Valproic Acid
Valproic acid is an anticonvulsant used for epilepsy and for mania in bipolar disorder, sold here as Valparin tablets and Valproic Acid capsules in 250mg, 500mg and 750mg.
Valproic Acid
Valproic Acid
250/500/750mg
Valproic Acid capsules in 250mg, 500mg and 750mg strengths — an anticonvulsant used to reduce seizures in epilepsy and to treat mania in bipolar disorder.
What valproic acid is used for
Valproic acid belongs to the anticonvulsant family, the medicines that calm the abnormal electrical bursts behind seizures. It treats several types of epilepsy, and it is also used for mania, the spells of abnormally excited, frenzied mood that come with bipolar disorder. A third job is cutting the number of migraine attacks. Inside the brain it raises the level of GABA, a natural signal that quiets nerve cells, and that single action is why one medicine can steady both seizures and mood.
Valparin tablets and Valproic Acid capsules
Both listings here hold the same active ingredient in the same three strengths, so the choice comes down to form. Valparin is the named tablet version, in 250mg, 500mg and 750mg. The plain Valproic Acid capsules cover 250mg, 500mg and 750mg as well. Anyone who finds a capsule awkward to swallow may prefer the tablet, and anyone who would rather not break a tablet can take the capsule instead. Both belong to the neurology range.
Doses are split into two or more a day. Swallow tablets and capsules whole; chewing, splitting or crushing them is out. Taking them with food is gentler on the stomach in the first weeks.
Side effects
The common complaints are nausea, stomach pain, diarrhoea, drowsiness, dizziness, hand tremor, weight gain, thinning hair and headache. More seriously, valproic acid can damage the liver, most often within the first six months, and can inflame the pancreas. Yellowing of the skin or eyes, dark urine, pain under the ribs on the right, unusual tiredness or weakness, loss of appetite, vomiting or a swollen face point to the liver; stomach pain that keeps going and spreads to the back points to the pancreas. Both need urgent treatment. The medicine can also harm a developing baby, affecting the brain and spinal cord.
Keeping it at home
Tablets and capsules last best in the pack they arrived in, somewhere cool and dry, and the date printed on the box is worth checking before you start a new strip.
Sources
- Valproic Acid: MedlinePlus Drug Information — National Library of Medicine
- Epilepsy - NHS — NHS
Can I order Valproic Acid online in Hong Kong?
Valproic acid can be ordered online from PockDose with delivery to Hong Kong. The page lists Valparin tablets and Valproic Acid capsules, each in 250mg, 500mg and 750mg. Payment is by Visa, Mastercard or American Express on a secure, encrypted payment page, or by Bitcoin or Ethereum.
How are Valproic Acid prices shown?
It depends on the product, strength and pack size. Each of the two valproic acid products listed here shows its current prices in HKD or the currency you select.
Which brands of Valproic Acid are available?
Valparin is the named version of valproic acid listed here, offered as 250mg, 500mg and 750mg tablets. It differs from the plain Valproic Acid capsules, which cover the same three strengths but come in capsule form.
What brand names does valproic acid have?
Depakene is a brand name of valproic acid, which is also sold as Epilim. Here, valproic acid can be bought online as Valparin and valproic acid capsules. These are generics, not the original brand.
Can I drink alcohol with valproic acid?
Alcohol adds to the drowsiness and dizziness valproic acid can cause, and heavy drinking is harder on a liver this medicine already affects. A single drink with a meal is a different matter from a night out, though sleepiness is more likely when the two are combined.
Can valproic acid stop a migraine that has already started?
No. Valproic acid is used to make migraines happen less often, not to clear one that is already under way. It has to be taken every day for that effect to build, and it is not the medicine to reach for when a headache starts.
Is valproic acid the same as sodium valproate?
Sodium valproate, divalproex sodium and valproic acid are different forms of one medicine. The body converts each of them into valproic acid, the active substance, which is why they are treated as the same drug and why both listings on this page are simply valproic acid.
What happens if I stop valproic acid suddenly?
Seizures can return quickly when the medicine is stopped in one go, so treatment is reduced step by step rather than cut off. Missing the odd dose is not the same as stopping, but repeated gaps leave too little medicine in the body to hold seizures back.