Patient/caregiver was educated on how to take Valproic Acid as follows:
- Take this medication as ordered by your physician. Do not change the dose and frequency on this medication without consulting your doctor. Take the medication dose for the duration prescribed without fail.
- Take the medication dose at the same time, every day, to avoid forgetting the intake of medication. Taking the medication at regularly spaced intervals help maintain appropriate blood levels of Valproic Acid needed for control of seizures and psychotic symptoms and prevents toxicity with the medication.
- Valproic Acid may be taken with food, as taking the medication with some food can help avoid the unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms of nausea and vomiting.
- Valproic Acid intake can induce some dizziness and results in sleep. Starting Valproic Acid on a low dose and gradually increasing it to the desired dose can help accommodate to the dizzy symptoms.
- Take the Valproic Acid regular tablet as a whole, using a glass of water. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the whole tablet, you may cut the tablet and swallow it in pieces with a glass of water. You can also crush the regular tablet and sprinkle the powder on a spoon of apple sauce or jello or pudding, to facilitate an easy swallow.
- If you are prescribed Valproic Acid delayed or extended-release tablet, do not cut or crush the tablet. Cutting or crushing the extended-release tablet can result in rapid absorption of the drug into the blood stream, thus resulting in toxicity. Swallow the extended-release tablet as a whole, using a glass of water.
- If you are prescribed Valproic Acid extended release capsule, try to swallow the capsule as a whole, with a glass of water. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the whole extended-release capsule, you may open the capsule and sprinkle the contents on a spoonful of apple sauce or jello or pudding. Swallow the apple sauce or pudding with the contents of capsule sprinkled over it, without chewing the contents in the mouth. Chewing these contents in the mouth can result in rapid release and absorption of the medication into the blood stream, thus resulting in toxicity and compromised therapeutic benefit.
- Valproic Acid can take some time to fairly adjust to your body, before preventing seizure episodes and providing relief from symptoms of mania. Do not discontinue taking the medication without your physician’s consult, as you failed to see the desired result immediately after taking the medication.
- Your physician could change the dose of Valproic Acid, based on the relief obtained or side-effects developed. So, maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments, to update on the relief from symptoms. Be accommodative to the plan of dose changes, if need be, until you show an optimum response.
- Valproic Acid only prevents the seizures from happening and controls the symptoms of mania, by reducing the excitation and rapid firing of the nerves. But, Valproic Acid does not fix the actual condition causing the seizures. Continue taking Valproic Acid as ordered, even if you experience seizure control and improvement with symptoms of mania. Abrupt discontinuation on Valproic Acid intake can result in recurrence of seizure episodes. If Valproic Acid is being taken for managing symptoms of mania, abrupt discontinuation of medication intake can contribute to exacerbation of mania and bipolar symptoms. Discontinuing the medication should only be on your physician’s recommendation and must be done slow and gradual, using tapering doses.
- Notify your doctor of any unresolved seizures or worsening psychosis and mania symptoms or continuing unpleasant side-effects, so that, your dosage on the medication could be revised.
- If you miss a dose, try taking it at the earliest notice of noncompliance. If it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the dose scheduled. Do not take an extra dose to try making up for the missed dose. Notify your doctor and other health care personnel regarding your dose noncompliance.
