Being a med student and working in a mental clinic -and also dating a bipolar girlfriend, I would tell her to see her psychiatrist and for her to tell him about her sleep patterns. It's understandable if the meds make her seem quite not like herself, but not to the degree of normal day-to-day life. My girlfriend was on 2000mg of depakote aswell and it did the same to her, I kept telling her to sort it out with her doctor, who reduced it to a managable level. But, above all else, do not let her stop taking the medication. Having someone 'zombied' is alot better than manic anyday (no matter what other's on here tell you)...Atleast she's controlable.

Yeah she went to her psychiatrist and she put her on different meds and is in the process of weening herself off depakote. Thanks for the reply!

Depakote made my bipolar-hubby gain like 45 lbs!!! He got off that and is now on lamictal slowly going bald!?!? The dr said he didn't think it was from the lamictal - - but he is only 31 and wasn't shedding like this before the lamictal.

We have an appt tomorrow to try and get it changed.
hate to start over - but getting a proper medication combo is important.

Went to the pdoc today and they changed bipolar-hubby from lamictal (balding problem) and put him on lithium. Any experience out there on lithium?