Famvir (famciclovir)
Effective dosage:
500-1500 mg/day
Side effects:
- headache
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- gas
- stomach pain
- tiredness
- tingling of hands/feet
Drug Class: Herpes.
Famvir detailed information:
Famvir is an oral antiviral prescription medication used to treat certain viral infections caused by herpes viruses include genital herpes, cold sores, shingles, and chicken pox, symptoms of herpes zoster (also known as shingles), a herpes virus infection of the skin and suppress recurrent episodes of genital herpes infection of the mucous membranes (lips and mouth) and genitals in HIV-infected patients. Although famciclovir will not cure genital herpes or herpes zoster, it does help relieve the pain and discomfort and helps the sores heal faster. Famvir is the first and only herpes medicine proven to stop or shorten a recurrent genital herpes outbreak with just a single day of treatment.
Famvir slows the growth and spread of the herpes virus so that the body can fight off the infection. Famciclovir is not a cure for the infections, but treating an outbreak can speed up healing of the sores, decrease pain, and lower the risk of complications from the virus (e.g., whole body infection, brain infection, persistent pain after sore healing). Famciclovir is used in the treatment of some of the various forms of the herpes virus as well as the virus responsible for causing the symptoms of shingles.
Treatment with Famvir should be started as soon as possible after the first appearance of symptoms (such as tingling, burning, blisters). Take this medication by mouth with or without food, usually 2-3 times daily. Famvir is most effective if started within the first 48 hours after shingles first appears, treatment should be started at the first sign or symptom of genital herpes. Famvir treatment may not be effective if it is delayed more than 72 hours after the herpes zoster rash first appears or more than 6 hours after genital herpes becomes evident.
For further information about FAMVIR, consult with your doctor.
