Depakote Hair Loss and Other Common Side Effects

Depakote hair loss occurs in 5 to 10% of patients taking the drug and hair loss was reported in 24% of people taking Depakote in one clinical study. This sounds like quite a high percentage but not everybody who takes this drug will suffer from side effects.If you have been prescribed Depakote ER you might be wondering about potential side effects including Depakote hair loss.

What is Depakote ER?

Depakote is a drug used to treat various kinds of seizures. It works by acting on the chemicals in the body which cause the seizures and it can be used alone or alongside other seizure medication. Depakote has other uses too, including the prevention of migraines and to treat the manic phase of bipolar disorders. It has been tested in numerous clinical trials and works very well for a lot of patients.

This drug is available in the form of sprinkle capsules and tablets and it is a delayed-release drug. Depakote capsules come in a 125 mg strength. Depakote tablets come in 125 mg, 250 mg or 500 mg strengths. It is not known whether Depakote hair loss is worse if higher doses of the drug are taken.

Common Depakote ER Side Effects

Many people take Depakote without any side effects but they are a possibility. Common side effects of this medication are dizziness, tiredness, weight gain, depression, irritability, hair loss, headaches, tremor, nausea and vomiting. You might get one or more of these side effects or you might not notice any. Less common Depakoke ER side effects include reduced response accuracy, reduced attentiveness and elevated blood ammonia levels.

Taking 10 to 20 mcg of selenium per day can help some people to prevent hair loss caused by Depakote ER. Hair almost always grows back when the medication is stopped but it might have a different texture. For example, if you had curly hair before your hair might grow back straight or vice versa.

Depakote Long Term Effects

Some people who have been taking this drug for a number of years have suffered from bone loss. Taking vitamin D and calcium supplements can help to prevent this. A bone density test is often recommended by healthcare professionals to ascertain whether bone loss is an issue.

The likelihood of side effects from Depakote varies from patient to patient. Some patients tolerate this drug quite well and do not seem to have any side effects and others seem to have a number of them.

If you suffer from Depakote hair loss or other side effects you need to weigh up whether the medication is doing you more harm than good or whether to ask your doctor for an alternative medication. Sometimes the side effects can be temporary while your body adjusts to the drug and for many people mild hair loss is preferable to having the severe migraines or bipolar episodes that Depakote stops.

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