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Cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for depression or anxiety can add to sleepiness caused by divalproex sodium. Tell your doctor if you regularly use any of these medicines, or any other seizure medication.

Before taking divalproex sodium, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

• topiramate (Topamax);

• tolbutamide (Orinase);

• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);

• aspirin or acetaminophen (Tylenol);

• zidovudine (Retrovir);

• clozapine (Clozaril, FazaClo);

• diazepam (Valium);

• meropenem (Merrem);

• rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater); or

• ethosuximide (Zarontin).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with divalproex sodium. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Seek emergency medical attention if the person taking this medicine has nausea, vomiting, 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. Some of these symptoms may also be early signs of pancreatitis.

Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms 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.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• unexplained weakness with vomiting and confusion or fainting;

• easy bruising or bleeding, blood in your urine;

• fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;

• fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;

• urinating less than usual;

• hallucinations (seeing things that aren't there);

• extreme drowsiness, lack of coordination; or

• double vision or back-and-forth movements of the eyes.

Less serious side effects may include:

• mild drowsiness or weakness;

• diarrhea, constipation, upset stomach;

• depression, anxiety, or other emotional changes;

• changes in your menstrual periods;

• enlarged breasts;

• tremor (shaking);

• hair loss;

• weight changes;

• vision changes; or

• unusual or unpleasant taste in your mouth.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.