Key takeaways
- The dosages of Depakote and Depakote ER vary based on the condition being treated, the form you’re prescribed, your body weight, and whether you experience side effects.
- Doctors typically prescribe a low dose of Depakote or Depakote ER to start, and then they’ll gradually increase it.
- The maximum daily dose of Depakote and Depakote ER varies depending on the condition you’re taking it to treat.
Depakote and Depakote ER are prescription drugs used for certain types of seizures, migraine, or mood disorders. Depakote comes in an oral tablet and a sprinkle capsule. Depakote ER comes as an oral tablet. Unless otherwise noted, we use “Depakote” throughout this article to refer to the Depakote tablet and Depakote sprinkle capsule.
Depakote and Depakote ER are used to:
- treat focal impaired awareness seizures (also called complex partial seizures) in adults and some children
- treat absence seizures in adults and some children
- treat mania related to bipolar disorder in adults
- help prevent migraine episodes in adults
The active ingredient in Depakote is divalproex. Depakote belongs to a group of drugs called anticonvulsants.
This article describes the dosages of Depakote and Depakote ER, their strengths, and how to take them.
Depakote is available in the following forms:
- delayed-release (DR) tablet, which is swallowed
- extended-release (ER) tablet, which is swallowed
- DR sprinkle capsules, which can be swallowed whole or opened and sprinkled on soft food
DR drugs won’t dissolve until they pass through your stomach. This allows the drug to reach the right level in your body and helps prevent stomach irritation. DR form dosing usually requires that you take the drug more frequently throughout the day.
ER tablets release the drug in your body slowly over the course of 24 hours. This helps keep the drug at a consistent level throughout the day. And it means you’ll only need to take this form of the drug once per day.
Depakote and Depakote ER come in the following strengths:
| Depakote DR tablet | • 125 milligrams (mg) • 250 mg • 500 mg |
|---|---|
| Depakote ER tablet | • 250 mg • 500 mg |
| Depakote DR sprinkle capsule | • 125 mg |
Dosages for Depakote and Depakote ER are often based on body weight in kilograms (kg). For reference, 1 kg is about 2.2 pounds (lb). For example, if your Depakote dose is 10 mg/kg, you’ll take 10 mg of the drug for every kg of your weight.
Usually, your doctor will start by prescribing a low dosage. Then they’ll adjust your dosage over time to reach the right amount for you. This is either until your condition is managed or until you reach the highest safe dose. Your doctor will prescribe the lowest effective dosage.
The maximum doses for Depakote and Depakote ER vary depending on the condition they’re treating. The dose you’ll take might be a little different from the dose your doctor calculates for you because the medications are only available in certain strengths.
The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended for adults. But be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you.
Dosage for bipolar disorder
Depakote DR tablet and Depakote ER tablet are prescribed to treat mania related to bipolar disorder. For this use, the starting dosages are:
- Depakote DR tablet: 750 mg daily, separated into several doses
- Depakote ER: 25 mg/kg once daily
Your doctor will likely recommend quickly increasing your dose to a high enough level to manage mania. The maximum dose for either drug is 60 mg/kg daily.
Note: Depakote DR sprinkle capsule is not approved to treat mania related to bipolar disorder.
Dosage for seizures
The following information explains the dosages of Depakote and Depakote ER for the types of seizures they treat. The daily starting dose, dose increase, and maximum dose are usually the same for both Depakote and Depakote ER.
Note: You should not stop taking Depakote or Depakote ER suddenly. Doing so may lead to more severe seizures that could be life threatening.
Dosage for focal impaired awareness seizures
The following table lists the usual dosages of these drugs for focal impaired awareness seizures. It also gives an example of what the daily doses might be for someone who weighs 60 kg (about 132 lb).
| Starting daily dose | Dose increase | Maximum daily dose | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily dose | 10 to 15 mg/kg | 5 to 10 mg/kg | 60 mg/kg |
| Example daily dose for a person weighing 60 kg | 600 to 900 mg | 300 to 600 mg | 3,600 mg |
Your doctor will likely increase your dose every week until it’s high enough to manage your seizures.
If you’re prescribed more than 250 mg of Depakote daily, you’ll divide this dose into smaller doses to take throughout the day. But if you’re prescribed Depakote ER, you can take your entire daily dose at one time.
For focal impaired awareness seizures, your doctor may prescribe Depakote or Depakote ER alone or with another seizure drug.
Dosage for absence seizures
For absence seizures, the typical starting dosage is 15 mg/kg daily. Each week, your doctor may increase your daily dose by 5 to 10 mg/kg. The maximum daily dose of Depakote and Depakote ER for this use is 60 mg/kg.
Dosage for migraine prevention
Depakote DR tablet and Depakote ER tablet are used to help prevent migraine episodes, such as severe headaches. For this use, the starting dosages are:
- Depakote DR tablet: 250 mg taken twice daily
- Depakote ER tablet: 500 mg taken once daily
The maximum daily dose of either drug for migraine episode prevention is 1,000 mg.
Note: Depakote DR sprinkle capsule is not approved for migraine episode prevention.
Depakote and Depakote ER are approved for treating focal impaired awareness seizures and absence seizures in children ages 10 years and older.
The dosages are similar to the dosages for adults. Your child’s doctor will prescribe the dosage that’s best for your child.
Depakote comes as a tablet and a sprinkle capsule, while Depakote ER comes as a tablet. They are swallowed whole. You can take them with or without food. If you notice abdominal pain after taking either medication, try taking your dose with food.
You can also open Depakote sprinkle capsules and sprinkle the contents on soft food, such as applesauce. If you take a capsule this way, make sure you’ve emptied all of its contents. You should also eat the food right away and avoid chewing the sprinkles.
If you have difficulty swallowing capsules or tablets, talk with your doctor about how to take this form of medication.
How long do you take Depakote and Depakote ER?
Depakote and Depakote ER are typically prescribed as long-term treatments. If you and your doctor determine that either drug is safe and effective for you, it’s likely that you’ll take it long term.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hasn’t approved Depakote and Depakote ER for treating anxiety. But your doctor may prescribe these drugs off-label for uses that aren’t approved by the FDA. When a medication is prescribed off-label, there aren’t specific dosages that the manufacturer recommends.
If you have questions about off-label use of Depakote and Depakote ER, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
It’s possible. Your doctor may calculate your dose of Depakote or Depakote ER based on your weight in kilograms (kg). So depending on your weight and the dose your doctor prescribes, your dose per day may be 2,000 milligrams (mg). For more dosage details, see the “Depakote and Depakote ER dosages by condition” section.
Although a daily dose of 2,000 mg is possible for these drugs, make sure to take the dose that your doctor prescribes. If you have questions about your dosage, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
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Do not take more Depakote or Depakote ER than your doctor prescribes. Taking more than this can lead to serious side effects.
Symptoms caused by an overdose can include:
- thirst
- confusion
- twitching muscles
- feeling extremely tired
- irregular heartbeat
- coma
What to do in case you take too much Depakote or Depakote ER
Call your doctor right away if you think you’ve taken too much Depakote or Depakote ER. You can also call 800-222-1222 to reach America’s Poison Centers, or use its online resource. But if you have severe symptoms, call 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately or go to the nearest emergency room.
Q:
I was prescribed Depakote to help prevent migraine episodes. Why is my dose so low?
AnonymousA:
For preventing migraine episodes, your doctor will prescribe a lower dose of Depakote based on studies of the drug.
The dose for this purpose isn’t based on a person’s weight, as it is for other uses. The starting dose of Depakote tablets for preventing migraine episodes is 250 milligrams (mg) twice daily. Your doctor can increase this to a maximum daily dose of 1,000 mg.
Similarly, the starting dose for Depakote ER tablets is 500 mg daily for 1 week. Then, your doctor may increase your dose to a maximum of 1,000 mg.
If you have questions about changing your dosage of Depakote, be sure to talk with your doctor.
Melissa Badowski, PharmD, MPH, FCCPAnswers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.Disclaimer
Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication.
The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.
