Depakote Attorney

Depakote - An Overview

Manic depressive disorder is an extremely unfortunate psychological condition that affects millions of people around the world, and there are many reasons why it is dangerous. The wild mood swings can lead to disaster when the patient who suffers from it experiences either extreme, and researchers looked for help in the form of medication for decades, as counseling simply wasn’t enough to treat the physiological aspects of this condition.

Ultimately, Abbott Laboratories succeeded in formulating a medication that helped treat patients for the manic aspects of this disorder, and the drug is called Depakote. For a time, Depakote was quite successful in terms of its results, but as you’ll see below, it wasn’t long before serious problems began to arise in conjunction with patients’ use of Depakote. Below is a brief look at the side effects that have been linked to this medication, and if you or someone you love has suffered as a result of taking it, contact a Depakote lawyer at Pulaski & Middleman today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Depakote Side Effects

There are two informal "categories" of Depakote, with one set being less serious and the other classified as extremely serious. The one overriding commonality between these two categories of side effects is that it involves pregnant women and Depakote’s alleged link to the damage done to unborn fetuses.

Side effects that could be included in the less serious set of side effects include a cleft palate, hand deformations, pulmonary stenosis, heart malformations and undescended testes in male fetuses. While each of these conditions are serious, they can be corrected with treatment and the proper therapy.

Side effects that can only be categorized as extremely dangerous include spina bifida, serious skeletal defects, neural tube malformations, growth retardation and the most serious side effect linked to Depakote, fetal death. Each of these side effects can be considered life threatening, or at the very least life-altering, in that none of them can simply be overcome with surgery or treatment.

Your Next Step

If you are taking Depakote or have in the past and you’re pregnant, seek medical attention immediately, as the earlier you detect a potential problem, the more likely it will be that any preliminary side effects can be overcome. If you have suffered an injury as a result of taking this medication, you need to contact a Depakote lawyer at Pulaski & Middleman today to schedule a free initial consultation.