Side effects

Like all medicines, sodium valproate can cause side effects, although not everyone
gets them.

Common side effects

These common side effects may happen in more than 1 in 100 people. They're usually
mild and go away by themselves.

Keep taking the medicine but talk to your doctor if these side effects bother you
or don't go away:

stomach pain, feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting)

diarrhoea
dry or sore mouth, or swollen gums
shakes (tremors) in a part of your body, or unusual eye movements
feeling tired or sleepy
headache
weight gain
thinning hair, or changes to the colour or texture of your hair
irregular or delayed periods
Serious side effects
It's unusual to have serious side effects after taking sodium valproate. Tell a
doctor straight away if you have:

thoughts of harming or killing yourself - a small number of people taking sodium

valproate have had suicidal thoughts
yellowing of your skin or whites of your eyes - these may be warning signs of liver
problems
long-lasting and severe nausea, vomiting or stomach pain - these may be warning
signs of an inflamed pancreas
unusual bruises or bleeding - these may be warning signs of a blood disorder