Divalproex sodium: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use

What Drug Divalproex Sodium?

What is divalproex sodium for?

Divalproex sodium is a drug used for the treatment of seizure disorders, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and preventing migraine headaches. These drugs work by restoring the balance of certain natural substances (neurotransmitters) in the brain.

How to use divalproex sodium?

Take this medication once daily or as directed by your doctor. You can take it with food if your stomach feels bad. Do not crush or chew long-term effect tablets. Doing so can release all of the drug at once, and increases the risk of side effects. J

Do not cut the tablet unless there is a dividing line on the tablet and the doctor or pharmacist has told you to do so. Swallow the whole or piece of the tablet without crushing or chewing it.

Dosage is based on your age, body weight, medical condition, and response to treatment. Use this remedy regularly for optimal benefits. Remember to take it at the same time every day to keep the amount of medicine in your blood constant.

If this medicine is used to treat seizures, do not stop use without consulting your doctor first. Your condition may get worse if this medicine is suddenly stopped. Your dose may need to be decreased gradually.

Divalproex sodium does not relieve acute migraine headaches. Take other medicines as directed by your doctor for acute attacks.

Tell your doctor if your condition does not improve.

How is divalproex sodium stored?

Divalproex sodium is a drug that should be stored at room temperature, away from direct light and damp places. Don't keep it in the bathroom. Don't freeze it. Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules. Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your product.

Divalproex Sodium dosage

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dosage for divalproex sodium for adults?

• To treat epilepsy, the starting dose of divalproex sodium is 10 to 15 mg / kg / day. The maximum dose is 60 mg / kg / day.
• To treat prophylaxis, the starting dose of divalproex sodium is 250 mg orally twice daily. The drug can also be given 500 mg orally once a day for 1 week.

Please consult a doctor to find out the dosage that suits your condition.

What is the dosage of divalproex sodium for children?

• To treat epilepsy in children, the initial dose of the drug divalproex sodium is 10 to 15 mg / kg / day. The maximum dose is 60 mg / kg / day.

Please consult a doctor to find out the dosage that suits your condition.

In what dosage is divalproex sodium available?

Available dicalproex sodium dosages are:

Capsules, oral medicine, valproic acid

• Depakene: 250 mg
• Generic: 250 mg

Delayed Effect Capsules, Ready to drink, valproic acid

• Stavzor: 125 mg, 250 mg, 500 mg

Sprinkle Capsules, Ready to drink, as divalproex sodium

• Depakote Sprinkles: 125 mg
• Generic: 125 mg
• Solutions, intravenously, such as sodium valproate:
• Depacon: 100 mg / mL (5 mL)
• Generic: 100 mg / mL (5 mL)

Solution, intravenously, such as sodium valproate

• Generic: 100 mg / mL (5 mL); 500 mg / 5 ml (5 mL); 100 mg / mL (5 mL)

Solution, Ready to drink, as sodium valproate

• Generic: 250 mg / 5 ml (473 ml)

Syrup, ready to drink, as sodium valproate

• Depakene: 250 mg / 5 ml (480 ml)
• Generic: 250 mg / 5 ml (5 mL, 10 mL, 473 mL)

Delayed Effect Tablets, Ready to drink, as divalproex sodium

• Depakote: 125 mg, 250 mg, 500 mg
• Generic: 125 mg, 250 mg, 500 mg

24 Hour Long-Term Effect Tablets, Ready to drink, as divalproex sodium

• Depakote ER: 250 mg, 500 mg
• Generic: 250 mg, 500 mg

Divalproex Sodium side effects

What side effects can be experienced due to divalproex sodium?

Some of the side effects that may occur after taking divalproex sodium are:

• Diarrhea, constipation, or stomach pain
• Dizzy
• Sleepy
• Menstrual cycle changes
• Shaky
• Kliyengan
• Hair loss
• Blurry view
• Weight loss
• The mouth tastes bitter

Not everyone experiences this side effect. There may be some side effects not listed above. If you have any concerns about side effects, please consult a doctor or pharmacist.

Divalproex Sodium Drug Warnings and Cautions

What should be known before using divalproex sodium?

Before using valproic acid, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to valproic acid, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in the type of valproic acid that has been prescribed to you. Ask your pharmacist for a list of ingredients.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and non-prescription drugs, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or planning to take. Be sure to mention one of the following: acyclovir (Zovirax); anticoagulants (“blood thinners”) such as warfarin (Coumadin); antidepressants (“mood lifts”) such as amitriptyline (Elavil) and nortriptyline (Pamelor); aspirin; clonazepam (Klonopin); diazepam (Valium); doripenem (Doribax); ertapenem (Invanz); imipenem and cilastatin (Primaxin); medicine for anxiety or mental illness; other medications for seizures such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), ethosuximide (Zarontin), felbamate (Felbatol), lamotrigine (Lamictal), mephobarbital (Mebaral), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin), primidone (Mysoline), and topiramate (Topamax); meropenem (Merrem); rifampin (Rifadin); sedative; sleeping pills; tolbutamide; sedatives, and zidovudine (Retrovir). Your doctor may need to change the dose of your medication or monitor you carefully for side effects.

Tell your doctor if you have a history of confusion, loss of the ability to think and understand (especially during pregnancy or childbirth) coma, difficulty controlling body movements, HIV, cytomegalovirus (CMV, a virus that can cause symptoms in people with weakened immune systems)).

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. If you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are using valproic acid. You should know that valproic acid might make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this drug affects you.

Note that alcohol can increase the drowsiness caused by this drug. You should know that your mental health may change unexpectedly and you may become suicidal (thinking about harmful activities or killing yourself or planning or trying to do it) when you are taking valproic acid for the treatment of epilepsy, mental illness, or other conditions..

Is divalproex sodium safe for pregnant and lactating women?

There is no adequate research on the risks of using this drug in pregnant or breastfeeding women. Always consult your doctor to weigh the potential benefits and risks before using this medication. This drug is included in the risk of pregnancy category X according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, or the equivalent of the POM in Indonesia.

The following references the pregnancy risk categories according to the FDA:

• A = Not at risk
• B = No risk in several studies
• C = May be risky
• D = There is positive evidence of risk
• X = Contraindicated
• N = Unknown

There are not sufficient studies in women to find out the risk to the baby when the mother takes this drug during breastfeeding. Consider the potential benefits and potential risks before taking this medication during breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions of Divalproex Sodium

What medicines may interact with divalproex sodium?

Although certain drugs should not be used together at all, in other cases two different drugs can be used together even if interactions are possible. In this case, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be needed. When you are using this medicine it is very important that your healthcare professional knows if you are currently taking any of the medicines that are listed below. The following interactions were selected on the basis of their potential significance and are by no means applicable to all.

Taking this drug with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may not prescribe this medicine to you or will replace some of the drugs you are already taking.

• Amifampridine

Using this medication with some of the medicines below is not usually recommended, but in some cases it may be necessary. If both drugs are prescribed for you, your doctor will usually change the dosage or determine how often you should take them.

• Amitriptyline
• Cisplatin
• Desvenlafaxine
• Dolasetron
• Doripenem
• Ertapenem
• Fentanyl
• Fluoxetine
• Granisetron
• Hydroxytryptophan
• Imipenem
• Ketorolac
• Lamotrigine
• Levomilnacipran
• Lorcaserin
• Meperidine
• Meropenem
• Mirtazapine
• Orlistat
• Palonosetron
• Primidone
• Sodium Oxybate
• Tramadol
• Trazodone
• Vorinostat
• Vortioxetine
• Warfarin

Taking this medication with the drugs below may increase your risk of side effects, but in some cases, a combination of these two drugs may be the best treatment. If these two drugs are prescribed for you, your doctor will usually change the dosage or determine how often you should take them:

• Acyclovir
• Aspirin
• Betamipron
• Carbamazepine
• Cholestyramine
• Clomipramine
• Erythromycin
• Ethosuximide
• Felbamate
• Fosphenytoin
• Ginkgo
• Lopinavir
• Lorazepam
• Mefloquine
• Nimodipine
• Nortriptyline
• Olanzapine
• Oxcarbazepine
• Panipenem
• Phenobarbital
• Phenytoin
• Rifampin
• Rifapentine
• Risperidone
• Ritonavir
• Rufinamide
• Topiramate
• Zidovudine

Can food or alcohol interact with divalproex sodium?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur. Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Discuss your use of drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco with your health care provider.

What health conditions can interact with divalproex sodium?

Some of the health conditions that may interact with the drug divalproex sodium are:

• Congenital metabolic disorders (born with a disease that affects metabolism)
• Mental retardation disorder with severe seizures
• Depression
• Liver disease
• Mental illness
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
• Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count)
• Liver disease
• Mitochondrial disorders, including Alpers-Huttenlocher syndrome (genetic disorder)
• Urea cycle disorders (genetic disorders)
• Pregnant women with migraine headaches

Divalproex Sodium overdose

What should I do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (112) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

Symptoms of a divalproex sodium overdose are:

• Sleepy
• Hard to breathe
• Irregular heartbeat

What should I do if I miss a dose?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, when it is nearing the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Don't double the dose.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.