Drug Name

Depakote (Divalproex)

Drug Uses

Depakote is used for controlling confident types of seizures in the treatment of epilepsy. It is as well as used to treat the manic phase of bipolar disorders (manic-depressive illness), as well as to halt migraine headaches.

How Taken

Take Depakote as directed by your doctor.

• Take Depakote by mouth with or without food. Incase stomach upset occurs, take with food to reduce stomach irritation.
• Swallow Depakote whole. Do not break, grind, or bite before swallowing.
• Using Depakote at the alike time each day will help you remember to take it.
• Continue to take Depakote even incase you feel well. Do not miss any doses. Depakote works best when there is a constant level of it in your body.

Drug Class as well as Mechanism

Depakote is an anticonvulsant. It works by reducing or preventing the number of seizures by controlling the abnormal activity of nerve impulses in the brain as well as central nervous system.

Missed Dose

Incase you miss a dose of Depakote, take it as soon as likely. Incase it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose as well as go back to your normal dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Storage

Store Depakote at room temperature, below 86 degrees F (30 degrees C). Store away from heat, moisture, as well as light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Depakote out of the reach of children as well as away from pets.

Warnings/Precautions

Do not take Depakote if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Depakote;
• you possess a history of liver conditions, abridged levels of the enzyme ornithine carbamoyltransferase, or a urea cycle disorder.

Contact your doctor or health care provider fair away incase any of these apply to you.

Important :

• Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.
• Do not halt using Depakote suddenly. This may cause seizures.
• Inflammation of the pancreas is a potentially life-threatening illness associated with Depakote. Symptoms include stomach pain, vomiting, or appetite loss. Contact your doctor at once incase any of these symptoms occur.
• Tell your doctor or dentist that you take Depakote before you receive any health examination or dental care, emergency care, or surgery.
• Diabetes patients - Depakote may cause the results of some tests for urine ketones to be incorrect. Ask your doctor before you change your diet or the dose of your diabetes medicine.
• Lab tests, including blood cell counts as well as liver function tests, may be performed while you take Depakote. These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor as well as lab appointments.
• Take Depakote with caution in the elderly; they may be more sensitive to its effects, especially sleepiness.
• Depakote should be used with extreme caution in children younger than 10 years old; safety as well as effectiveness in these children possess not been confirmed. Children younger than 2 years of age may be at increased risk of humorless liver problems
• Pregnancy as well as breast-feeding: Depakote has been shown to cause harm to the fetus. Incase you think you may be pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits as well as risks of using Depakote while you are pregnant. Depakote is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while you are using Depakote.

Likely Side Effects

Check with your doctor incase any of these most ordinary side effects persist or become bothersome:

• change in appetite; constipation; diarrhea; dizziness; drowsiness; hair loss; headache; indigestion; nausea; stomach pain; trouble sleeping; vomiting; weight changes.

Seek health examination attention fair away incase any of these very bad side effects occur:

• very bad allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); abdominal cramps; abnormal thinking; change in menstrual period; changes in mood or behavior; chest pain; confusion; not light urine; difficulty speaking; difficulty urinating or other urination problems; extreme tiredness; quick or irregular heartbeat; fever; common body discomfort; hallucinations; hearing loss; involuntary movements of the arms as well as legs; involuntary movements or chewing movements of face, jaw, mouth, or tongue; joint pain; lack of energy; loss of appetite; loss of coordination; loss of seizure control; memory loss; nosebleed; pounding in the chest; very bad or persistent nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain; sore throat; swelling of the arms or legs; tremor; unusual bleeding or bruising; unusual weakness; vision changes; yellowing of skin or eyes.

More Information

Depakote is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.
If your symptoms do not improve or incase they become worse, check with your doctor.