Your dose may need to be changed if you do not get enough fluids each day.Take with food if valproic acid upsets your stomach.Measure liquid medicine with a special dose-measuring spoon or medicine cup. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for help if you are not sure how to choose a folic acid product.Liver problems may occur while you are using valproic acid, and some may be serious. Stopping suddenly may cause a serious, life-threatening type of seizure. Cases have occurred shortly after initiation as well as several years after use. Do not take two doses at one time.Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.Drinking alcohol may increase certain side effects of valproic acid.Avoid driving or hazardous activity until you know how valproic acid will affect you. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms.It may not be safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. Available for Android and iOS devices.
It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Failure of other anticonvulsants is the only indication for valproate use in patients older than 2 years with hereditary mitochondrial disease. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.Copyright 1996-2018 Cerner Multum, Inc. Some drugs can affect your blood levels of other drugs you take, which may increase side effects or make the medications less effective.Many drugs can affect valproic acid. Ask your doctor about any risk.Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets.
Select one or more newsletters to continue. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Cases have occurred shortly after initiation as well as several years after use. If pancreatitis is diagnosed, valproate should ordinarily be discontinued .Hepatotoxicity (some cases fatal), usually occurring during the first 6 months of treatment, has been reported in patients receiving valproate and its derivatives. Life-threatening pancreatitis has been reported in both children and adults receiving valproate. Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicine for hay fever, other allergies, or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicine, prescription pain medicine or narcotics, medicine for seizures (eg, barbiturates), muscle relaxants, or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Your doctor should check your progress at regular visits. Use is contraindicated in patients with known mitochondrial disorders caused by mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma (POLG) mutations and in children younger than 2 years in which mitochondrial disorder is clinically suspected. Available for Android and iOS devices. Valproate (VPA) and its valproic acid, sodium valproate, and valproate semisodium forms are medications primarily used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder and prevent migraine headaches. Children younger than 2 years and patients with hereditary mitochondrial disease are at a considerably increased risk of developing fatal hepatotoxicity. The following information includes only the average doses of valproic acid. Check with your doctor right away if you are having more than one of these symptoms: abdominal or stomach pain or tenderness, clay-colored stools, dark urine, decreased appetite, fever, headache, itching, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, skin rash, swelling of the feet or lower legs, unusual tiredness or weakness, or yellow eyes or skin.Valproic acid may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. When you are taking valproic acid, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction (hives, difficult breathing, swelling in your face or throat) or a severe skin reaction (fever, sore throat, burning eyes, skin pain, red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling).. Seek medical treatment if you have a serious drug reaction that can affect many parts of your body.