruby!! I've been on depakote about 7 years. Though i've been dreadfully tired recent months, the depakote didn't always have that effect on me. In 2006, I had an active job and enough energy to lead a normal life... without mania, too. (I believe this med stopped working this year, for some reason.)

Everyone responds differently to the meds, of course. Really am hoping this one works for you, or that the pdoc finds one that will! :]

But how do you trust your doc has the right diagnosis?

My symptoms really fit my dx, i feel.

Look for a second opinion. If your not sure.Try to get as many as you can.

Hi;

BPD (bipolar disease) is a hard diagnosis to deal with. It requires a commitment to be healthy and to follow with the daily medication regimen. The agitation you speak of is part of the manic phase and it will taper off with the Depakote since in most cases Depakote is particularly used to manage mania. Are you also seeing a psychiatrist? It is helpful to have one in order to not only manage the meds (they are experts even more so than primary docs) but also to help you manage your life and relationships. BPD is difficult but not unsurmountable, it is possible that you may have to try different meds, so patience is important. Whatever you do, don't take the diagnosis lightly either, I made the mistake many years ago to just try and manage it on my own because of the medication side effects.. BAD idea! stay on the meds and let your doc know if you cannot manage the side effects, just don't stop taking them. I also find that a circle of caring people in your life is very important, not only your significant other but also friends and if necessary at least one coworker; someone you can trust and can turn to. Exercise and diet also help with maintaining equilibrium with BPD, even if it is taking a walk 3x a week; limit the salt and carbohydrates as well, it helps in moderating your weight, sugar, blood pressure, and fluid levels in your body all of which if off balance can only exhacerbate BPD.

Take care and if you need someone to talk to just add me as one of your friends.

Thanx everyone for your replies. I am struggling with this new dx. The depakote seems to be helping, so maybe I have hit the jackpot first time round. I do have a psychiatrist, although only seen him once. The session lasted 90 mins and I asked him if it was BP and he said without a doubt. To be honest, I am scared of the deep depression returning and I don't want to lose the highs - I feel so damn good. The aggitation and the anger is absolutely awful, but I am going to persevere with the meds. I've just lost my ability to be reflective on my behaviour and so am relying on others to tell me / define how I am acting, and this I don't like. I suppose it takes time to sink in and work out what is best for me. Again, thanks for your help

Hi ruby. Glad to see yu here. I am BP1 but I struggled to get this dx in the UK. I had researched depression and could see that my symptoms and behaviours fitted the description of BP1 perfectly. The Docs and Pdocs even in a hospital in the UK were very reluctant to actually pin a label on me. Therefore my treatment wasn't consistent and wasn't appropriate. I mean loads of Effexor that sent me into mania or some other AD that m ade me so agitated.
It wasn't until I got my current Pdoc here in Switzerland that I got the right dx and treatment.
So push for a second opinion, research yourself and see what fits your moods and symptoms.
If your not satisfied, keep asking.
Best of luck,
Love Suze x

Without a diagnosis i was in a deep depression, probably unipolar, and became suicidal, then went on anti-Ds a doc friend gave me, until those did not work and then i was dxed with BP.

For 6 months I was on Depakote and the anti-Ds until my hiar fell out and i got pissed and doubted my dx.

I was off my meds for 12 weeks thinkig i could take care of the disease naturally. I could not. Now i am back on Depakote, at a lower level, and from being on this board, learned to take 1 mg of folic acid at night - prescription strength - NOT mcg but mg folic acid - to combat the hair loss. It's too soon to tell if it works, but it worked for a fellow DS-er and I trust her.

Stay on the meds and live a good life. Be grateful you may have found the right med on the first one, and WITHOUT having to go to the hospital for being on the wrong med (Like me - Geodon sent me into the hospital with a palpitating heart, to lay on a hospital bed with no friggin antidote for 12 hours.)

:-)