Drug Title

Valtrex (Valacyclovir)

Application

Valtrex is used to treat herpes zoster. It is also used to treat or suppress genital herpes in people who are immunocompetent. It is also used to suppress the recurrent genital herpes in people who are infected with the HIV virus. It is also used to treat cold sores.

Mode of application

Valtrex can be taken orally. The general dosage is about three times a day with eight hour intervals between the doses. This can be carried out for a week. If you are undergoing treatment for genital herpes, you should take it twice a day over a five day period. Also, if you are looking to cure cold sores, Valtrex is taken just for one day. It acts the best when you begin taking it as soon as you notice the symptoms.

Missed Dose

You should take a dose as soon as you remember that you have missed. Do not take the dose if you are too near your next dose. Do not overdose or double dose to make up for the missed dose.

Overdose

In case of overdose, you should seek medical attention on an immediate basis. The symptoms of an overdose on Valtrex are not known. However, you may experience hallucinations, kidney damage and other symptoms.

Storage

Valtrex is stored at a temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit (25 degrees C). No long-term storage of 59 to 86 degrees F (15 ° and 30 ° C) is allowed. Keep away from heat, moisture and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Valtrex out of the reach of children and away from pets.

Precautions

You may want to an adjustment in the dosage, or even special monitoring during the treatment with Valtrex if you have kidney disease or other immune system problems. You should not take Valtrex if you are allergic to acyclovir or Zovirax. 

The FDA pregnancy category for Valtrex is B, which means that the animal reproductive studies have not demonstrated any kinds of risk in animal reproduction studies. However, there have been no controlled studies in the case of pregnant women.

Also, it is not known if Valtrex is infused into the breast milk. Therefore, do not take Valtrex unless and until you do not have the doctor’s approval.

Side effects

Some of the Possible Side Effects are- headache, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, and dizziness. Side effects in HIV infected adults include headache, tiredness, and rash, painful periods in women, joint pain, depression, low blood cell counts. Most of these side effects are not very serious and do nor stop the patients taking Valtrex, however, you should contact your doctor if any of these symptoms occur. Problems with nervous system and kidney failure are quite rare and are usually experienced by patients who already have problems with kidneys or nervous system and elderly patients whose kidneys do not function properly due to age. Some of the symptoms of nervous system are- aggressive behavior, unsteady movement, shaky movements, confusion, speech problems, hallucinations, seizures, and coma. If problems with nervous system occur while using Valtrex, you should contact your doctor promptly. Make sure you notify your doctor if you have any kidney problems before using this medication.

General side effects of using Valtrex are headache, stomach pain, vomiting, dizziness and nausea. The side effects in HIV affected adults are headache, rash, painful periods in women, joint pain, depression, and a low blood cell count. These side effects are not serious and do not stop the individual from taking the drug. However, you should contact your doctor if such side effects occur. Only those individuals who already have issues with their nervous system and kidneys may face a kidney or nervous system problem while taking this medicine.

Additional information

In case of any questions about Valtrex, please consult your doctor.
Valtrex should be used only on prescription.
If symptoms do not improve or aggravate, consult the doctor.