Divalproex sodium affects chemicals in the body that may be involved in causing seizures.

Divalproex sodium is used to treat various types of seizure disorders. Divalproex sodium is sometimes used together with other seizure medications.

Divalproex sodium may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Divalproex sodium may cause harm to an unborn baby, but having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both the mother and the baby. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking divalproex sodium for seizures. Do not start or stop taking divalproex sodium during pregnancy without your doctor's advice.

Seek emergency medical attention if the person taking this medicine has nausea, vomiting, upper stomach pain, or loss of appetite, low fever, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). These symptoms may be early signs of liver damage or pancreatitis.

Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, depression, anxiety, or if you feel agitated, hostile, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

In rare cases, divalproex sodium has caused life-threatening liver failure, especially in children younger than 2 years old. Children of this age may be at even greater risk for liver problems if they use more than one seizure medication, if they have a metabolic disorder, or if they have a brain disease causing mental impairment (such as Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease, Huntington disease, multiple sclerosis, or a brain injury or infection).

Divalproex sodium has also caused rare cases of life-threatening pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). Pancreatitis can come on suddenly and symptoms may start even after you have been taking divalproex sodium for several years.

You should not take this medication if you are allergic to divalproex sodium, or if you have liver disease or a urea cycle disorder.

To make sure you can safely take divalproex sodium, tell your doctor if you have any of these other conditions:

• liver disease;

• a bleeding or blood clotting disorder;

• a history of head injury, brain disorder, or coma;

• a family history of a urea cycle disorder or infant deaths with unknown cause; or

• HIV or CMV (cytomegalovirus) infection.

You may have thoughts about suicide while taking this medication. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening depression or suicidal thoughts during the first several months of treatment, or whenever your dose is changed.

Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

FDA pregnancy category D. Divalproex sodium can cause birth defects. Do not start taking divalproex sodium without telling your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Use effective birth control while you are taking divalproex sodium.

Divalproex sodium may also affect cognitive development in children born to mothers who take this medication during pregnancy. Studies have shown that these children may score lower on cognitive tests (reasoning, intelligence, and problem-solving) than children whose mothers took other seizure medications during pregnancy.

Although divalproex sodium may harm an unborn baby, having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both mother and baby. If you become pregnant while taking divalproex sodium, do not stop taking the medicine without your doctor's advice.

Seizure control is very important during pregnancy. The benefit of preventing seizures may outweigh any risks posed by taking divalproex sodium. There may be other seizure medications that can be more safely used during pregnancy. Follow your doctor's instructions about taking divalproex sodium while you are pregnant.

Divalproex sodium can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.