What is Valtrex
Valtrex (valacyclovir) is intended for patients suffering from herpes zoster and genital herpes. It is not likely to cure the infection, but can relieve itching and burning once there is an outbreak. It helps the sores to heal quicker and prevents new ones from forming.
How to use Medicine
How to take Valtrex
Valtrex comes as a tablet intended for oral use (should be taken by mouth). Unless your health care provider recommended otherwise, you are supposed to take this medication three times a day for a week to treat shingles and two times a day for 5 days to treat genital herpes. In case of being allergic to the active ingredient this medicine contains, or any of the inactive ingredients, make sure you tell your doctor about it in advance. If you have been allergic to any ingredients of Valtrex and have taken this medication anyway, some allergic reaction symptoms are very much possible. Make sure you report the following symptoms of an allergic reaction as soon as you get them: hives, rash, swelling of you limbs or face, as well as difficulty breathing and swallowing. Take Valtrex exactly as recommended by your health care provider, and you are unlikely to suffer any unpleasant side effects.
Things to discuss with your doctor before taking Valtrex
You doctor needs to know if you ever had an allergic reaction to Valtrex. The following medical problems also have to be reported: kidney or liver disease, and problems with your immune system, as well as HIV or AIDS. Pregnancy or breastfeeding are supposed to be discussed with your health care provider before you start taking Valtrex. Although this drug is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby, it is not known for sure where Valtrex can pass into breast milk. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have an intention to get pregnant or start breastfeeding while taking Valtrex, make sure you talk to your doctor beforehand. This way you will make sure your baby is safe and there will be no serious health effects. If you have any questions concerning your treatment or think that your dose needs to be adjusted – talk to your doctor in advance to get qualified help and advice before making up your mind about anything.
Are serious side effects possible?
While taking Valtrex you need to be aware of some side effects that are possible, such as headache, upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. However, you do not need to report these side effects to your doctor, as they are most likely to go away on their own without any need for your health care provider to interfere. Serious side effects are also possible, although they are quite rare. The following serious side effects are possible if you do not take Valtrex right or if you did not inform your health care provider of all the drugs you are taking and all the health conditions you had: rash, itching, confusion, yellowness of the skin or eyes, fever, and blood in the urine. Serious side effects are supposed to be reported to your doctor as soon as you notice them. If you happen to develop any side effects that do not seem to appear on either of the lists – call your doctor and discuss the symptoms to make sure your treatment is going as planned. All the symptoms are individual and the ones listed are just the most common ones for you to have a general idea.
Drugs Valtrex can interfere with
Such medications as cimetidine, probenecid and any vitamins are to be reported to your doctor to make sure there are no drug interactions when you start taking Valtrex. Any other products of the kind you may be taking are also worth mentioning – such as herbal supplements, for instance. If you are going to take some other medication while already on Valtrex, tell that other doctor what you are taking tat the moment to make sure both drugs can be combined and the doses are not too high for them to start to interacting. Taking some medications may increase the efficiency of Valtrex, decrease it, or change the way it is responded to by your body. To provide for maximum efficiency of your treatment, you will need to make sure no drug interactions occur – it's not that hard, you just have to make sure you do not combine Valtrex with anything before discussing it with your doctor.
Missed dose
Since you will be taking Valtrex regularly, it's very important to remember to take it every time you need. Although this drug is usually taken from two to three times a day for several days, there may be different recommendations that your doctor provides. You must make sure you listen very carefully to these recommendations to remember everything you need. If you happened to miss a dose and it's almost time for the next one, you can skip the dose missed and go back to the regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for the one you missed, as this is not likely to make your treatment more effective and can even cause a number of unpleasant symptoms that you would rather avoid.
Related Categories:
Antiviral
Related Medications:
valaciclovir
