Drug Name

Valtrex (Valacyclovir)

Drug Uses

Valtrex is used for treating shingles (herpes zoster), cold sores (fever blisters or herpes labialis), and treating or suppressing genital herpes in patients with normal immune systems. It is also used to suppress genital herpes in patients with HIV infection.

How Taken

Use Valtrex as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

Take Valtrex by mouth with or without food. If stomach upset occurs, take with food to reduce stomach irritation.

Drinking extra fluids while you are taking Valtrex is recommended. Check with your doctor for instructions.

To treat cold sores, shingles, or genital herpes, start treatment as soon as possible after your symptoms start.

If treating an acute outbreak, continue using Valtrex for the full course of treatment, even if you feel better in a few days.

For suppressive therapy, Valtrex works best if it is taken at the same time each day.

Drug Class and Mechanism

Valtrex is an antiviral. It works by stopping viral replication. However, Valtrex does not eliminate the virus, it is not a cure. When used as a suppressive therapy in patients with normal immune systems with genital herpes using safer sex practices, the risk of spreading the infections to others is reduced.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose of Valtrex, skip the missed dose. Go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Storage

Store Valtrex at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep Valtrex out of the reach of children and away from pets.

Warnings/Precautions

Do not use Valtrex if: you are allergic to any ingredient in Valtrex or to acyclovir.

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Important:

Valtrex may cause dizziness. These effects may be worse if you take it with alcohol or certain medicines. Use Valtrex with caution. Do not drive or perform other possibly unsafe tasks until you know how you react to it.

Safer sex practices can lower the chances of passing genital herpes to your partner. Do not have sexual contact with your partner when you have any symptoms or outbreak of genital herpes. Use a condom made of latex or polyurethane whenever you have sexual contact.

Use Valtrex with caution in the elderly; they may be more sensitive to its effects, especially kidney and nervous system problems.

Valtrex should not be used in children who have not reached puberty; safety and effectiveness in children have not been confirmed.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: If you think you may be pregnant, contact your doctor. You will need to discuss the benefits and risks of using Valtrex while you are pregnant. Valtrex is found in breast milk. If you are or will be breast-feeding while you use Valtrex, check with your doctor. Discuss any possible risks to your baby.

Possible Side Effects

Check with your doctor if any of these most common side effects persist or become bothersome:

• diarrhea;
• dizziness;
• headache;
• nausea;
• stomach pain;
• vomiting.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these severe side effects occur:

• severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue);
• aggressive behavior;
• bloody or dark urine;
• confusion;
• fever;
• hallucinations;
• pale skin;
• pinpoint bruises;
• seizures;
• shaky movements;
• speech problems;
• unsteady movement;
• weakness;
• yellowing of the skin or eyes.

More Information

If you have any questions about Valtrex, please talk with your doctor, pharmacist, or other health care provider.

Valtrex is to be used only by the patient for whom it is prescribed. Do not share it with other people.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is added to bones by cells called osteoblasts and is removed from bones by cells called osteoclasts. Calcium is essential for healthy bones. It is also important for muscle contraction, heart action, nervous system maintenance, and normal blood clotting. Food sources of calcium include dairy foods, some leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and collards, canned salmon, clams, oysters, calcium-fortified foods, and tofu. According to the National Academy of Sciences, adequate intake of calcium is 1,200 milligrams a day (four glasses of milk) for men and women 51 and older, 1,000 milligrams a day for adults 19 through 50, and 1,300 milligrams a day for children 9 through 18. The upper limit for calcium intake is 2.5 grams daily.

Cavities: Holes in the two outer layers of a tooth called the enamel and the dentin. The enamel is the outermost white hard surface and the dentin is the yellow layer just beneath enamel. Both layers serve to protect the inner living tooth tissue called the pulp, where blood vessels and nerves reside. Small cavities may not cause pain, and may be unnoticed by the patient. Larger cavities can collect food, and the inner pulp of the affected tooth can become irritated by bacterial toxins, foods that are cold, hot, sour, or sweet - causing toothache.

Naturopathy: A system of therapy based on preventative care, and on the use of heat, water, light, air, and massage as primary therapies for disease. Some naturopaths use no medications, either pharmaceutical or herbal. Some recommend herbal remedies only. A few who are licensed to prescribe may recommend pharmaceuticals in those cases where they feel their use is warranted.

Naturopathy is an American healthcare profession. It was founded in the US as a formal healthcare system at the turn of the 20th century by medical practitioners from various natural therapeutic disciplines. By the early 1900s, more than 20 naturopathic medical schools existed, and naturopathic physicians were licensed in most States. Today there are more than 1,000 licensed naturopathic doctors in the US.

As practiced today, naturopathic medicine integrates traditional natural therapeutics -- including botanical medicine, clinical nutrition, homeopathy, acupuncture, traditional oriental medicine, hydrotherapy, and naturopathic manipulative therapy -- with modern scientific medical diagnostic science and standards of care. The medical research base of naturopathic practice consists of empirical documentation of treatments using case history observations, medical records, and summaries of practitioners' clinical experiences.

At present, the two accredited naturopathic medical schools in the US have active research departments. Naturopathic researchers have investigated the pharmacology and physiological effects of nutritional and natural therapeutic agents, and naturopathic physicians have been active in the investigation of new homeopathic remedies and in the natural treatment of women's health problems. The most recently completed naturopathic study in women's health tested the clinical and endocrine effects of a botanical formula as an alternative to estrogen replacement therapy.

Blood: The familiar red fluid in the body that contains white and red blood cells, platelets, proteins, and other elements. The blood is transported throughout the body by the circulatory system. Blood functions in two directions: arterial and venous. Arterial blood is the means by which oxygen and nutrients are transported to tissues while venous blood is the means by which carbon dioxide and metabolic by-products are transported to the lungs and kidneys, respectively, for removal from the body.

Blood pressure: The blood pressure is the pressure of the blood within the arteries. It is produced primarily by the contraction of the heart muscle. It's measurement is recorded by two numbers. The first (systolic pressure) is measured after the heart contracts and is highest. The second (diastolic pressure) is measured before the heart contracts and lowest. A blood pressure cuff is used to measure the pressure. Elevation of blood pressure is called "hypertension".

Brain: That part of the central nervous system that is located within the cranium (skull). The brain functions as the primary receiver, organizer and distributor of information for the body. It has two (right and left) halves called "hemispheres."

Disease: Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the rubella (German measles) virus.

Doctor: In a medical context, any medical professional with an MD, a PhD, or any other doctoral degree. The term doctor is quite nonspecific. A doctor may, for example, be a physician, psychologist, biomedical scientist, dentist, or veterinarian. In a nonmedical context, a professor of history might be addressed as doctor, an eminent theologian might be named a doctor of a church, and a person awarded an honorary doctorate by a college or university might also be called a doctor.

The word "doctor" comes from the Latin "docere" meaning to teach. A doctor was a teacher, especially a learned or authoritative one.