Mr. E asked
Should I be taking divalproex 500 mg DR and I already have pancreatitis? It is a listed side effect.
Answer
Pancreatitis is an inflammatory condition of the pancreas which may involve additional tissues and organs in the body. Drug induced pancreatitis appears to have a relatively low incidence, being responsible in only about 2% of cases. Most cases (about 80%) are caused by gallstone disease or alcohol intake. In drug induced cases specifically, it appears that specific populations are more at risk (e.g. females, the elderly and those diagnosed with irritable bowel disease) than others.
There have been cases of life-threatening pancreatitis in those taking divalproex sodium and related products including:
- Depakote
- Valproic acid
- Valproate
- Depacon
- Divalproex
- Depakene
Cases have been reported in both children and adults. The onset of reported symptoms has ranged from shortly after starting the medication to a few years after starting therapy.
Divalproex sodium products have enough reported cases of pancreatitis that is classified as a "Class I" drug in regard to risk of pancreatitis. Class I drugs have 20 or more reported cases of pancreatitis and is the highest classification.
It is a common counseling point for those taking Divalproex sodium products that they should be aware of the following side effects which may be indicative of pancreatitis:
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Anorexia
The precise incidence of pancreatitis isn't known but is expected to be between 1% and 5% of patients using divalproex sodium products. The mechanism of divalproex induced pancreatitis appears to be due to the accumulation of a toxic metabolite.
In most cases, if pancreatitis is diagnosed, the divalproex product should be discontinued and alternative treatment for your condition should be evaluated. In fact, the FDA requires pancreatitis to be listed as a "Black Box Warning" in the prescribing information for divalproex products. In your situation, please speak with your doctor regarding your concerns taking divalproex.
