Depakote ER contains divalproex sodium, a prescription medicine that affects certain chemicals and electrical signals in the brain. It belongs to a group of medicines called anticonvulsants, also known as antiepileptic drugs.
Depakote ER is used to treat certain types of seizures, manage manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder, and help prevent migraine headaches in adults.
Epilepsy and Seizures
Depakote ER can be used to treat certain types of seizures in adults and children 10 years of age and older. It may be used by itself or together with other seizure medicines.
It may be prescribed for:
- Complex partial seizures
- Simple absence seizures
- Complex absence seizures
- Multiple seizure types that include absence seizures
Seizures happen when there is a sudden burst of unusual electrical activity in the brain. Depending on the type of seizure, a person may experience staring spells, confusion, unusual movements, loss of awareness, or uncontrolled muscle movements.
Depakote ER helps stabilize electrical activity in the brain. This can help reduce how often seizures happen and improve seizure control.
It is important to take Depakote ER regularly. Suddenly stopping an antiepileptic medicine can increase the risk of serious seizures.
Bipolar Disorder and Manic Episodes
Depakote ER is also used to treat acute manic or mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder, including episodes that occur with or without psychotic symptoms.
Bipolar disorder is a condition that causes significant changes in mood, energy, activity levels, and behavior.
During a manic episode, a person may experience:
- Extremely high or irritable mood
- Increased energy or activity
- Racing thoughts
- Rapid or excessive talking
- Trouble concentrating
- Little need for sleep
- Impulsive or risky behavior
- Unusually high confidence
A mixed episode may include symptoms of mania and depression at the same time.
Depakote ER helps stabilize activity in the brain and may reduce symptoms of mania. Your healthcare provider will decide how long treatment should continue based on your symptoms and response. Controlled studies establishing its effectiveness for long-term treatment of mania beyond three weeks are limited, so ongoing treatment should be regularly reviewed.
Migraine Prevention
Depakote ER can also be used to help prevent migraine headaches in adults.
When taken regularly, it may help reduce:
- How often migraines occur
- The number of migraine attacks over time
- The overall burden of recurring migraines
Depakote ER is used for migraine prevention, not for treating a migraine that has already started. There is no evidence that it is effective as an immediate treatment during an acute migraine attack.
Your healthcare provider may recommend a different medication to relieve pain or other symptoms when a migraine occurs.
How Does Depakote ER Work?
Divalproex sodium is converted in the body to valproate. Valproate affects several processes in the brain that help control electrical activity and communication between nerve cells.
One of its effects involves increasing the activity of GABA, a chemical messenger that helps calm excessive nerve activity.
By helping stabilize brain activity, Depakote ER can:
- Reduce abnormal electrical activity that causes seizures
- Help control symptoms of mania
- Help prevent recurring migraine headaches
The exact way it prevents migraines is not completely understood.
What Does “ER” Mean?
The ER in Depakote ER stands for extended release.
The tablet is designed to release the medicine gradually over a longer period. This allows Depakote ER to generally be taken once daily, depending on the condition and prescribed treatment plan.
Depakote ER is different from delayed-release Depakote products. These formulations are not automatically interchangeable at the same dose, so do not switch between them unless your healthcare provider tells you to.
How Long Does Depakote ER Take to Work?
How quickly you notice an improvement depends on the condition being treated.
For seizures, the goal is to maintain a steady amount of medication in the body to help prevent future seizures. For bipolar mania, symptoms may gradually improve as treatment continues. Migraine prevention also requires regular treatment, and it may take time to determine how well the medication reduces migraine frequency.
Keep taking Depakote ER exactly as prescribed even if you do not notice immediate improvement.
Regular Monitoring During Treatment
Your healthcare provider may order blood tests before and during treatment. These tests can help monitor how your body is responding to the medicine and check for possible side effects.
Monitoring may include liver function tests, blood cell counts, and sometimes the amount of valproate in your blood.
This is especially important because valproate medicines can cause serious liver problems, pancreatitis, blood-related problems, and other adverse effects in some patients.
Important Pregnancy Warning
Depakote ER requires special caution during pregnancy because valproate can cause major birth defects and problems with a child’s development and learning.
For migraine prevention, valproate should not be used during pregnancy. People who can become pregnant should discuss pregnancy plans, contraception, and alternative treatments with their healthcare provider before using Depakote ER.
Do not suddenly stop Depakote ER if you become pregnant. Contact your healthcare provider promptly because suddenly stopping seizure treatment may also be dangerous.
Important Things to Remember
Take Depakote ER exactly as prescribed. Do not increase your dose, skip doses regularly, or stop treatment on your own.
Tell your healthcare provider about all medications and supplements you take and about any liver problems, bleeding disorders, metabolic conditions, or previous reactions to valproate medicines.
Seek medical attention if you develop serious or unusual symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, unusual bruising or bleeding, extreme tiredness, yellowing of the skin or eyes, or significant changes in thinking or behaviour.
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