Valproate

You should avoid drinking alcohol while taking valproate.

• Alcohol can affect your liver function, and so can valproate.
• Drinking alcohol can lead to mood swings and make your symptoms worse.
• Alcohol can also make you sleepy and taking it with valproate can make this worse.
• Make sure you go for your blood tests while you are taking valproate, to check that your liver is working properly.
• If you do drink with valproate, make sure that it is small amounts and there's someone to look out for you.

Taking valproate may affect your concentration to do things like driving a car or riding a bike

• You may feel sleepy, confused or dizzy when you start taking valproate.
• It might be best to stop driving, riding a bike or doing anything that needs strong focus for the first few days, until you know how it affects you.
• Don't worry - most people do all these things as normal while taking valproate.
• You must tell DVLA if you have bipolar disorder.
• You can be fined up to £1,000 if you do not tell DVLA about a medical condition that affects your driving.
• You may be prosecuted if you are involved in an accident as a result.

Valproate is not a banned substance in sport

• Valproate is not a banned substance in sport.
• Taking valproate may affect your concentration to do things like riding a bike, competitive gymnastics, or anything else that needs a lot of focus.
• It might be best to stop such sports for the first few days, until you know how it affects you.
• Don't worry - most people do sports as normal while taking valproate.

Your weight can be affected by valproate

• Valproate can make some people feel more hungry. If you react to eating more you can put on weight.
• It is very difficult to know how it will affect each person who takes it.
• Talk to your doctor about this if it worries you.
• Healthy eating and exercise can prevent weight gain. Exercise is also good at preventing depression.

Let your family and friends know you are taking valproate so they can support you and help you look out for benefits and side effects

• It might actually be a great idea to choose a good friend to tell about your medicine when you start taking it. (Or - even better - to take one with you to the doctor before you start taking it!)
• They could look at the medicine leaflet, or at this website.
• They could then help you to understand whether the medicine helps you to improve or if you get side-effects (sometimes it is hard for us to see it ourselves).
• The side-effects of valproate might put a strain on your friendships and relationships, especially in the first few days of taking it.
• Your behaviour may be unusual, for example. It may make you confused and aggressive.
• These side-effects should get better after a few days.
• After a few days you should be getting the good effects of valproate, and that should improve your relationships in itself.

Valproate can have side-effects that might affect your sex life

The good effects of valproate may have a good effect on your sex life as your mood calms and you can concentrate on your relationships again.

Some of the possible negative side effects include:

• Men might get some breast growth
• If you gain weight, or get other physical side-effects like spots or temporary hair loss, you may just not feel as sexy as before

These effects should pass after the first couple of weeks. If they do not, and this is a problem for you, go back to the doctor and see what else you could try.

Valproate can affect fertility in men and women

• Valproate has been shown to reduce fertility in men.
• Valproate can cause polycystic ovary syndrome in young women, which can lead to future infertility.
• Valproate is not recommended for young women who could get pregnant. So it is important if you are having sex that you use contraception every time.
• If you want to try for a baby, you should go back to your doctor and talk about your treatment options and the risks and benefits.

If you are trying to get pregnant, talk to your doctor and plan what to do with your medicines.

• Valproate increases the risk of developing problems in the unborn baby particularly if taken in the early stages of pregnancy.

Valproate can cause problems in the developing baby and you may need to take folic acid

• Problems can include problems of the spine (such as spina bifida) and of the head and face (such as cleft palate).
• If you and your partner are trying to have a baby, you should go back to the doctor to discuss treatment options.
• If you do become pregnant while you are taking valproate, you should go back to your doctor as soon as possible. They may change or stop your medicine.
• If you agree with your doctor to carry on taking valproate, they will probably reduce your dose and give you folic acid to take as well. This can help to prevent some of these problems for the unborn baby.

Valproate is passed to the baby in breastmilk

• Valproate can be passed to the baby in breastmilk, but breastfeeding is still possible. The breastfed baby should have regular tests to check that its liver is working properly.
• It is important to be aware that being unwell can also increase the risk to the unborn baby.