More common side effects of taking valacyclovir drug are headache, nausea and abdominal pain. Questions related to potential side effects from taking valacyclovir pills should be directed to one's medical provider and pharmacist. Valacyclovir - Medline. Last updated September 8, Please consult a licensed medical provider if you have additional questions. Please call immediately or go to the nearest emergency room if you believe you are experiencing a medical emergency.
Log In. Valacyclovir Prescription Online Request valacyclovir prescription online Same day prescriptions available Convenient care from home Request Now ». Request Valacyclovir HCl ». Get Valacyclovir mg ». How to take Valtrex. You should start taking Valtrex as soon as possible after the first appearance of symptoms such as burning, blisters or tingling. This medication may not be as effective if you start taking it one or two days after the appearance of symptoms. Take Valtrex with or without food.
You should drink plenty of water while taking this medication. Use valacyclovir for the full prescribed amount of time even if your symptoms have improved. Lesions caused by herpes should be kept clean and dry. Wear loose clothing to prevent irritation. Make sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist: If you have any drug or other allergies. Which other prescription and non-prescription medications you currently take.
Your medical history especially of HIV, a weak immune system, kidney disease, kidney transplant, bone marrow transplant or if you are on dialysis. If you are pregnant or planning pregnancy. If you are breast feeding. Also be aware that: It is important to prevent genital herpes lesions during pregnancy.
Valtrex Side Effects. Common Valtrex side effects may include but are not limited to: Nausea or stomach pain. Contact your doctor if you experience any of the following side effects of Valtrex: Mental or mood changes such as agitation, confusion or hallucinations.
Trouble speaking. Sudden vision changes. Loss of consciousness. Bloody, dark or changes in your amount of urine. Severe stomach or abdominal pain. Shaky or unsteady movements, Slow, fast or irregular heartbeats. Extreme tiredness. New fever. Easy bruising or bleeding. Signs of an allergic reaction such as hives, difficulty breathing or a swelling of your face, lips or throat. Need Help? Call Our CareTeam Do not take valacyclovir tablets if you are allergic to any of its ingredients or to acyclovir.
The active ingredient is valacyclovir. Before taking valacyclovir tablets, tell your healthcare provider: About all your medical conditions, including:.
Kidney failure and nervous system problems are not common, but can be serious in some patients taking valacyclovir tablets. Nervous system problems include aggressive behavior, unsteady movement, shaky movements, confusion, speech problems, hallucinations seeing or hearing things that are really not there , seizures and coma. Kidney failure and nervous system problems have happened in patients who already have kidney disease and in elderly patients whose kidneys do not work well due to age.
Always tell your healthcare provider if you have kidney problems before taking valacyclovir tablets. Call your doctor right away if you get a nervous system problem while you are taking valacyclovir tablets. Common side effects of valacyclovir tablets in adults include headache, nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and dizziness. Side effects in HIV-infected adults include headache, tiredness and rash.
These side effects usually are mild and do not cause patients to stop taking valacyclovir tablets. Other less common side effects in adults include painful periods in women, joint pain, depression, low blood cell counts and changes in tests that measure how well the liver and kidneys work.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you develop any side effects that concern you. These are not all the side effects of valacyclovir tablets. For more information ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist. Keep valacyclovir tablets and all medicines out of the reach of children. General information about valacyclovir tablets Medicines are sometimes prescribed for conditions that are not mentioned in patient information leaflets.
Do not use valacyclovir tablets for a condition for which it was not prescribed. Do not give valacyclovir tablets to other people, even if they have the same symptoms you have. It may harm them. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription products to the FDA. Visit www. Please see the full Prescribing Information for complete safety information.
Whether oral or genital, people can take medication when their specific prodrome tells them an outbreak is on the horizon. The medication will stop an outbreak cold often and when it does not, it can shorten and make an outbreak milder than it might have been otherwise. They know when they are more likely to have an outbreak due to their circumstances. They can avoid their triggers but they also might want to take medication preventatively knowing when they are more vulnerable.
Essentially they might take the medication for a week or two until the circumstance that is making them more susceptible to an outbreak has resolved. To Suppress Outbreaks For An Extended Period Patients can take medication when they would like to do all they can to reduce their chance of having an outbreak.
The classic example would be during a honeymoon, going on vacation, starting a new job, in a new relationship, or at any time a patient feels it is how they want to keep the chance of having an attack as low as possible. To Prevent Transmission to An Uninfected Partner One of the most important advances in herpes treatment came with the knowledge that transmission from an infected person to their uninfected partner could be reduced.
Valacyclovir not only reduces the number of outbreaks a person experiences but it reduces asymptomatic shedding. That results in fewer uninfected partners catching herpes. If a condom is worn and the medication used, the chances are reduced at least in half compared to using a condom alone. Fewer outbreaks and fewer episodes of shedding means fewer people become infected. For oral herpes: To abort an outbreak at the earliest sign or symptom Prodrome At that earliest sign, two tablets of Valacyclovir mg for a total of mg is taken by mouth as the first dose.
Then, 12 hours later, 2 tablets of mg of Valacyclovir, for a total of mg, is taken as the second and final dose. The second dose can be taken sooner than 12 hours but never before 6 hours have passed. Adequate hydration makes sure the medicine is cleared through the kidneys as it should be. The medication is only approved for two doses and there is no evidence for the use of medication once lesions have appeared. The clinical outcome of this is that taking valacyclovir appropriately is effective at aborting outbreaks of oral and genital herpes, shortening the duration of an initial episode of genital herpes, suppressing outbreaks of genital herpes, and decreasing the risk of transmitting genital herpes to an uninfected partner.
Certain people should not take valacyclovir and others should use decreased doses of valacyclovir. Below are some important examples. Sensitivity or Allergies: Patients with sensitivity or an allergy to any of the following medications should not use Valacyclovir: Acyclovir, Famciclovir, ganciclovir, penciclovir, valacyclovir, or valganciclovir.
Kidney Issues: Dose adjustments should be made for those with kidney impairment or issues. Decreased doses are needed as kidney impairment slows the clearing from the body of valacyclovir. The degree of impairment determines the decrease in the dosage.
Patients receiving potentially nephrotoxic Toxic to the Kidney drugs together with valacyclovir may have an increased risk of renal dysfunction impairment. The Elderly: The elderly are more likely to have impaired kidneys so they might not clear valacyclovir from their system as efficiently as they should. This can lead to inappropriately high levels of valacyclovir, which means the elderly may need lower doses of valacyclovir.
The elderly are also more likely to experience neurological side effects, including: agitation, hallucinations, confusion, delirium, and other abnormalities of brain function termed encephalopathy. Dehydration: When patients are dehydrated acyclovir can reform as a solid in the kidney leading to kidney damage. Patients should all remain well hydrated when taking valacyclovir. Pregnancy: While a registry that collected data on the pregnancies of women exposed to acyclovir in the first trimester showed no greater occurrence of birth defects than occurs in the general population, the study size was too small to guarantee safety during pregnancy.
Although the American Academy of Pediatrics AAP has not specifically evaluated valacyclovir, systemic maternal acyclovir is considered to be usually compatible with breastfeeding…Consider the benefits of breastfeeding, the risk of potential infant drug exposure, and the risk of an untreated or inadequately treated condition. See here for other special groups, warnings, and precautions. Start online visit.
Vitals What is valacyclovir? How does valacyclovir work? Common side effects of valacyclovir Important safety information.
This is how valacyclovir works: Aborts stops or shortens outbreaks of genital herpes, oral herpes, and shingles Prevents outbreaks of genital and oral herpes Decreases the risk of viral transmission to the uninfected partner. How valacyclovir helps. Valacyclovir vs. How long does it take for valacyclovir to work? Valacyclovir dosages Valacyclovir comes in two doses, mg and 1, mg tablets. Treatment with suppressive therapy Valacyclovir is not approved for suppressive therapy of oral herpes, but doctors have the discretion to prescribe it for this use if they believe that it is an appropriate course of treatment for a particular patient.
Genital herpes Treatment of initial genital outbreak To treat an initial episode of genital herpes, the FDA recommends taking valacyclovir 1 gram mg twice a day for 10 days starting at the first sign or symptom of lesions, preferably within 48 hours of onset. Treatment of recurrent genital herpes, including HIV-infected patients The FDA recommends using mg of valacyclovir twice daily for 3 days starting at the first sign or symptom of lesions—preferably within 24 hours of onset.
Treatment with suppressive therapy People with less than 10 outbreaks per year should take valacyclovir mg once daily. To prevent transmission to a partner The infected partner should take valacyclovir mg once a day to decrease the risk of transmission to the uninfected partner. Valacyclovir side effects What follows is a summary and does not include every side effect possible.
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