Valporate is prescribed by your healthcare provider based on current guidelines to address specific mental health conditions. While effective, all medications have potential side effects. It's crucial to be informed about these risks and benefits. It's also important to understand strategies to reduce their occurrence or manage them effectively. It's vital to know when to contact your healthcare provider or seek immediate medical attention. This guide aims to empower you with this knowledge, ensuring a well-informed approach to your child's treatment. If you are still unsure, always reach out to your healthcare provider for further guidance.
What is Valporate?
Valporate belongs to a class of medications known as mood stabilizers. It helps balance brain chemicals, alters neuronal sodium transport, reduces overactive signals, and protects brain cells to prevent extreme mood swings.
When is Valporate prescribed to Children & Adolescents?
Your doctor may prescribe Valporate for:
- Bipolar disorder
- Acute Mania
- Behavioral disturbances or Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (also known as DMDD)
- Seizure disorder
What is the Dose of Valporate?
- The dose typically ranges from 500 to 2000 mg per day, divided into 2-3 doses.
- Treatment usually starts at a low dose, gradually increasing to find the effective dose.
What can be the possible
side-effects from the medication?
Serious but Rare Side-Effects
Increase Blood Ammonia levels:
- Symptoms: confusion with drowsiness, changes in level of consciousness.
- Risk factors: high doses, concurrent use of some medications like antipsychotics & topiramate
- Management: If you notice any of these symptoms, contact your healthcare provider immediately or seek immediate attention at the nearest emergency room.
Hepatotoxicity:
- Prevention: Liver function is monitored closely through regular blood tests. Elevated liver enzymes might occur without causing liver problems, but it's important to keep an eye on them.
- Symptoms: yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), dark urine, severe fatigue, abdominal pain (especially on the right side), loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting
- Risk factors: age less than 2 years, seizure disorder, use of multiple antiseizure medications, presence of a neurologic disease in addition to epilepsy.
- Management: If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above seek immediate attention at the nearest emergency room.
Pancreatitis:
- Symptoms: sudden onset of abdominal pain, vomiting
- Management: If you notice these symptoms mentioned above, seek immediate attention at the nearest emergency room.
To learn more about this medication please visit MedlinePlus, a official US government website, part of National Library of Medicine and managed by National Institute of Health by clicking HERE