The medication Depakote has saved lives and has improved the quality of life for many other people; I am proof of that.
Manic Depression is a terrible illness. I know that because I have it. It can ruin family, work and personal well-being as well as friendships. Manic Depression is typically inherited, and, a person can begin to show signs of its presence early, even in childhood.
Manic Depression is a mental illness which is characterized by constant cycling of alternate moods. A person goes from deep depressions to incredible highs; they feel as if they could conquer the world. As with any illness, there are variables in severity. Some people when they are “up” have to be hospitalized while other cases are so mild that the person can work through the situation by themselves. Some depressions are just temporary sadness, while in some cases, extreme medicines in the form of antidepressants are needed and even electroshock may be required.
The typical protocol for a person diagnosed with Manic Depression is to be given the medication Lithium along with a mild antidepressant. While Lithium is effective 97% of the time, there are rare occasions when it is ineffective.
The problem with treating a person with Manic Depression is that if the medication doesn’t work, they don’t have enough perspective because of the illness’s effect, to understand their own behavior, in fact, the suicide rate among people with Manic Depression is extremely high. It is ten to twenty times higher than that of the general population.
Bipolar Disorder, which is another name for Manic Depression can also be characterized by “Rapid Cycling” referring to a person who goes from high to low one after another up to several times a day.
If Lithium doesn’t work, what is an effective treatment? An effective treatment is a drug called Depakote (Divalproex Sodium). Depakote is used primarily for the treatment of epilepsy, but is also very effective in the treatment of Manic Depression, Mania and Dementia. The problem is that some people have irregular synapses in their brain and therefore Lithium doesn’t always work. This condition is not present in most cases, therefore, Lithium is effective. I became familiar with Depakote when, after ten years of treatment with Lithium, I was not essentially any better, or, more effective in my life than I had been at the outset of initial treatment.
Immediately after being treated with Depakote, I was greatly improved. Doctors aren’t always aware of Depakote, so it is important that a patient know that it is a viable and available treatment. Sufferers of Manic depression are aware that it is a deficiency in certain body salts. However, most literature does not address the possibility of Manic Depression being accompanied by uncommon brain firings and the need for that to be treated; hence the need for Depakote.
People with Manic Depression are notorious for stopping their medication after they begin to feel better. It is always important for a sufferer of Manic Depression to have a very good “support group” that can make sure they are getting their medications.
It is true that a person can function with Manic Depression, but, to have a chance, they have to find the right medication; they have to stay on the right medication; and, they have to continue to monitor and adjust their medication. Then, along with the possibility of counseling and an antidepressant, they have a chance at a good and stable life.
