"depakote er is the only medicine i can take for my bi-polar. i have side effects to every medicine i&#039;ve been on for bi-polar. i can&#039;t take the generic. it really bothers my stomach. it doesn&#039;t do much for depression. anything i take for depression makes me manic. i have been on almost medications on the market. i have to learn to live with depression and work my hardest to accept it. i&#039;ve been living with bi-polar for 38 years. i wish that the brand name wasn&#039;t so expensive. it&#039;s very hard for me to afford but it must come before food if necessary."