Cold Sores

Valaciclovir

500mg Tablets

  • Antiviral medication 
  • Twice daily dose
  • Effective treatment
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£29.99

Valaciclovir Medical Information

Valaciclovir belongs to a group of medicines called antivirals. It works by killing or stopping the growth of viruses called herpes simplex (HSV), varicella zoster (VZV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV).

Valaciclovir can be used to:

• treat shingles (in adults)

• treat HSV infections of the skin and genital herpes. It is also used to help prevent these infections from returning.

• treat cold sores 

• prevent infection with CMV after organ transplants.

• treat and prevent HSV infections of the eye that continue to come back.

Treatment of cold sores

• The usual dose is 2000 mg (four 500 mg tablets) twice a day.

• The second dose should be taken 12 hours (no sooner than 6 hours) after the first dose

• You should take Valaciclovir for one day (two doses) only.

The recommended dosage for the prevention of cold sores infections - take one 500mg tablet once a day for 6-12 months

• Allergy to valaciclovir or aciclovir or any of the other ingredients of this medicine

• An extended rash associated with fever

• Enlarged lymph nodes

• Increased levels of liver enzymes and/or eosinophilia (drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms) after taking valaciclovir.

Skin rashes or redness

The adverse reaction of the skin may appear as rashes with or without blisters. Skin irritation, oedema (DRESS syndrome) and fever and flulike symptoms may occur.

Very Common (more than 1 in 10 people):

• headache Common (up to 1 in 10 people)

• feeling sick

• dizziness

• vomiting

• diarrhoea

• skin reaction after exposure to sunlight (photosensitivity).

• rash

• itching (pruritus)

Uncommon (up to 1 in 100 people)

• feeling confused

• seeing or hearing things that aren’t there (hallucinations)

• feeling very drowsy

• tremors

• feeling agitated

These nervous system side effects usually occur in people with kidney problems, the elderly or in organ transplant patients taking high doses of 8 grams or more of Valaciclovir a day. They usually get better when Valaciclovir is stopped or the dose reduced.

Uncommon side effects:

• shortness of breath (dyspnoea)

• stomach discomfort

• rash, sometimes itchy, hive-like rash (urticaria)

• low back pain (kidney pain)

• blood in urine (haematuria)

Uncommon side effects that may show up in blood tests:

• reduction in the number of white blood cells (leucopenia)

• reduction in the number of blood platelets which are cells that help blood to clot (thrombocytopenia)

• increase in substances produced by the liver.

Rare (up to 1 in 1,000 people)

• unsteadiness when walking and lack of coordination (ataxia)

• slow, slurred speech (dysarthria)

• fits (convulsions)

• altered brain function (encephalopathy)

• unconsciousness (coma)

• confused or disturbed thoughts (delirium)

These nervous system side effects usually occur in people with kidney problems, the elderly or in organ transplant patients taking high doses of 8 grams or more of Valaciclovir a day. They usually get better when Valaciclovir is stopped or the dose reduced.

Rare side effects:

• kidney problems where you pass little or no urine.

  • Aciclovir