I take my particular extended release meds every 8 hours (it's a pain med, not depakote).

If/when I miss a dose, I take it as soon as I remember, and then I adjust my dosing schedule for a little while until I can gradually work my way back to my normal schedule.

For example - I normally take my meds at 6am, 2pm, 10pm.

If I realize at 4pm that I forgot to take my 2pm pill, then I take my 2pm pill at 4pm (as soon as I remember).

Then I take my next dose 8 hours later (midnight), then the next dose 7 hours later (7am), then 3pm, then 11pm, then 6am - and then I am back to my normal schedule.

It take a day or 2 sometimes to get back on track and back to the normal schedule, but it's worth it to be able to make sure that I have meds in my system when I need them... and by taking a few days to get back on the right schedule I am not missing an entire dose and waiting hours for the next one, instead I am changing the dosing times just slightly until I can get back to my normal routine.

Years ago, I did take depakote ER (extended release) and when I missed a dose I would do the same thing then that I do now with my extended release pain meds - take the missed pill as soon as I remember, then adjust my daily schedule for a few days until I can get back on track.

Anytime my medication schedule changes at all, I keep track of when I take my pills on my calander so that I can make sure that i am taking them and also to make sure that I am making small changes to the schedule and not giant leaps (to make sure I am changing the dose by one hour and not 4 hours).

I hope all that rambling made sense. I just woke up and don't have enough caffeine in my system yet

Take care,
Liz