Extreme drowsiness may cause you to eat or drink less than you normally would. Tell your doctor if this happens. Your doctor will monitor how much you eat and drink and check you for signs of dehydration, drowsiness, dizziness, and other side effects.
For children: Children younger than 2 years old have an increased risk of liver damage while taking this drug, especially if they also take other drugs to treat seizures. All possible dosages and forms may not be included here. Your dose, form, and how often you take it will depend on:. Your body may process this drug more slowly and you may have more of a sedative effect.
Too much of the drug in your body can cause dangerous effects. This medication did not show effectiveness in children for mania. There is no evidence that divalproex is effective for long-term use in mania longer than three weeks.
If your doctor would like you to take this drug for a longer period of time, they will check if you still need the drug regularly. This medication did not show effectiveness in children for migraine prevention. For people with liver disease: If you have liver disease, you may not be able to process this drug as well as you should. You should avoid taking divalproex sodium if you have severe liver problems.
However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages. Always speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you.
Divalproex sodium oral tablet is used for long-term drug treatment. For manic episodes of bipolar disorder, your doctor will decide whether this is a short-term or long-term drug treatment. You may also experience more side effects from this drug if you take it on and off.
If you take too much: Taking too much of this drug can cause dangerous effects, such as:. If your symptoms are severe, call or your local emergency services or go to the nearest emergency room right away. What to do if you miss a dose: If you forget to take your dose of this drug, take it as soon as you remember. How to tell if the drug is working: For treatment of seizures: You should have fewer seizures. For treatment of manic episodes of bipolar disorder: You should see a decrease in symptoms caused by the manic phase of bipolar disorder.
Your mood should be well-controlled. A prescription for this medication is refillable. You should not need a new prescription for this medication to be refilled. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription.
There are other drugs available to treat your condition. Some may be better suited for you than others. Talk to your doctor about other drug options that may work for you. Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication.
The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses. Learn about options such as analgesics and…. How do you know when to start considering a new epilepsy treatment?
Learn about the types of treatments available and when to try a new therapy. Medications for bipolar disorder include lithium, anticonvulsants, antipsychotics, antidepressants, and ketamine. Learn about their side effects and…. Bipolar disorder, formerly called manic depression, causes extreme mood shifts ranging from mania to depression.
We explain the symptoms, diagnosis…. Migraines are severe, debilitating headaches that are usually characterized by an intense throbbing or pulsing in one area of your head. Epilepsy is a nervous system disorder that causes seizures. Absence seizures, also called petit mal seizures, are brief and may not have noticeable…. Benign Rolandic epilepsy is the most common type of childhood epilepsy.
It typically has an excellent outlook, and most children outgrow it by age Photosensitive seizures can be triggered by exposure to flashing lights on screens or natural light as well as static images with contrasting…. Learn more about types of seizures, causes and symptoms, and how you can help someone having…. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Higher-than-usual levels of the hormone testosterone have been found in many girls who take Depakote when they're older than about age No symptoms are apparent, but the doctor may want to watch for later problems, perhaps related to weight gain.
A few children who take Depakote seem to become more irritable but this is seldom a serious problem. To reduce side effects, the doctor probably will prescribe a low dose of Depakote to start and increase it slowly. Children usually start with a dose of 5 to 10 milligrams mg for each kilogram kg, about 2.
This is usually given in two to four equal doses per day. Children taking a combination of Depakote and another seizure medicine usually need the higher doses because of interactions between the medicines. The sprinkle capsule is an easy way to give Depakote to small children who cannot swallow tablets. The child's body absorbs the same amount of medicine, but it happens a bit more quickly than with the tablets. Depakote is listed in Pregnancy Category D. This means that there is a risk to the baby, but the benefits may outweigh the risk for some women.
In fact, a large majority of women who use Depakote during pregnancy have normal, healthy babies. Certain types of defects are increased especially if Depakote is taken during the first 3 months of pregnancy but they are still relatively uncommon. The risk of defects is higher for women who take more than one seizure medicine. Women with a family history of birth defects also have a higher risk.
The babies of women taking valproic acid have a greater than usual number of minor craniofacial abnormalities, organ malformations, limb deficiencies, or developmental delay. The risk of defects is higher for women who take more than one AED and for women with a family history of birth defects.
Moreover the NEAD study showed that children born to women who took Valproic acid, had lower IQ scores than children born to women with epilepsy who tool other seizure medications. Women with epilepsy who are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant should talk to their doctor about their seizure medicines. Taking more than one seizure medicine may increase the risk of birth defects, so doctors sometimes gradually reduce the number or amount of seizure medicines taken by women planning for pregnancy.
This is not done routinely, however, because it increases the risk of seizures. All women who are capable of becoming pregnant should take at least mcg 0. The most well-known of these is spina bifida, in which the spinal cord is not completely enclosed. These defects are more common in the babies of women who take Depakote during the first 4 to 6 weeks of pregnancy.
If the doctor thinks a woman is at especially high risk, a much larger dose of folic acid— mcg 4 mg per day—may be recommended. There's no proof that the folic acid will prevent the defects, however, so the doctor may recommend a check-up later in pregnancy.
It is helpful for the doctor to check the levels of medicine in the blood regularly during pregnancy so that the dosage can be adjusted if necessary. Breast-feeding by mothers taking Depakote should be safe for healthy, full-term newborns. The amount of medicine the baby gets through the milk is much less than the amount that doctors safely give to babies who take Depakote for seizures.
A recent large study has found that children who took this drug during pregnancy had children with lowered IQ and a risk of autism. If you are a woman on this drug and considering pregnancy, please talk to your doctor.
Doctors have prescribed Depakote to people over 65 for many years with good results. These seniors do have a few special problems, however. Usually seniors can continue to take all the medicines they need, including Depakote, without trouble if the doctor changes the amount of some of them to make up for the way they affect each other.
Seniors also tend to be more sensitive than younger adults to medicines and their side effects. For instance, many seniors have a problem with sleepiness, depression, weight gain, or shaking of the hands even before they start taking Depakote. These are common side effects of this medicine, so these problems may become worse and cause real trouble. Seniors also face more danger from some side effects because they are more likely to be seriously hurt if they fall or have another kind of accident.
To reduce side effects, the doctor probably will prescribe a very low dose of Depakote to start and then be cautious about any increases. The best amount is the amount that completely controls seizures without causing troublesome side effects. It depends on many factors, which are different for every individual.
No one should stop taking Depakote or change the amount they take without talking to the doctor first. Stopping any seizure medicine all at once can cause a problem that may be life-threatening.
If a little extra such as one or two extra tablets is taken by accident, call the doctor for advice. For a larger overdose, call a poison control center or emergency room right away unless you have other specific directions from your doctor. To avoid unwanted side effects, the doctor will prescribe a low dose to start and increase it gradually until the seizures are controlled, unless side effects get too bad first. Most people need to take Depakote two to four times a day.
In the United States, companies that manufacture medicines are required to publish certain kinds of information about each product. To learn how to read and understand a package insert, see "How to read a package insert.
The mission of the Epilepsy Foundation is to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives.
Skip to main content. Select a Medication Basic Advanced. Depakote Tablet. Used to treat Absence Seizures. Dosing Please see package insert. How to take and store Divalproex Sodium? What if I forget?
How does Divalproex Sodium affect the brain? How does the body digest Divalproex Sodium? How well does the Divalproex Sodium work? What are the most common side effects of Divalproex Sodium?
The most common complaints usually not too severe are: tiredness sometimes with slower thinking dizziness upset stomach vomiting tremor shaking of the hands or other parts of the body hair loss weight gain changes in behavior depression in adults, irritability in children If you notice any of these problems, call the doctor.
Allergic reactions Allergic reactions such as rashes are less common with Depakote than with most other seizure medicines. Long-term side effects Some people who have taken Depakote for many years have experienced bone loss and a few other disorders. What are the most serious side effects of Divalproex Sodium? If you notice any of these things, call the doctor immediately: weakness, sluggishness, swelling of the face, loss of appetite, vomiting, yellowish eyes or skin, especially in a child under 2 years of age possible liver failure pain in the abdomen, upset stomach, vomiting, or loss of appetite possible disease of the pancreas easy bruising, nosebleed, other abnormal bleeding problems with clotting Tell the doctor right away if you notice any of these problems, but don't stop using the Depakote unless the doctor says so.
Taking antiepileptic medicines may increase the risk of having suicidal thoughts or actions; Do not make any changes to the medication regimen without first talking with the responsible healthcare professional; Pay close attention to any day-to-day changes in mood, behavior and actions.
These changes can happen very quickly so it is important to be mindful of any sudden differences. Be aware of common warning signs that might be a signal for risk of suicide.
Some of these are: Talking or thinking about wanting to hurt yourself or end your life Withdrawing from friends and family Becoming depressed or having your depression get worse Becoming preoccupied with death and dying Giving away prized possessions We again urge patients and families to contact their doctor before stopping an epilepsy medication because this may possibly lead to seizures and worsening of mood.
Impact of Divalproex Sodium on bone health People with epilepsy taking certain seizure medications are at higher risk than other people for developing osteoporosis and fractures. Talk to your treating health care provider about your risks for thinking of the bones, bone loss and fractures or broken bones. Pay attention to getting enough exercise, sunlight and eating healthy. Ask about ways to lessen your risks, such as the use of calcium, vitamin D or other medications.
What else is Divalproex Sodium used for? Depakote has been used successfully for many years to treat epilepsy, but it also has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration FDA for two other uses: preventing migraine headaches not treating headaches while they're occurring treating one part of the mental illness called bipolar disorder. Who should not take Divalproex Sodium? Can Divalproex Sodium be taken with other medicines?
How does Depakote affect other medicines Depakote affects the way the body handles many other seizure medicines. Some of these are: Felbatol felbamate Lamictal lamotrigine Mysoline primidone phenobarbital If a person taking one of these medicines starts taking Depakote, the first medicine will stay in the body longer. A similar thing could happen with several other seizure medicines, but the effects for people taking these would probably not be too noticeable: Tegretol or Carbatrol carbamazepine Zarontin ethosuximide Ativan lorazepam Dilantin or Phenytek phenytoin All of these effects mean that if a person taking another seizure medicine starts taking Depakote too, the amount of the first medicine may need to be changed.
Learn More. Or in a crisis , text "NAMI" to Donate Now. Note: Throughout this fact sheet, the medication will be referred to as valproate. Even though valproate is available in different names, strengths, and formulations, all provide the same active medicine. All FDA black box warnings are at the end of this fact sheet. Please review before taking this medication.
Valproate is a mood stabilizer medication that works in the brain. It is approved for the treatment of mania associated with bipolar disorder also known as manic depression , seizures epilepsy , and migraine headaches. They should be clear about the limits of the research around that medication and if there are any other options. Bipolar disorder requires long-term treatment.
Do not stop taking valproate, even when you feel better. With input from you, your health care provider will assess how long you will need to take the medicine. Missing doses of valproate may increase your risk for a relapse in your mood symptoms.
Do not stop taking valproate or change your dose without talking to your healthcare provider first. In order for valproate to work properly, it should be taken every day as ordered by your health care provider. Periodically, your healthcare provider may ask you to provide a blood sample to make sure the appropriate level of medication is in your body and to assess for side effects, such as changes in blood cell counts.
People living with bipolar disorder who wish to become pregnant face important decisions. It is important to discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with your doctor and caregivers. Valproate has been associated with an increased risk of spinal cord defects spina bifida. Bleeding, liver problems, decreased IQ scores, developmental delays, and other birth defects have also been reported. There may be precautions to decrease the risk of these effects. Discontinuing mood stabilizer medications during pregnancy has been associated with a significant increase in symptom relapse.
Regarding breastfeeding, caution is advised since valproate does pass into breast milk in small amounts. Typically patients begin at a low dose of medicine and the dose is increased slowly over several weeks. The dose usually ranges from mg to mg or more. Only your health care provider can determine the correct dose for you, as sometimes the dose required is based on your weight.
Do not chew the sprinkle capsule or contents. Valproate syrup: Measure with a dosing spoon or oral syringe that you can get from your pharmacy.
Use a calendar, pillbox, alarm clock, or cell phone alert to help you remember to take your medication. You may also ask a family member or a friend to remind you or check in with you to be sure you are taking your medication.
If you miss a dose of valproate, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is closer to the time of your next dose. Discuss this with your health care provider.
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