An Introduction to Depakene Side Effects
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with
Depakene® (
valproic acid); however, not everyone who takes the medication will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Depakene. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Depakene side effects with you.)
Common Side Effects of Depakene
Most of what is know about Depakene side effects is based on clinical trials of
Depakote® (dilvaproex sodium), a similar medication. Depakote is changed in the body into the same medication as Depakene. However, it is important to understand that Depakene may be more likely to cause certain side effects, compared to Depakote.
In these studies, some of the most common side
effects of Depakote (which is similar to Depakene) included:
- Shakiness (tremors) -- in up to 57 percent of people
- Nausea -- up to 48 percent
- Headaches -- up to 31 percent
- Drowsiness -- up to 30 percent
- Vomiting -- up to 27 percent
- Weakness -- up to 27 percent
- Dizziness -- up to 25 percent.
Some other common side effects, occurring in 5 to 24 percent of people, included:
- Hair loss
- Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Flu-like symptoms, such as chills or a fever
- Infections
- Double vision
- Insomnia (see Depakote and Insomnia)
- Indigestion or heartburn
- Blurred vision
- Nervousness
- Weight gain (see Depakote and Weight Gain)
- Back pain
- Coordination problems
- Uncontrollable eye movements
- Swelling or water retention in the arms, legs, or feet
- Memory loss (amnesia)
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Increased appetite or loss of appetite
- A fever
- Emotional problems
- Weight loss.
