How Fast Does Valacyclovir Work On Genital Herpes

Things To Know About Cold Sore

• Cold Sores can remain for 7 to 14 days when the virus is active
• The tingling, itchiness, and burning starts about 48 hours before the blister
• Blisters typically break out around the edge of the mouth, nose, chin, and cheeks
• Some people will have a headache or swollen glands before the outbreak
• Cold sores are extremely contagious, sosharing anything is not advised

There is no relation to having a cold sore and a viral flu-type infection. Some people will have outbreaks at this time because their immune system is already lowered. Drink plenty of water and rest if you have both infections at the same time.

What Other Information Should I Know

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order certain lab tests to check your response to acyclovir.

Do not let anyone else take or use your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should bring this list with you each time you visit a doctor or if you are admitted to a hospital. It is also important information to carry with you in case of emergencies.

How Valtrex Works On Cold Sores

It slows the growth of the Herpes Virus. Valtrex is an antiviral medication that can be taken before the blisters appear. If caught early enough, Valtrex will halt cold sores completely.

The main active ingredient is valacyclovir hydrochloride. This ingredient is also used with HIV patients to help prevent outbreaks of Herpes infections. For an already weakened immune system, Valtrex can slow down reoccurring viral outbreaks.

Valtrex does not cure herpes and may not work if you didnt catch it early enough. The objective is to stop the virus and return it to a dormant state. Take the medication as soon as you feel any burning, itching, and tingling sensations.

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Other Uses For This Medicine

Acyclovir is also sometimes used to treat eczema herpeticum to treat and prevent herpes infections of the skin, eyes, nose, and mouth in patients with human immunodeficiency virus , and to treat oral hairy leukoplakia .

This medication may be prescribed for other uses ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

For Children 11 Years And Younger

Valtrex is not recommended for treating cold sores in children of this age group. But it can be used to treat chickenpox in children ages 2 years and older.

• Take Valtrex at the first sign of a cold sore.
• You can take it with or without food.
• Dont take more than the prescribed number of caplets each day.
• If your child cant swallow caplets, ask your pharmacist to make the caplets into an oral suspension .
• Be sure to drink lots of water. Since your kidneys help remove the metabolized drug from your body, its important to stay hydrated to lower the risk of serious side effects, such as kidney damage.

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How Safe Is Acyclovir In Reducing The Symptoms Of Herpes

Acyclovir is pretty safe but there are always some chances of side-effects with the use of Acyclovir. The common side-effects that can effect anyone who does not have any other medical issues, takes no other medicines and lies between the age group of 18-60 are as follows

• Some common symptoms of discomfort such as vomiting, nausea, headache and diarrhea. Those who are taking Buccal tablets can also experience pain in mouth. In a very few cases, it may also affects kidney or lead to various bleeding disorders.
• It is strongly restricted for patients who are dehydrated, having kidney problems or taking certain medications.
• A patient is required to take Acyclovir five times a day.

Herpes Myths To Stop Freaking Out About

A surprising number of people you know probably have herpes.

Shocked? You shouldnt be, since the virus is very common. According to the World Health Organization, 3.7 billion people under age 50 have herpes simplex virus type 1 thats 67 percent of the global population in that age bracket. Another 417 million people between ages 15 and 49 worldwide have herpes simplex virus type 2 .

Many people consider HSV-1 more benign, but it turns out theres not much difference between the two types of virus. While its true that HSV-2 is a sexually transmitted disease and can cause genital sores or blisters, type 1 can do the same thing.

One big misconception is that cold sores are caused by HSV-1 and genital herpes are always type 2, but thats not always the case, says Sarah Vensel, a physician assistant in San Francisco. Cold sores are so common theyve been normalized at this point. But genital herpes is sometimes the exact same virus just in a different location.

Not only is herpes incredibly common its also totally manageable. Allow us to set your mind at ease and debunk three widespread herpes myths:

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Is There A Cure Or Treatment For Herpes

There is no cure for herpes. Antiviral medications can, however, prevent or shorten outbreaks during the period of time the person takes the medication. In addition, daily suppressive therapy for herpes can reduce the likelihood of transmission to partners.

Several clinical trials have tested vaccines against genital herpes infection, but there is currently no commercially available vaccine that is protective against genital herpes infection. One vaccine trial showed efficacy among women whose partners were HSV-2 infected, but only among women who were not infected with HSV-1. No efficacy was observed among men whose partners were HSV-2 infected. A subsequent trial testing the same vaccine showed some protection from genital HSV-1 infection, but no protection from HSV-2 infection.

Side Effects And Follow

Side effects with these herpes drugs are considered mild, and health experts believe these drugs are safe in the long term. Acyclovir is the oldest of the three, and its safety has been documented in people taking suppressive therapy for several years.

People taking suppressive therapy should see their doctor at least once a year to decide if they should continue. You may find taking the pills every day to be inconvenient, the drugs may not work for you, or you may naturally have fewer outbreaks as time goes on. Your doctor can help you make treatment choices to suit your needs.

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Can You Get A Herpes Outbreak Right After Another How Do You Know If Youre Having A Second Herpes Outbreak

People with symptomatic HSV-1 may experience several outbreaks per year. The herpes virus takes up permanent residence in the nerve roots and can never be totally eliminated. Some people will experience a second crop of lesions, bumps, and itchiness however, general feelings of being unwell are not usually present with recurring infections.

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What If I Forget A Dose Of Aciclovir

If you forget a dose of aciclovir, take it as soon as you remember, unless it’s nearly time for your next dose. In this case, just skip the missed dose and continue with your next one as normal.

Never have 2 doses at the same time. Never have an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one.

If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you.

You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to remember your medicines.

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Stage : Healthy Healing

As your scab starts to flake off, there may be some residual swelling in the area. The cold sore is completely healed when the scab and flakiness disappear, leaving healthy skin underneath. Cold sores typically dont leave scars.

If you frequently get cold sores, keep a symptom diary to help you spot the triggers avoiding or managing them can help prevent cold sores. Discover more ways to maintain your lip care routine.

Genital Herpes During Pregnancy

Prevention of neonatal herpes depends both on preventing acquisition of genital herpes during late pregnancy and avoiding exposure of the neonate to herpetic lesions and viral shedding during delivery. Mothers of newborns who acquire neonatal herpes often lack histories of clinically evident genital herpes . The risk for transmission to the neonate from an infected mother is high among women who acquire genital herpes near the time of delivery and low among women with prenatal histories of recurrent herpes or who acquire genital herpes during the first half of pregnancy . Women who acquire HSV in the second half of pregnancy should be managed in consultation with maternal-fetal medicine and infectious disease specialists.

All pregnant women should be asked whether they have a history of genital herpes or genital symptoms concerning for HSV infection. At the onset of labor, all women should be questioned thoroughly about symptoms of genital herpes, including prodromal symptoms , and all women should be examined thoroughly for herpetic lesions. Women without symptoms or signs of genital herpes or its prodrome can deliver vaginally. Although cesarean delivery does not eliminate the risk for HSV transmission to the neonate , women with recurrent genital herpetic lesions at the onset of labor should have a cesarean delivery to reduce the risk for neonatal HSV infection.

Acyclovir 400 mg orally 3 times/dayORValacyclovir 500 mg orally 2 times/day

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Does Valacyclovir Cause Hair Loss

In very rare cases people taking valacyclovir have experienced some hair thinning and hair loss. In clinical trials it happened so rarely it wasnt possible to estimate the percentage of people that will likely experience hair loss as a side effect. Talk to your doctor if youre concerned about valacyclovir and hair loss.

Does Valacyclovir Make You Gain Weight

Whilst valacyclovir can cause some side effects including headaches, abdominal pain and nausea, it isnt thought to cause weight gain. None of the studies or clinical trials of valacyclovir found weight gain as a side effect. There have been some anecdotal reports of valacyclovir causing weight gain but there are also anecdotal accounts of it causing weight loss. All of this is unverified and the weight changes could be coincidental. Talk to your doctor if youre concerned about any valacyclovir side effects.

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What Are The Known Valtrex Side Effects

Just like anything else, although rare, there are possible side effects when you use medication. If you have an itch on the body, a rash or increased heart rate, stop taking Valtrex. You may be having an allergic reaction to the medication, and your doctor should be informed about this right away.

Other Possible Adverse Reactions

• Nausea and headache, or itching
• Agitation or depression
• Blood in your stools or decreased urination
• Seizures or tremors
• Yellow skin in the eyes

If you are pregnant or have kidney problems, seek medical advice before taking Valtrex. Anyone who had a bone marrow transplant or HIV is more likely to notice some of the above symptoms.

To Use Buccal Acyclovir Follow These Steps:

If the delayed-release buccal tablet comes off within the first 6 hours of application, reapply the same tablet. If it still will not stick, then apply a new tablet. If you accidentally swallow the tablet within the first 6 hours of application, drink a glass of water and place a new tablet on your gum. If the tablet falls off or is swallowed 6 or more hours after application, do not apply a new tablet until your next regular time.

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Treatment Of Primary Infection

Antiviral therapy is recommended for an initial genital herpes outbreak, especially if the patient has systemic symptoms or is immunocompromised.2 Oral acyclovir is effective in reducing symptoms1 . Intravenous administration may be required in immunocompromised patients and those with severe disseminated infection.1 Topical acyclovir reduces the duration of viral shedding and the length of time before all lesions become crusted, but this treatment is much less effective than oral or intravenous acyclovir.1

Effect of Acyclovir Treatment on Primary Genital Herpes

*Dosage = 200 mg five times daily for 10 days, given within six days of lesion onset.

Information from Mertz GJ, Critchlow CW, Benedetti J, Reichman RC, Dolin R, Connor J. Double-blind placebo-controlled trial of oral acyclovir in first-episode genital herpes simplex virus infection. JAMA 1984 252:114751.

Effect of Acyclovir Treatment on Primary Genital Herpes

*Dosage = 200 mg five times daily for 10 days, given within six days of lesion onset.

Information from Mertz GJ, Critchlow CW, Benedetti J, Reichman RC, Dolin R, Connor J. Double-blind placebo-controlled trial of oral acyclovir in first-episode genital herpes simplex virus infection. JAMA 1984 252:114751.

Famciclovir is not FDA-labeled for this indication.

Warnings For Other Groups

For pregnant women: This drug is a category B pregnancy drug. That means two things:

Talk to your doctor if youre pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Animal studies do not always predict the way humans would respond. Therefore, this drug should only be used in pregnancy if clearly needed.

For women who are breastfeeding: This drug may pass into breast milk and may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed. Talk to your doctor if you breastfeed your child. You may need to decide whether to stop breastfeeding or stop taking this medication.

For seniors: The kidneys of older adults may not work as well as they used to. This can cause your body to process drugs more slowly. As a result, a higher amount of a drug stays in your body for a longer time. This raises your risk of side effects.

For children: This drug has not been studied for use in treatment or prevention of herpes simplex virus infection in newborn babies. The following are other age limitations for use of this drug:

All possible dosages and drug forms may not be included here. Your dosage, drug form, and how often you take the drug will depend on:

• your age
• the severity of your condition
• other medical conditions you have
• how you react to the first dose

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How Long It Takes To Clear Up Genital Herpes With Valtrex

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Prescriptions Used To Suppress Outbreaks

Suppressive therapy medications are available to prevent future herpes outbreaks and reduce the likelihood of giving herpes to your partners. For example, suppressive medication like aciclovir can be taken twice a day for six to 12 months to reduce herpes outbreaks.

The choice to use suppressive therapy prescriptions must be discussed with your doctor. Every medication causes its own side effects and symptoms to consider.

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Can Genital Herpes Cause Other Problems

For most women, genital herpes does not usually cause serious health problems.

Women with HIV can have severe herpes outbreaks that are long-lasting. Herpes also may play a role in the spread of HIV. Herpes sores can make it easier for HIV to get into your body. Also, herpes can make people who are HIV-positive more likely to spread the infection to someone else.

What Happens At A Sexual Health Clinic

The doctor or nurse at the sexual health clinic will:

• ask about your symptoms and your sexual partners
• use a small cotton bud to take some fluid from 1 of your blisters or sores for testing

The test cannot:

• be done if you do not have visible blisters or sores
• tell you how long you have had herpes or who you got it from

Symptoms might not appear for weeks or even years after youâre infected with the herpes virus.

If you have genital herpes, your previous sexual partners should get tested.

The doctor or nurse at the clinic can discuss this with you and help you tell your partners without letting them know itâs you who has the virus.

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Is Valtrex Bad For Kidneys

Valtrex can be harmful to the kidneys, and these effects are increased when it is used together with other medicines that can harm the kidneys. Tell your doctor about all other medications you are using. You may need dose adjustments or special tests when taking certain medications together with Valtrex.