VALPROIC ACID

(val PRO ik A sid) Brand: Depakene, Stavzor

What is the most significant information I must know about valproic acid?

• If you take valproic acid for seizures or manic episodes: Do not start or stop taking the medication during pregnancy without your doctor's advice. Valproic acid may reason harm to an unborn child, but having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both the mother and the child.

• Do not use valproic acid to prevent migraine headaches if you are pregnant.

• Valproic acid can reason liver failure that may be fatal, especially in children under age 2. This risk may be greater in children taking more than one seizure medicine, or those who have a metabolic mess or brain malady causing mental aggravation.

• Valproic acid can also reason serious harm to the pancreas, which may get worse quickly. Call your doctor at once if you have symptoms such as: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back.

What is valproic acid?

• Valproic acid affects chemicals in the body that may be involved in causing seizures.

• Valproic acid is used to treat different types of seizure disorders. Valproic acid is sometimes used together with another seizure medications.

• Valproic acid is also used to treat manic episodes related to bipolar mess (manic depression), and to prevent migraine headaches.

• Valproic acid may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking valproic acid?

• You must not use valproic acid if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

· liver malady; or

· a urea cycle disorder.

• To create certain valproic acid is safety for you, speak your doctor if you have:

· a pancreas disorder;

· a bleeding or blood clotting disorder;

· a history of head injury, brain mess, or coma;

· a family history of a urea cycle mess or infant deaths with unknown reason; or

· HIV or CMV (cytomegalovirus) infection.

• Some young people have thoughts about suicide when first taking valproic acid. Your doctor will need to check your progress at regular visits while you are using this medication. Your family or another caregivers must also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms.

• If you take valproic acid for seizures or manic episodes: FDA pregnancy category D. Do not start or stop taking the medication during pregnancy without your doctor's advice. Valproic acid can harm an unborn child or reason birth defects, and may affect cognitive capacity (reasoning, intelligence, problem-solving) later in the child's life. However, having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both the mother and the child. Speak your doctor right away if you become pregnant.

• Seizure control is very significant during pregnancy. The benefit of preventing seizures may outweigh any risks posed by taking valproic acid. There may be another seizure medications that can be more safely used during pregnancy. Follow your doctor's instructions about taking valproic acid while you are pregnant.

• If you take valproic acid to prevent migraine headaches: FDA pregnancy category X. Do not use valproic acid to prevent migraine headaches if you are pregnant.

• Use effective birth control while using valproic acid, and speak your doctor right away if you become pregnant.

• Valproic acid can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing child. You must not breast-feed while using this medicine.

How must I take valproic acid?

• Follow all directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your doze to create certain you get the excellent results. Do not take this medication in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended.

• Drink plenty of water while you are taking this medicine. Your doze may need to be changed if you do not get satis fluids every day.

• Take with food if this medication upsets your stomach.

• Measure liquid medication with a particular dose-measuring spoon or medication cup. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

• Do not crush, chew, interrupt, or open a delayed-release capsule. Swallow it intact.

• While using valproic acid, you may need frequent blood tests.

• Do not stop using valproic acid suddenly, even if you feel beautiful. Stopping suddenly may reason a serious, life-threatening type of seizure. If you need to stop taking valproic acid, follow your doctor's instructions about tapering your dose.

• Wear a medical alert tag or carry an ID card stating that you take valproic acid. Any doctor, dentist, or abnormal medical care provider who treats you must know that you are taking a seizure medication.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What must I avoid while taking valproic acid?

• Drinking alcohol can magnify determined side effects of valproic acid.

• Valproic acid may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert.

• Avoid exposure to sunlight or tanning beds. Valproic acid can create you sunburn more easily. Wear protective clothing and use sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) when you are outdoors.

What are the possible side effects of valproic acid?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; fever, swollen glands, difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Call your doctor at once if the face taking this medication has early signs of liver damage, such as: a common ill feeling, weakness, lack of energy, swelling in the person, loss of appetite, and vomiting. Later symptoms may include upper stomach pain, itching, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes.

• Call your doctor at once if you have symptoms of pancreatitis, which can get worse quickly: nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back.

• Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

• Call your doctor at once if you have any of these another side effects:

· worsening seizures;

· swelling in your hands or feet;

· bronchospasm (wheezing, chest tightness, trouble breathing);

· fever, chills, body aches, sore throat, flu symptoms;

· light bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin;

· double vision, back-and-forth movements of the eyes, seeing flashes of easy or "floaters" in your vision;

· extreme drowsiness, lack of coordination, confusion, hallucinations, tremors, jerking muscle movements; or

· severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your person or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the person or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

• General side effects may include:

· indigestion, stomach pain, diarrhea, constipation;

· headache, dizziness, nervousness, problems with thinking or memory;

· mild drowsiness, feeling unsteady, feeling cold;

· back pain;

· thinning hair;

· runny nose;

· blurred vision, ringing in your ears; or

· heighten appetite, weight changes, sleep problems (insomnia).

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect valproic acid?

• Taking valproic acid with another drugs that create you sleepy or slow your breathing can worsen these effects. Ask your doctor till taking this medication with a sleeping pill, narcotic pain medication, muscle relaxer, or medication for anxiety or depression.

• Speak your doctor about all medicines you use, and those you start or stop using during your treatment with valproic acid, especially:

· aspirin;

· tolbutamide;

· topiramate;

· warfarin;

· zidovudine;

· an antibiotic--imipenem/cilastatin, meropenem, rifampin;

· an antidepressant--amitriptyline, nortriptyline;

· a sedative--clonazepam, diazepam, Valium; or

· another seizure medications--carbamazepine, ethosuximide, felbamate, lamotrigine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone.

• This list is not complete. Another drugs may interact with valproic acid, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal commodity. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medicine manual.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about valproic acid.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

(22)