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ACYCLOVIR
ACYCLOVIR ONLINE
Before Using This Medicine
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine
must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision
you and your doctor will make. For acyclovir, the following should
be considered:
Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever
had any unusual or allergic reaction to acyclovir or valacyclovir.
Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any
other substances, such as foods, sulfites or other preservatives,
or dyes.
Pregnancy—Acyclovir has been used in
pregnant women and has not been reported to cause birth defects or
other problems. However, studies have not been done in humans.
Studies in rats and rabbits have shown that acyclovir given by
injection may keep the fetus from becoming attached to the lining
of the uterus (womb). However, acyclovir has not been shown to
cause birth defects or other problems in mice given many times the
usual human dose, or in rats or rabbits given several times the
usual human dose.
Breast-feeding—Acyclovir passes into breast
milk. However, it has not been reported to cause problems in
nursing babies.
Children—A limited number of studies have
been done using oral acyclovir in children, and it has not caused
different effects or problems in children than it does in adults.
Older adults— Agitation, confusion,
dizziness, and drowsiness may be especially likely to occur in
elderly patients who are usually more sensitive than younger
adults to the central nervous system effects of acyclovir.
Other medicines—Although certain medicines
should not be used together at all, in many cases two different
medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur.
In these cases, changes in dose or other precautions may be
necessary. If you are taking acyclovir it is especially important
that your health care professional know if you are taking any of
the following:
 | Carmustine (e.g., BiCNU) or
| Cisplatin (e.g., Platinol) or
| Combination pain medicine containing acetaminophen and
aspirin (e.g., Excedrin) or other salicylates or
| Cyclosporine (e.g., Sandimmune) or
| Deferoxamine (e.g., Desferal) (with long-term use) or
| Gold salts (medicine for arthritis) or
| Inflammation or pain medicine, except narcotics, or
| Lithium (e.g., Lithane) or
| Methotrexate (Mexate) or
| Other medicine for infection or
| Penicillamine (e.g., Cuprimine) or
| Plicamycin (e.g., Mithracin) or
| Streptozocin (e.g., Zanosar) or
| Tiopronin (Thiola)—Concurrent use of these medicines with
acyclovir may increase the chance for side effects, especially
when kidney disease is present |
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Proper Use of This Medicine
Patient information about the treatment of herpes, chickenpox,
or shingles is available with this medicine. Read it carefully
before using this medicine.
Acyclovir is best used as soon as possible after the
symptoms of herpes infection or shingles (for example, pain,
burning, blisters) begin to appear.
If you are taking acyclovir for the treatment of chickenpox
, it is best to start taking acyclovir as soon as
possible after the first sign of the chickenpox rash, usually
within one day.
Acyclovir capsules, tablets, and oral suspension may be taken
with meals or on an empty stomach.
Acyclovir is best taken with a full glass (8 ounces) of water.
If you are using acyclovir oral suspension, use a
specially marked measuring spoon or other device to measure each
dose accurately. The average household teaspoon may not hold the
right amount of liquid.
To help clear up your herpes infection, chickenpox, or
shingles, keep taking acyclovir for the full time of treatment,
even if your symptoms begin to clear up after a few days. Do
not miss any doses. However, do not use this medicine
more often or for a longer time than your doctor ordered.
Dosing—
The dose of acyclovir will be different for different patients.
Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label.
The following information includes only the average doses of
acyclovir. Your dose may be different if you have kidney disease. If
your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor
tells you to do so.
The number of capsules or tablets or teaspoonfuls of suspension
that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the
number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses,
and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical
problem for which you are taking acyclovir.
| For oral dosage forms (capsules, oral suspension, or
tablets):
| For treatment of genital herpes:
| Adults and children 12 years of age and older—200
milligrams (mg) five times a day for ten days.
| Children up to 12 years of age—Use and dose must
be determined by the doctor. |
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| For prevention of recurrent outbreaks of genital herpes
infections:
| Adults and children 12 years of age and older—200
to 400 mg two to five times a day for five days or up
to twelve months, depending on how often your
outbreaks of infection occur.
| Children up to 12 years of age—Use and dose must
be determined by the doctor. |
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| For treatment of chickenpox:
| Adults and children who weigh over 88 pounds (40
kilograms)—800 mg four times a day for five days.
| Children 2 years of age and older and weighing 88
pounds (40 kilograms) or less—Dose is based on body
weight and must be determined by the doctor. The usual
dose is 20 mg per kilogram (kg) of body weight, up to
800 mg, four times a day for five days.
| Children up to 2 years of age—Use and dose must be
determined by the doctor. |
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| For treatment of shingles:
| Adults and children 12 years of age and older—800
mg five times a day for seven to ten days.
| Children up to 12 years of age—Use and dose must
be determined by the doctor. |
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| For injection dosage form:
| For treatment of herpes of the brain, genitals, or
mucous membranes, or for the treatment of shingles:
| Adults and children 12 years of age and older—Dose
is based on body weight and must be determined by the
doctor. The usual dose is 5 to 10 mg of acyclovir per
kg (2.3 to 4.5 mg per pound) of body weight, injected
slowly into a vein over at least a one-hour period,
and repeated every eight hours for five to ten days.
| Children up to 12 years of age—Dose is based on
body weight and must be determined by the doctor. The
usual dose is 10 mg to 20 mg of acyclovir per kg (4.5
mg to 9.1 mg per pound) of body weight, injected
slowly into a vein over at least a one-hour period and
repeated every eight hours for seven to ten days. |
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| For treatment of widespread herpes virus infection in
newborns:
| Infants from birth to 3 months of age—Dose is
based on body weight and must be determined by the
doctor. The usual dose is 10 mg of acyclovir per kg
(4.5 mg per pound) of body weight, injected slowly
into a vein over at least a one-hour period and
repeated every eight hours for ten days. |
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Missed dose—
If you do miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as
possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip
the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do
not double doses.
Storage—
To store this medicine:
| Keep out of the reach of children.
| Store away from heat and direct light.
| Do not store the capsule or tablet form of this medicine in
the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places.
Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
| Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.
Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of
children. |
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Precautions While Using This Medicine
If your symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they
become worse, check with your doctor.
The areas affected by herpes, chickenpox, or shingles should be
kept as clean and dry as possible. Also, wear loose-fitting
clothing to avoid irritating the sores (blisters).
It is important to remember that acyclovir will not keep
you from spreading herpes to others.
Herpes infection of the genitals can be caught from or spread
to your partner during any sexual activity. Even though you may
get herpes if your partner has no symptoms, the infection is more
likely to be spread if sores are present. This is true until the
sores are completely healed and the scabs have fallen off. Therefore,
it is best to avoid any sexual activity if either you or your
sexual partner has any symptoms of herpes. The use of a latex
condom (“rubber”') may help prevent the spread of herpes.
However, spermicidal (sperm-killing) jelly or a diaphragm will
probably not help.
Side Effects of This Medicine
Side Effects of This Medicine
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some
unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may
occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the
following side effects occur:
More common--For acyclovir injection only
| Pain, swelling, or redness at place of injection |
| Less common
| Abdominal or stomach pain; decreased frequency of
urination or amount of urine; increased thirst;
loss of appetite; nausea or vomiting; unusual
tiredness or weakness |
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| Rare
| Black, tarry stools; blood in urine or stools;
chills, fever, or sore throat; confusion;
convulsions (seizures); hallucinations (seeing,
hearing, or feeling things that are not there);
hives; pinpoint red spots on skin; trembling;
unusual bleeding or bruising |
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| Frequency not determined
| Bleeding or oozing from puncture sites or mucous
membranes (bowel, mouth, nose, or urinary bladder),
continuing; blistering, peeling, or loosening of
skin; bluish coloring, especially of the hands and
feet; blurred vision; bruising at the place of
injection; changes in facial skin color;
changes in vision; clumsiness; coughing;
decreased consciousness; difficulty in breathing or
swallowing; dizziness or feeling faint, severe ;
fast heartbeat; irritability ; itching or skin
rash; large hive-like swelling on face, eyelids,
lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, sex organs;
mood or mental changes; muscle cramps, pain, or
weakness; pale skin; red or irritated eyes;
sense of agitation or uneasiness; shakiness and
unsteady walk; sores, ulcers, or white spots in
mouth or on lips; swelling of eyelids, face, feet,
hands, lower legs or lips; swollen, painful, or
tender lymph nodes (glands) in neck, armpit, or groin;
unsteadiness or other problems with muscle control or
coordination; yellow eyes or skin |
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Other side effects may occur that usually do not need medical
attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your
body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if
any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:
| More common-- Especially seen with high doses
| General feeling of discomfort or illness |
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Less common-- Especially seen with long-term use or high doses
| Diarrhea; headache |
| Frequency not determined
| Burning, prickling, or tingling sensations;
drowsiness; loss of hair |
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Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some
patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.
Additional Information
Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain
use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical
problems. Although not specifically included in product labeling,
acyclovir by injection is used in certain patients with the
following medical conditions:
| Herpes simplex (for prevention of repeated infections) in
people with a weak immune system
| Herpes zoster infections of the eye
| Shingles (for prevention of repeated infections) in people
with a weak immune system |
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Other than the above information, there is no additional
information relating to proper use, precautions, or side effects
for these uses.
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