What Is Valtrex Used For
The Food and Drug Administration approved Valtrex for the following indications:
- Genital herpes, usually caused by herpes simplex virus 2
- Prevention of transmission of HSV
- Suppression of HSV
- Suppression of HSV for people who are immunosuppressed due to human immunodeficiency virus
- Shingles, which is caused by reactivation of varicella zoster and produces a painful rash
The dosing of Valtrex differs for children and adults and is based on weight for the treatment of chicken pox. Valtrex is used short term for the treatment of chicken pox, shingles, and cold sores.
It can also be used for the short-term treatment of genital herpes or long term to suppress the virus and prevent transmission to a partner. However, it is important to remember that Valtrex will not cure your herpes infection completely.
Verywell / Dennis Madamba
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How Are Initial Outbreaks Treated
Antiviral medications can help to control the symptoms and shorten the duration of initial herpes outbreaks by 2 to 4 days. The treatment of an initial outbreak should be started within the first three days the earlier, the better.
The medications are taken as tablets. The number of tablets per day depends on the active ingredient and the dose. The World Health Organization recommends the following doses and amounts for treating an initial outbreak:
- aciclovir: 200 mg five times per day or 400 mg three times per day,
- famciclovir: 250 mg three times per day, or
- valaciclovir: 500 mg two times per day.
The WHO recommends that the treatment last ten days.
These three medications are about as effective as each other. Aciclovir is the most commonly used because doctors and patients have the most experience with this medication.
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How Do I Choose The Best Over
Herpes is a medical condition caused by a virus and can lead to the development of painful blisters. Some forms of herpes may be transmitted through sexual contact with an infected partner. An over-the-counter treatment is any type of medical treatment that does not require a prescription by a doctor. Over-the-counter herpes treatment options may include medications, lifestyle modifications, or herbal treatments. There is no actual cure for herpes, so any over-the-counter herpes treatment methods are aimed at reducing symptoms of the disease.
Over-the-counter herpes treatment options may include the use of pain relievers or topical preparations. Pain relievers such as aspirin or ibuprofen may help to ease the pain and discomfort when an outbreak occurs. Topical preparations such as creams, ointments, or gels may be useful in treating painful outbreaks as well. It is important to note that many of these products have not been FDA approved and may not be safe for all patients. It is important to discuss the benefits and risks of such treatment options with a doctor.
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Medical Conditions That Can Be Treated By Over The Counter Medications
Some diseases and annoying symptoms are easy to manage at home without necessarily seeking the help of a doctor. You, however, need to know which medical conditions are manageable using over-the-counter drugs and what treatments are effective. With such knowledge, you can prevent common problems at home.
Note that, for your safety, you need to understand the art of using medicine at home. In some instances, drugs can cause allergic reactions, have side effects or interact with your food. Further, it is advisable that you also know which drugs have been approved by relevant agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration for use over the counter and for which diseases or conditions.
This post explores the most common medical conditions you can treat at home using over-the-counter medications. Read on to learn, so you do not spend money seeking the help of a doctor when you can use over-the-counter medications.
Contents
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How Do Herpes Drugs Work
Herpes medications like valacyclovir, acyclovir and famciclovir belong to a class of medications called antiviral drugs.
Antiviral drugs are designed to inhibit the multiplication of viruses in the body. Unlike antibiotics, which eliminate the bacteria that cause infections, antiviral drugs simply control viral proliferation, rather than completely eliminating the target virus from the body.
None of the antiviral drugs on the market today can cure herpes. However, consistent use of an antiviral drug can make living with herpes much easier by speeding up healing after an outbreak and reducing your risk of transmitting the virus to other people.
Herpes drugs are taken for several reasons. People with active HSV-1 or HSV-2 infections can take them during outbreaks to control and treat their symptoms. Antiviral drugs are also used as part of suppressive therapy for herpes to reduce the severity and frequency of outbreaks.
Even people with asymptomatic herpes can benefit from using antiviral drugs to lower their risk of spreading the virus to other people through sexual or oral contact.
What Causes Fever Blisters
Cold sores, also known as fever blisters, are usually caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 , but in rare cases can be caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 . These viruses can affect the mouth area, genital area, and occasionally they can affect other body parts. Once someone gets the virus that causes cold sores, the virus will remain in the body long-term, even when no cold sores appear. Because of this, its common for cold sores to reappear after a period of time in the same area that someone previous had one. Cold sore triggers include stress, fever, hormonal changes, sun exposure, and changes in the immune system.
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When Should You Call Your Doctor
If you havenât been diagnosed with genital herpes, call your doctor if you have:
- Painful blisters or sores in the genital or pelvic area.
- Burning or pain while urinating, or you canât urinate.
- Reason to think youâve been exposed to genital herpes.
If you have been diagnosed with genital herpes, call your doctor if you are having frequent outbreaks or if you canât pass urine or are constipated.
If you are pregnant and have genital herpes, or if you think you have genital herpes, tell your doctor.
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How Can I Stay Healthy While Taking Valtrex
There are several considerations that you must keep in mind to stay healthy while you are taking Valtrex:
- Maintain hydration: Valtrex is more likely to cause kidney damage if you are dehydrated.
- Pain control for shingles: Shingles can cause substantial pain. Your healthcare provider may prescribe a pain-control medication for you as your condition is resolving.
- Rest and fever control for chicken pox: Chicken pox infection can cause high fevers and sometimes fatigue. If your child has this infection, maintain rest, and follow their providers advice regarding management of fevers.
Herpes viruses are highly contagious, so its important to avoid infecting others while you are recovering.
Tips to avoid the spread of the following infections:
- Cold sores: Dont share cups, utensils, lipstick, or kiss others while a cold sore is present
- Genital herpes: Practice safe sex.
- Chicken pox and shingles: Avoid contact with people who are immunosuppressed , people who are pregnant, and babies until your infection has fully resolved.
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Is There A Cure Or Treatment For Genital Herpes
There is no cure for genital herpes. However, daily use of antiviral medicines can prevent or shorten outbreaks. Antiviral medicines also can reduce the chance of spreading it to others.
Though several clinical trials have tested vaccines against genital herpes, there is no vaccine currently available to prevent infection. One vaccine trial showed efficacy among women whose partners had HSV-2, but only among women not infected with HSV-1. Efficacy was not observed among men whose partners had HSV-2. Another trial testing the same vaccine showed some protection from genital HSV-1 infection, but none from HSV-2.
Is There Anything I Can Do To Relieve The Symptoms Myself
In some women, genital herpes blisters cause pain when urinating . Many of them find it soothing to pee while sitting in warm, shallow water . You can do this using special tubs that fit into toilet bowls. They are available at a reasonable price, for instance from pharmacies or on the internet. It’s best not to use soaps or bath additives because they can irritate the affected area even more. Other things you can do to avoid irritating it further include wearing loose-fitting clothes and underwear made out of fabrics that have a smooth surface.
Painkillers such as ibuprofen are an option if the blisters become very painful.
Topical antiviral treatments such as creams or ointments don’t provide any relief, but they can increase the risk of viral resistance. Experts advise against using topical treatments for genital herpes.
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How Do You Treat Repeat Herpes Outbreaks
Repeat outbreaks of genital herpes are usually milder and last for about 7 to 10 days. Usually, with mild outbreaks, you can use over-the-counter medications like pain killers and ointments to improve the symptoms.
But when the symptoms are more serious, and you get them less than six times a year, you can use antiviral medication to treat the outbreak. There are 2 different ways to treat repeat outbreaks:
- You could take a higher dosage of treatment for one or two days to help improve your symptoms. This has a higher chance of causing side effects. The number of days you take the course for depends on which medication you choose.
- You could also take lower-dosage treatment for across a longer period to help improve the symptoms. This has a lower risk of side effects
How To Get Rid Of Genital Herpes Outbreaks Quickly & Safely
There is no cure for genital herpes, but there are many over-the-counter treatment optionsas well as supplements, herbs, topical treatments, and even dietary changesthat may help clear up outbreaks faster.
In this article, Ill talk about the early warning signs of genital herpes, outline some medicines and at-home treatments for outbreaks, and information on howto heal herpes sores faster.
Ill help you understand what is safe and backed by reliable evidence.
And Ill tell you when to talk to your doctor.
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What Triggers Outbreaks
Certain triggers can cause the herpes virus to reactivate. This is known as a recurrence and can happen even if you have a healthy immune system.
There are several known triggers that can stimulate recurrence, including:
- Physical stress, such as an infection, an illness, or an injury
- Persistent emotional stress or anxiety for greater than one week
- Exposure to ultraviolet light , excessive heat, or cold
- Hormonal changes, such as during menstruation
What You Need To Know
- Fifty percent to 80 percent of U.S. adults have oral herpes.
- Oral herpes can be spread through intimate contact with someone who is infected.
- Oral herpes can be difficult to diagnose. Often confused with many other infections, it can only be confirmed with a virus culture called PCR, blood test or biopsy. PCR is the preferred test for diagnosing herpes infections.
- The best treatment for oral herpes is antiviral oral medication. Symptomatic treatment may include antiviral ointment, over-the-counter topical anesthetics or over-the-counter anti-inflammatory agents.
Whether you call it a cold sore or a fever blister, oral herpes is a common infection of the mouth area that is caused by herpes simplex virus type 1 . Fifty percent to 80 percent of U.S. adults have oral herpes. According to the National Institutes of Health, about 90 percent of adults have been exposed to the virus by age 50.
Once infected, a person will have herpes simplex virus for the rest of his or her life. When inactive, the virus lies dormant in a group of nerve cells. While some people never develop any symptoms from the virus, others will have periodic outbreaks of infections.
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What is genital herpes?
Herpes is a common sexually transmitted infection caused by the herpes simplex virus that is easily passed on by sexual contact. Unfortunately, once you have contracted herpes there is no known way to cure it. However, genital herpes can be managed and suppressed effectively if you use the right genital herpes treatment which you can buy online.
Herpes simplex virus type 2 causes the STI, while herpes simplex virus type 1 causes cold sore herpes, which is most likely to break out on the lips or face. This condition can be treated with aciclovir tablets and valaciclovir tablets. While type 2 herpes simplex virus usually causes genital herpes and type 1 affects the lips or face, type 1 herpes can also cause genital herpes due to more people having oral sex.
People who have herpes often report experiencing 4 or 5 different outbreaks a year, so make sure you have measures in place to keep these periods of time as comfortable as possible.
What are the symptoms of genital herpes?
When you experience herpes symptoms, the first episode is likely to be the worst. This may include:
- Fever or flu-like symptoms
After this initial outbreak, genital herpes symptoms are likely to become less severe as your body builds up more immunity to the herpes virus.
Valacyclovir Penciclovir And Famciclovir
Besides ACV, there are other alternatives to treat skin lesions caused by herpes simplex viruses, such as valacyclovir, penciclovir, and famciclovir, which are also considered first-line drugs to treat HSV-1 and HSV-2 and thus, are frequently used .
These drugs are nucleic acid analogs, similar to ACV with a shared mechanism of action that interferes with the function of the viral DNA polymerase . These compounds differ from each other mainly in their bioavailability, half-life in the body and dosing , yet similar to ACV they reduce herpetic lesions and associated pain in approximately 13 days, as compared to untreated groups when used topically .
To increase the bioavailability of acyclovir, an L-valine ester of acyclovir was developed. Valacyclovir is a prodrug of ACV with enhanced absorption at the intestinal level . Later, penciclovir was developed with the aim of being phosphorylated more rapidly than ACV, and consequently has a higher half-life than acyclovir . While acyclovir has a half-life of 0.7 h for HSV-1 and 1 h for HSV-2, penciclovir has a half-life of 10 h for HSV-1 and 20 h for HSV-2 . Famciclovir is a prodrug that derives into penciclovir and has increased oral bioavailability . Clinical benefits granted by these drugs have also generated discussions on the recommendation of their use to treat skin lesions caused by herpes simplex virus infections .
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Herpes Outbreaks: How Long Do They Last And How To Treat Them
Herpes is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the world. Many people have herpes and show no symptoms, which makes the disease very transmittable.
For many men and women, herpes outbreaks can be daunting, embarrassing, and even frustrating. These outbreaks lead to painful sores, embarrassing conversations, and trial and error treatment options.
To best understand how to manage herpes outbreaks, first, you need to be familiar with the STD itself.
What is Herpes?
Herpes is a viral infection that usually causes small, painful blisters on or around the genital or rectal areas. These sores or blisters are commonly referred to as herpes lesions. Herpes lesions can also appear on the mouth or face.
Herpes simplex virus is the most common form of the disease and is transmitted through direct contact with an infected area or through the sharing of contaminated personal items, such as razors, towels, and clothing.
What are the Symptoms of Herpes?
Not everyone with herpes has symptoms. When symptoms do appear, they usually appear within 2 to 12 days after exposure to the virus. Some people with herpes never have any symptoms.
Symptoms include:
Things that increase your risk of getting genital herpes include:
Having herpes, especially if you have open sores, also increases your risk for becoming infected with HIV if you are exposed to HIV.
How Herpes Outbreaks Occur
Once it enters a human cell, the HSV virus penetrates the cell’s nucleus and begins the process of replication. Even though cells may be infected, you probably will not experience any symptoms at this stage.
During the initial infection, the virus is transported through nerve cells to nerve-branching points, known as ganglia. There, the virus will stay in an inactive, dormant state, neither replicating nor presenting any signs that it’s even there.
On occasion, the dormant virus may suddenly reactivate, starting the replication process anew. When this happens, the virus will travel back through the nerve to the surface of the skin. With this, many of the infected skin cells are killed, causing blisters to form. The eruption of these blisters creates the characteristic ulcers that are recognized as cold sores or genital herpes.
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