How long does depakote take to work

Call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: Nausea or vomiting that does not go away Loss of appetite Pain on the right side of your stomach abdomen Dark urine Swelling of your face Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes Inflammation of your pancreas that can cause death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms: Severe stomach pain that you may also feel in your back Nausea or vomiting that does not go away Taking Depakote during pregnancy can harm your unborn baby; increasing the risk of serious birth defects [e.

Call a healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: Thoughts about suicide or dying Attempts to commit suicide New or worse depression New or worse anxiety Feeling agitated or restless Panic attacks Trouble sleeping insomnia New or worse irritability Acting aggressive, being angry, or violent Acting on dangerous impulses An extreme increase in activity and talking mania Other unusual changes in behavior or mood Overall, pay attention to any symptom changes, especially sudden changes in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings.

Q: Should I be concerned about weight gain? Q: What about women who are planning a pregnancy or become pregnant while taking Depakote? If you take Depakote during pregnancy for any medical condition, your baby is at risk for serious birth defects. The most common birth defects with Depakote affect the brain and spinal cord and are called spina bifida or neural tube defects. These defects occur in 1 to 2 out of every babies born to mothers who use this medicine during pregnancy.

These defects can begin in the first month, even before you know you are pregnant. Other birth defects can happen.

Birth defects may occur even in children born to women who are not taking any medicines and do not have other risk factors. Taking folic acid supplements before getting pregnant and during early pregnancy may lower the chance of having a baby with a neural tube defect. If you take Depakote during pregnancy for any medical condition, your child is at risk for having a lower IQ.

There may be other medicines to treat your condition that have a lower chance of birth defects. All women of child-bearing age should talk to their healthcare provider about using other possible treatments instead of Depakote.

If the decision is made to use Depakote, you should use effective birth control contraception. Discuss birth control methods with your doctor. Q: Does Depakote interact with oral contraceptives? Q: Does Depakote interact with other medications?

Q: Are any foods or alcohol off limits? Q: How do I safely store Depakote? Q: What should I do if I miss a dose? Q: What time of day should I take Depakote? Q: Can I stop taking Depakote at any time? When you use this card, you are confirming that you have not submitted and will not submit a claim for this prescription for reimbursement under any federal, state, or government-funded healthcare program, such as Medicare including Part D , Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, Medigap, Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or TRICARE.

The risk of getting this serious liver damage is more likely to happen within the first 6 months of treatment. In some cases, liver damage may continue despite stopping the drug.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms: nausea or vomiting that does not go away, loss of appetite, pain on the right side of your stomach abdomen , dark urine, swelling of your face, or yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.

If you take DEPAKOTE during pregnancy for any medical condition, your baby is at risk for serious birth defects that affect the brain and spinal cord and are called spina bifida or neural tube defects. Other birth defects that affect the structures of the heart, head, arms, legs, and the opening where the urine comes out urethra on the bottom of the penis can also happen. Taking folic acid supplements before getting pregnant and during early pregnancy can lower the chance of having a baby with a neural tube defect.

There may be other medicines to treat your condition that have a lower chance of causing birth defects, decreased IQ, or other disorders in your child. All women of childbearing age including girls from the start of puberty should talk to their healthcare provider about using other possible treatments instead of DEPAKOTE.

You can enroll in this registry by calling toll-free or by visiting the website, www. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms: severe stomach pain that you may also feel in your back, nausea or vomiting that does not go away. Call a healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying; attempts to commit suicide; new or worse depression; new or worse anxiety; feeling agitated or restless; panic attacks; trouble sleeping insomnia ; new or worse irritability; acting aggressive, being angry, or violent; acting on dangerous impulses; an extreme increase in activity and talking mania ; other unusual changes in behavior or mood.

How can I watch for early symptoms of suicidal thoughts and actions? Pay attention to any changes, especially sudden changes in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Keep all follow-up visits with your healthcare provider as scheduled. Call your healthcare provider between visits as needed, especially if you are worried about symptoms. Ask your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby. DEPAKOTE can cause other serious side effects, including: Bleeding problems: red or purple spots on your skin, bruising, pain and swelling into your joints due to bleeding or bleeding from your mouth or nose.

High ammonia levels in your blood: feeling tired, vomiting, changes in mental status. 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. Do not double your dose or take more than what is prescribed.

Avoid drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs while you are taking valproate. They may decrease the benefits e. If an overdose occurs call your doctor or You may need urgent medical care. You may also contact the poison control center at Studies have found that individuals who take antiepileptic medications including valproate have suicidal thoughts or behaviors up to twice as often than individuals who take placebo inactive medication.

These thoughts or behaviors occurred in approximately 1 in patients taking the antiepileptic class of medications. If you experience any thoughts or impulses to hurt yourself, you should contact your doctor immediately. To date, there are no known problems associated with long term use of valproate. It is a safe and effective medication when used as directed. It is important to note that some of the side effects listed above particularly changes in platelets, liver or pancreas problems, and suicidal thoughts may continue to occur or worsen if you continue taking the medication.

It is important to follow up with your doctor for blood work and to contact your doctor immediately if you notice abdominal pain, sudden nausea or vomiting, or changes in mood or behavior. If this happens, you may get confused, disoriented, or have difficulty thinking. It is very important to tell your doctor how you feel things are going during the first few weeks after you start taking valproate.

It will probably take several weeks to see big enough changes in your symptoms to decide if valproate is the right medication for you. Mood stabilizer treatment is generally needed lifelong for persons with bipolar disorder.

Your doctor can best discuss the duration of treatment you need based on your symptoms and illness. Serious and fatal liver damage has been associated with valproate, particularly during the first six months of treatment.

Patients with mitochondrial disease caused by a certain DNA mutation are at an increased risk of acute liver failure and resultant death. Life threatening pancreatitis has been reported in children and adults who take valproate.

Signs of pancreatitis include severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and inability to keep food down. Last Updated: January This information is being provided as a community outreach effort of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists.

This information is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. This information contains a summary of important points and is not an exhaustive review of information about the medication. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified medical professional with any questions you may have regarding medications or medical conditions.

In some cases, liver damage may continue despite stopping the drug. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms: nausea or vomiting that does not go away, loss of appetite, pain on the right side of your stomach abdomen , dark urine, swelling of your face, or yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.

If you take DEPAKOTE during pregnancy for any medical condition, your baby is at risk for serious birth defects that affect the brain and spinal cord and are called spina bifida or neural tube defects. These defects occur in 1 to 2 out of every babies born to mothers who use this medicine during pregnancy.

These defects can begin in the first month, even before you know you are pregnant. Other birth defects that affect the structures of the heart, head, arms, legs, and the opening where the urine comes out urethra on the bottom of the penis can also happen. Birth defects may occur even in children born to women who are not taking any medicines and do not have other risk factors.

Taking folic acid supplements before getting pregnant and during early pregnancy can lower the chance of having a baby with a neural tube defect. There may be other medicines to treat your condition that have a lower chance of causing birth defects, decreased IQ, or other disorders in your child.

All women of childbearing age including girls from the start of puberty should talk to their healthcare provider about using other possible treatments instead of DEPAKOTE.

You can enroll in this registry by calling toll-free or by visiting the website, www. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the safety of antiepileptic drugs during pregnancy. Inflammation of your pancreas that can cause death.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms: severe stomach pain that you may also feel in your back, nausea or vomiting that does not go away. Call a healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms, especially if they are new, worse, or worry you: thoughts about suicide or dying; attempts to commit suicide; new or worse depression; new or worse anxiety; feeling agitated or restless; panic attacks; trouble sleeping insomnia ; new or worse irritability; acting aggressive, being angry, or violent; acting on dangerous impulses; an extreme increase in activity and talking mania ; other unusual changes in behavior or mood.

How can I watch for early symptoms of suicidal thoughts and actions? Pay attention to any changes, especially sudden changes in mood, behaviors, thoughts, or feelings. Keep all follow-up visits with your healthcare provider as scheduled. Do not take Depakote if you: have liver problems have or think you have a genetic liver problem caused by a mitochondrial disorder e. Ask your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby. DEPAKOTE can cause other serious side effects, including: Bleeding problems: red or purple spots on your skin, bruising, pain and swelling into your joints due to bleeding or bleeding from your mouth or nose.

High ammonia levels in your blood: feeling tired, vomiting, changes in mental status. Allergic hypersensitivity reactions: fever, skin rash, hives, sores in your mouth, blistering and peeling of your skin, swelling of your lymph nodes, swelling of your face, eyes, lips, tongue, or throat, trouble swallowing or breathing.

Drowsiness or sleepiness in the elderly. This extreme drowsiness may cause you to eat or drink less than you normally would. Tell your doctor if you are not able to eat or drink as you normally do. Common side effects of DEPAKOTE include: nausea vomiting dizziness double vision weight gain problems with walking or coordination headache weakness stomach pain diarrhea hair loss sleepiness tremor blurry vision increased appetite loss of appetite.

Depakote ER [package insert].