Valclovir 1gm (Valacyclovir)

Valacyclovir is a prescription drug. It comes in the form of a tablet you take by mouth.

Valacyclovir is available as a brand-name drug called Valtrex. It’s also available as a generic drug. Generic drugs usually cost less than the brand-name version. In some cases, they may not be available in every strength or form as the brand-name drug.

This drug may be used as part of a combination therapy. This means you may need to take it with other medications.

Valacyclovir is used to treat viral infections caused by a group of viruses called herpes simplex viruses. These infections include oral and genital herpes, shingles, and chickenpox.

• Oral herpes causes cold sores. These are small, painful sores that you can get in or around your mouth. Cold sores can be spread by kissing or other physical contact with the infected area of the skin.
• Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted disease. This means it’s spread through sexual contact. Symptoms include small, painful blisters on the genital area. You can spread genital herpes to your sexual partner even when you don’t have any symptoms. This drug is used to treat or prevent flare-ups of genital herpes in people with normal immune systems, or in people with HIV.
• Shinglesis caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox (varicella zoster). Symptoms of shingles include small, painful blisters that appear on the skin. Shingles can occur in people who have already had chickenpox. It can also spread to people who have not had chickenpox before through contact with the infected skin.
• Chickenpoxcauses an itchy rash of small, red bumps that can look like pimples or insect bites. The rash can spread almost anywhere on the body. Chickenpox can also cause flu-like symptoms, such as fever or tiredness. This drug is used to treat chickenpox in children ages 2 to18 years who have a normal immune system.

Valacyclovir belongs to a class of drugs called antiviral drugs. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions.

The herpes virus spreads in your body by creating more of its cells. Valacyclovir works by making it harder for the herpes virus to multiply (make more cells) in your body.

This drug does not cure herpes infections. The herpes virus may still live in your body after treatment. This means the infection may occur again at a later time even after the symptoms of the first infection are gone. However, this drug can help prevent such a re-infection at a later time.

Valacyclovir oral tablet doesn’t cause drowsiness, but it can cause other side effects.

More common side effects

The more common side effects of valacyclovir can include:

• headache
• nausea
• vomiting
• dizziness
• pain in your stomach area

If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.