Sexual
Genital Herpes
Valacyclovir (Valtrex, Zelitrex) is an antiviral drug used to treat viral infections caused by herpes simplex virus (cold sores, genital herpes), herpes zoster (shingles) and varicella zoster (chickenpox).
Valacyclovir is commonly used to treat herpes outbreaks and minimize the occurrence of herpes in the future. There is no cure for infections caused by the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV 1) and type 2 (HSV 2), but symptoms can usually be managed with antiviral medications.
If you have herpes or chickenpox, it’s likely you may be prescribed valacyclovir or a similar antiviral drug. The dosage and length of your treatment will be dependent on the type of virus.
For genital herpes, adults are usually prescribed 1g of the medication twice a day for up to 10 days.
For cold sores, 2 doses of 2000mg administered 12 hours apart may be prescribed.
A prescription for 500 mg daily can be provided to suppress outbreaks.
To treat herpes zoster, adults are usually prescribed a dose of 1g 3 times a day for up to 7 days.
If you’re not sure how to take valacyclovir, consult the patient information leaflet or speak to a healthcare advisor.
TValacyclovir is an antiviral medication which works by preventing the herpes virus from multiplying and spreading. Once inside the cell, the medication’s active ingredient, acyclovir, stops replication of the virus. As a consequence, HSV does not spread to healthy cells.
Valacyclovir has been tested extensively in clinical trials and observational studies. Research has repeatedly shown that the drug is safe even when used long-term at doses of up to 1g per day.
While the drug reduces the severity of HSV-1 and HSV-2, and can reduce the rate of transmission, it does not cure herpes. It is used to help heal open sores faster and relieve associated symptoms such as aches and pains.
It’s important to understand that carriers of HSV are infectious at all times and even though valacyclovir can reduce viral shedding, patients must use a condom during sexual intercourse (HSV-2) and avoid kissing (HSV-1) if they have any open mouth sores.
How quickly you will notice a relief of your symptoms depends on the severity of your infection and the time at which you started your treatment.
In most cases, the drug will act rapidly and you should see a reduction in the severity of your herpes symptoms within 48 hours. It’s best to take valacyclovir at the first signs of an outbreak to make sure recovery is rapid.
When it comes to herpes, the first outbreak will often be the worst, which means it could take longer for valacyclovir to work. Subsequent outbreaks can be less severe and the medicine should work faster.
Once inside the human body, valacyclovir converts into its active ingredient acyclovir. Drugs that convert to an active metabolite are called prodrugs. They are often more bioavailable, which means that more of the drug is available to be used by the body for treatment.
Valacyclovir has a half-life of around 3 hours once converted to acyclovir. In other words, it takes 3 hours for a dose of 500mg to reduce to half of its value.
Common side effects of valacyclovir include:
If you notice any of the following symptoms seek emergency medical help as it could indicate an allergic reaction to acyclovir:
Valacyclovir is one of the most commonly used herpes treatments. If you have cold sores (HSV-1) or genital herpes (HSV-2), it’s likely your doctor will prescribe valacyclovir.
The drug is often sold as Valtrex or Zelitrex but many generic versions are available.
When dealing with herpes, it’s important to follow your doctor’s or healthcare provider’s advice.
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