Acyclovir is an antiviral drug used in infections caused by certain types of viruses. This has already been approved by the US FDA for medical use as it helps relieve the pain and makes the infection clear up faster. This medicine comes as tablets to be taken by mouth.

Frequently Ask Questions About Acyclovir

What condition does Acyclovir treat?

Acyclovir is a medication used to treat infections caused by herpes viruses such as:

• Genital herpes
• Shingles
• Chickenpox

This medication helps slow the development of the virus in your body. Also, this helps lessen the number of future episodes in people with frequent outbreaks.

How does Acyclovir work?

Acyclovir is an antiviral medication that attacks herpes viruses that causes the infection. The herpes viruses include the virus that causes genital herpes, shingles, and chickenpox. This medication works by preventing these herpes viruses from infecting more cells. This controls the infection and helps the immune system to deal with it.

It may take up to two hours for this medicine to reach peak plasma concentrations after taking it. It may also take three days for the symptoms to lessen and relieve. However, this medicine must be taken until the full course is completed. Acyclovir works best when started taking within 48 hours as the symptoms appear. 

What is the dosage of Acyclovir?

Your dosage and how often you take Acyclovir will depend on:

• Your age and condition being treated
• How severe your condition is
• How you react to the first dose
• Other medical conditions you have

Acyclovir is available in the dosage forms of 200 mg, 400 mg, and 800 mg. It is important to take this exactly as it is given by your doctor. Do not take it more or less than the prescription.

• For genital herpes: The usual initial dosage is 200 mg taken five times a day, every four hours for ten days.
• For shingles: The typical dosage is 800 mg taken five times a day, every four hours for seven to ten days.
• For chickenpox: You can take 800 mg for five days, four times a day.

Start taking this medication as soon as the first symptom appears. Your doctor may start you on a lowered dose or a different medication schedule. This will help keep the level of the medicine from building up too much in your body. Acyclovir is used for short-term treatment and long-term treatment on recurring genital herpes. Carefully follow every dose that is given by your doctor.

What are the precautions in using Acyclovir?

• You need to stay well hydrated while taking this medicine. If you don’t drink enough water, the medicine might harm your kidneys.
• Your skin might be more sensitive to the sun which increases your risk of sunburn while taking Acyclovir. For this reason, you need to avoid the sun if you can and make sure to apply sunscreen and wear protective clothing.
• For your kidney function, your doctor may do blood tests to check how well your kidneys are. Your doctor may lower your dose if your kidney doesn’t work well.
• It is possible to have dangerous levels of this medicine in your body and you might experience more severe side effects. If you have any overdose symptoms, call for emergency help right away.
• If you missed your dose in a day, take it as you remember. However, if you remember it a few hours before your next dose, forget the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Never try catching up by taking two doses at once.
• The symptoms of your condition might get worse or might not get better if you suddenly stop this treatment. Continue taking Acyclovir until the full prescription is done.
• In people aged 65 years and older, this medication should be used carefully. The kidneys of these people may not work as well as they used to. This may cause their body to process the medicine more slowly which may stay in their body for a longer time. If this happens, an increased risk of side effects is possible.

Herpes infections can easily infect other people even while having this treatment. Therefore, avoid touching an infected area, your eyes, or allowing infected parts to come into contact with other