Before taking valsartan,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to valsartan, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in valsartan tablets or solution.
tell your doctor if you have diabetes (high blood sugar) and you are taking aliskiren (Tekturna, in Amturnide, Tekamlo, Tekturna HCT). Your doctor will probably tell you not to take valsartan if you have diabetes and you are also taking aliskiren.
tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention the following: angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors such as benazepril (Lotensin, in Lotrel), captopril (Capoten, in Capozide), enalapril (Vasotec), fosinopril, lisinopril (in Prinzide, in Zestoretic), moexipril (Univasc, in Uniretic), perindopril, (Aceon), quinapril (Accupril, in Accuretic, in Quinaretic), ramipril (Altace), and trandolapril (Mavik, in Tarka); aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn) and selective COX-2 inhibitors such as celecoxib (Celebrex); cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune); diuretics ('water pills'), including potassium-sparing diuretics such as amiloride (Midamor), spironolactone (Aldactone, in Aldactazide), and triamterene (Dyrenium, in Dyazide, in Maxzide); gemfibrozil (Lopid), other medications to treat high blood pressure or a heart problem; potassium supplements; rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, in Rifamate, in Rifater); and ritonavir (Norvir). Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had blockage of the bile duct (condition when bile cannot flow from the liver to the gallbladder and small intestine, which can occur with gallstones, tumors, or injury); heart, kidney, or liver disease.
tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. Do not breastfeed during your treatment with valsartan.
you should know that valsartan may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting when you get up too quickly from a lying position. This is more common when you first start taking valsartan. To help avoid this problem, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up.
you should know that diarrhea, vomiting, not drinking enough fluids, and sweating a lot can cause a drop in blood pressure, which may cause lightheadedness and fainting. Tell your doctor if you have any of these problems or develop them during your treatment.