Sodium Valproate - Medsafe

1 Epilim IV . Sodium Valproate Consumer Medicine information liquid when the medicine cannot be shortness of breath or swelling of What is in this leaflet given by mouth. the face, lips or tongue, which may Your doctor, however, may have cause difficulty in swallowing or This leaflet answers some common prescribed Epilim IV for another breathing. questions about Epilim IV. reason. It does not contain all of the Before you are given it available information . Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why it has been Tell your doctor if you have It does not take the place of talking prescribed for you. allergies to: to your doctor or pharmacist. There is no evidence that Epilim IV any of the ingredients listed at All medicines have risks and the end of this leaflet is addictive. benefits. Your doctor has weighed any other medicines the risks of using Epilim IV against This medicine is available only with the benefits it is expected to have a doctor's prescription.

2 Any other substances, such as for you. foods, preservatives or dyes If you are a female patient of If you have any concerns about child-bearing age, make sure that taking this medicine, ask your you talk to your doctor about the doctor or pharmacist. Before you are given risks associated with taking Keep this leaflet with the it Epilim during pregnancy. medicine. Tell your doctor if you are You may need to read it again. When you must not receive pregnant or intend to become it pregnant. Like most medicines of this kind, You should not receive Epilim IV Epilim may affect your developing if you have or have had any of the baby if taken in the first trimester of What Epilim IV is following medical conditions: pregnancy, as it is suspected of used for liver disease (hepatic causing an increased risk of dysfunction) or severe hepatitis. malformations in the exposed Epilim IV is a medicine used to for a family history of hepatitis, foetus.

3 Also, children born to the treatment of epilepsy in adults especially when caused by mothers who take Epilim and children. medicines. Medicines used in throughout their pregnancy may be Epilepsy is a condition where you the treatment of epilepsy, at risk of impaired cognitive have repeated seizures (fits). There including Epilim IV may have development or withdrawal are many different types of seizures, adverse effects on the liver and syndrome. ranging from mild to severe. the kidneys. Your doctor will discuss the risks Epilim IV belongs to a group of a urea cycle disorder or a family and benefits of taking it if you are medicines called anticonvulsants. history of urea cycle disorders. pregnant. These medicines are thought to a family history of unexplained Tell your doctor if you are work by controlling brain chemicals infant deaths. breastfeeding or planning to which send signals to nerves so that porphyria which is a rare blood breastfeed.

4 Seizures do not happen. disease of blood pigments Medicines used in the treatment of known ornithine epilepsy, including Epilim, pass into Epilim IV may also be used to breast milk. Your doctor will control mania, a mental condition transcarbamylase deficiency or a family history of ornithine discuss the risks and benefits of with episodes of overactivity, taking it if you are breastfeeding or elation or irritability or to control transcarbamylase deficiency. planning to breastfeed. bipolar mood disorder where Known or suspected of having a periods of mania alternate with genetic problem causing a Tell your doctor if you drink periods of depression. mitochondrial disorder alcohol. If you have more than 2. Epilim IV may be used alone or in You should not be given Epilim drinks per day, you may be combination with other medicines IV if you are allergic to it or any putting yourself at risk of a to treat your condition.

5 Of the ingredients listed at the end seizure, or fit. Epilim IV may be used short-term of this leaflet . in place of oral Epilim tablets or Some symptoms of an allergic reaction include skin rash, itching, Epilim IV NZ Page 1. Tell your doctor if you have or zidovudine or any other anti drips or infusions throughout the have had any medical conditions, viral medication day, or as one long continuous drip especially the following: antipsychotic medicines or infusion lasting 24 hours a day. liver problems (hepatic including clozapine (a medicine If you are not currently taking insufficiency, hepatic damage) used to treat schizophrenia) Epilim or any other form of Sodium kidney problems quetiapine or olanzapine (a Valproate by mouth, your doctor urea cycle disorders medicine used to treat bipolar will decide what dose you will ornithine transcarbamylase disorder and schizophrenia) receive, depending on your condition and other factors such as (OTC) deficiency mefloquine (a medicine used to treat malaria) your weight.

6 Carnitine palmitoyltransferase (CPT) type II deficiency propofol (a medicine used Children: systemic lupus erythematosus before and during general The dose for children is usually 20. (a disease affecting the skin, anaesthesia) to 30mg for each kg of body weight nimodipine (a medicine used to every day. If epilepsy is not joints and kidneys). help blood flow to the brain) controlled the dose may be family history of a genetic increased up to 40mg for each kg of cimetidine (used to treat problem causing mitochondrial body weight every day, as long as stomach ulcers). disorder blood tests are done to check the erythromycin, rifampicin and amount of Epilim IV in the blood. If Tell your doctor if you plan to carbapenem antibiotics such as higher doses are needed, further have surgery. Invanz and Merrem. blood tests must be done to check If you have not told your doctor colestyramine (Questran Lite, that Epilim IV is not causing side about any of the above, tell them Cuemid) effects.

7 Before you are given Epilim. acetazolamide (Diamox). These medicines and others may be If you take too much Taking other medicines affected by Epilim IV, or may affect (overdose). Tell your doctor or pharmacist if how well it works. You may need Your doctor will decide what dose you are taking any other different amounts of your medicine, of Epilim IV you need, and this will medicines, including any that you or you may need to take different be given under close supervision, buy without a prescription from medicines. Your doctor or usually in a hospital setting. your pharmacy, supermarket or pharmacist will advise you. The risk of an overdosage in these health food store. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if circumstances is low. In the event of Some medicines and Epilim IV may your child is taking any other an overdose occurring, your doctor interfere with each other.

8 These medicines before they are given will decide on the treatment include: Epilim, for example, aspirin or necessary. aspirin (and other salicylates) any other drugs used to treat epilepsy. medicines used to prevent clots (anticoagulants) warfarin. Children, especially young children, can be more sensitive to some of the other medicines used to treat While you are side effects of Epilim. epilepsy phenobarbital, methylphenobarbitone, Your doctor and pharmacist have receiving it primidone, phenytoin, more information on medicines to carbamazepine, clonazepam, be careful with or avoid while being Things to be careful of felbamate, lamotrigine, given Epilim. Be careful when driving or topiramate, diazepam, operating machinery until you lorazepam, oxcarbamazepine, know how Epilim IV affects you. rifunamide and ethosuximide It may cause drowsiness in some medicines used to treat How it is given people.

9 Make sure you know how depression monoamine you react to Epilim IV before you oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), Epilim IV will be given to you as an drive a car, operate machinery or do selective serotonin reuptake infusion or injection into the veins. anything else that could be inhibitors (SSRIs), tricyclic dangerous if you are drowsy or light antidepressants Adults: headed. benzodiazepines (medicines If you are currently taking an oral formulation of Epilim (tablets, The effects of alcohol could be used as sedatives or to treat made worse while you are anxiety) liquid or syrup) and are now changing over to Epilim IV, the receiving Epilim IV. oral contraceptives. Epilim IV Combining it and alcohol can make total daily dose of Epilim IV should should have little effect on the you more sleepy, dizzy or remain the same. In these oral contraceptive pill, however, lightheaded.

10 Your doctor may circumstances, Epilim IV may be you should let your doctor know suggest you avoid alcohol while you given as several separate injections, that you are taking it are treated with Epilim. Epilim IV NZ Page 2. Tell your doctor immediately if Do not leave it in the car. Side effects you notice any of the following: Heat and damp can destroy some more frequent or more severe medicines. All medicines have some unwanted seizures (fits) Keep it where children cannot side effects. Sometimes they are serious, but most of the time they blood clotting problems reach it. are not. Your doctor or pharmacist spontaneous bruising or A locked cupboard at least one and has weighed the risks of using this bleeding a half metres above ground is a medicine against the benefits they good place to store medicines. skin rashes expect it will have for you.