valacyclovir

Cold Sore Kit

Valacyclovir treats conditions such as herpes virus infections, these include herpes labialis (a.k.a. cold sores), herpes zoster (a.k.a. shingles), and herpes simplex (a.k.a. genital herpes) in adults. The same treatment is also used for treating chickenpox and cold sores in children. Within the body, valacyclovir becomes the anti-herpes medicine, acyclovir. Valacyclovir can relieve pain and discomfort as well as help sores to heal faster. You may only get access to use Valacyclovir with a doctor's prescription.

Proper Use

Valacyclovir works best if used within 48hours after the onset of initial symptoms which may include burning, pain, or blisters start appearing. You may take Valacyclovir with meals or on empty stomach. You should drink more fluids to pass more urine while using this medicine. This can help keep your kidneys functioning properly and prevent development of kidney problems. Take valacyclovir for the whole duration of your treatment in order to help clear up your infection, even if symptoms begin to clear up only after a few days. Do not miss any doses. Just follow what is prescribed and make sure to not use this medicine more often than recommended, or for a much longer period of time than what the doctor ordered.

Dosing

Always follow your doctor’s orders and read the directions on the label. This information only includes the average doses of this medicine. Your dose could be different. Do not change it unless your doctor would order you to do so. The amount of medicine you take would depend on the medicine’s strength. The number of doses you are ordered to take each day, time allowed in between doses, and the length of time you will be taking the medicine depends on the unique medical condition that you are addressing.

Oral Dosage Form (tablets)

Children < 12 years old —Usage and dosage to be determined by the doctor.

Adults—2000 milligrams (mg) every 12 hours for 1 day.

Treatment of Cold Sores

Missed Dose

Should you miss a dose of your medicine, you must take it as soon as possible. But, if it is almost time for your next dose, just skip the dose you missed and return to your regular dosing schedule. Avoid taking double doses.

Use & Storage

Store the medicine within a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, or direct light. Keep it from freezing. Keep out of reach of children. Be sure not to keep outdated medicine or any medicine that’s no longer needed. Ask your healthcare provider how to dispose of medicine that you no longer use.

Before Using

Before taking any medication, potential risks of taking the medicine is weighed against any benefit it will bring. This decision is made by your doctor. For this treatment, the following must be considered:

Allergies

Inform your doctor in case you have any unusual or allergic reaction to this treatment or other medicines. And if you have any other types of allergies, such as foods, preservatives, dyes, or animals. For non-prescription products, always read the label and package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

There are no studies demonstrating the effects of valacyclovir among children with cold sores who are < 12 years old, and children with chickenpox who are < 2 years old. Therefore, safety and efficacy of this medicine for use by children have not been established.

Geriatric

Any studies conducted have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems to limit the usage of valacyclovir to the elderly. However, since older adults are more likely to have age-related kidney conditions, adjusting the dose for older patients receiving valacyclovir may be required.

Trimesters
Animal studies have revealed no evidence of harm to the fetus, however, there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR animal studies have shown an adverse effect, but adequate studies in pregnant women have failed to demonstrate a risk to the fetus.

Drug Interactions

There are certain medicines that should not be mixed up and used together as these could cause a dangerous interaction. Inform your doctor if you’re currently taking any of these medications, so they could either change the dose or inform you of any precautions. When taking this medicine, let your healthcare provider know just in case you are taking any of the items listed below. The list is not all-inclusive and have only been selected based on their potential significance: In cases where both medicines are prescribed to you, your doctor could change the dose or frequency of use of the treatment:
The use of this medicine together with any of the following medicines listed below could cause an increased risk of side effects, but the use of both drugs (in some cases) could be the best treatment. In cases where both medicines are prescribed to you, your doctor could change the dose or frequency of use of the treatment:

Breastfeeding

Studies among women showed that the use of this medication could pose minimal risk to the infant if it is used during breastfeeding.

Precautions

If your symptoms persist within a few days, and if they worsen, you must immediately check with your doctor. Do note that taking this medicine will not prevent you from spreading herpes to others.

Other Interactions

There are medicines that must not be used around meal times or when eating certain kinds of food as dangerous interactions could potentially occur. Discuss with your healthcare provider any potential interactions of this medicine with your food, alcohol or use of tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

If you have other medical conditions, it may affect your use of this medication. Always inform your doctor if you have any other health-related issues, especially concerns with:
  1. HIV viral infection
  2. Bone marrow transplant
  3. Kidney transplant —for patients with these medical conditions, they could experience an increased risk of severe side effects
  4. Kidney disease—it may aggravate the effects due to slower removal of the medicine from the body