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What is Valtrex? |
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Drug Uses
Valtrex is a medication for infections obtained through the contraction of the herpes virus. It is an antiviral medication which hampers the spread and development of the viral strain, in aid of your body’s capability to fend off the infection. Valtrex is unable to actually cure herpes, but it does have the ability to reduce the signs of an infection. The medication effectively deals with herpes infections, and the illnesses caused by such, including cold sores, shingles, and genital herpes.
How to Take Valtrex
Valtrex is an oral medication; as a treatment for shingles, it is normally taken with eight-hour intervals, for a treatment course of seven days. It is taken two times a day for a course duration of five days (as a treatment for genital herpes). The usual duration of treatment for cold sores is a single day’s doses, predetermined by a doctor. It is important that you take the medication immediately after the indications of a herpes infection appear. Make sure that you maintain the intake for the entire length of the medication period in order for the drug to treat the infection thoroughly.
Drug Precautions
If you have an immunity or renal condition which is undergoing treatment, your dose intake may be adjusted for your present condition, or you may be monitored while you are being treated for the infection. Take note that Valtrex does not prevent the transmission of genital herpes. The infections caused by herpes are very contagious, and there is a possibility that you can infect other people with the slightest contact from an affected area (even if you are taking the medication). Use a latex condom during sexual course if you are infected with genital herpes.
Drug Interactions
Valtrex can cause harm to your renal system, and the damage can be furthered if the drug is used in combination with other medications, including the following: lithium; drugs for pain management or arthritis, such as diclofenac, aspirin, naproxen, and acetaminophen; methotrexate; medications for ulcerative colitis, including mesalamine and sulfasalazine; an IV antibiotic like amphotericin B, streptomycin, capreomycin, and amikacin; and cancer medications like carmustine, oxaliplatin, aldesleukin, and tretinoin.
Side Effects
If you experience these severe symptoms following an intake of Valtrex, get medical attention immediately: jaundice; feebleness with increased bruising or bleeding; lower back pains; inflammation on parts of your body; vertigo; infrequent urination; convulsive seizure episodes; sleepiness; mood swings; and nausea with vomiting.
Missed Dose
Make up for a missed dose within the hour of intake; but if the next scheduled intake is almost up, forego the missed dose and take the next one, according to your prescribed dosing schedule.
Overdose
If you experience any of the abovementioned adverse effects in an unusual severity after a suspected overdose, call for medical help at once. Such symptoms can be life-threatening if they are not immediately dealt with the proper treatment.
Storage
Keep Valtrex within a tight-sealed bottle or container, within temperatures of 15 to 25C. Dispose of expired medication immediately.
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