My two older kids experienced weight gain on Depakote (about 5 to 10 pounds). Because they lie on the depressive end of the mood spectrum, it made them irritable and depressed on high doses. That's why we switched to Lamictal, which has worked much better for them and is weight-neutral.
One thing you should know about treating bipolar disorder is that mood stabilization is always treated first, then anxiety, and then ADHD last. If you treat ADHD first, you risk destabilizing the mood.
