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What side effects may occur?
Side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. Only your doctor can determine if it is safe for you to continue using Valtrex.
Side effects may include:
- Abdominal pain, aggressive behavior, agitation, allergic reactions, coma, confusion, decreased consciousness, depression, diarrhea, dizziness, facial swelling, ha
llucinations, headache, hepatitis, high blood pressure, joint pain, mania, menstrual problems, nausea, rapid heartbeat, rash, visual abnormalities, vomiting
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Drug Interactions
If you are taking Valtrex with certain other drugs, the effect of either drug could be increased, decreased, or altered. Check with your doctor before combining Valtrex with cimetidine (Tagamet) and/o
r probenecid (Benemid).
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What special precautions should I follow?
Children¡XStudies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients. There is no specific information comparing use of Valtrex in children with use in other age groups.
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How to Use
Valtrex comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken every 8 hours (three times a day) for 7 days to treat shingles. To treat genital herpes it is usually taken twice a day for 5 days. Foll
ow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Valtrex exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or
take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Use this medication as soon as possible after symptoms appear.
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What special precautions should I follow?
High doses of Valtrex have proved dangerous in people whose immune system is compromised because of HIV infection, bone marrow transplant, or kidney transplant.
If your kidneys are not funct
ioning properly, or you are taking drugs that may damage the kidneys such as Neomycin or Streptomycin, Valtrex can make your condition worse or affect your central nervous system (brain and spinal cor
d).
Effects on the central nervous system are more common in older adults, leading to such symptoms as agitation, confusion, and hallucinations. Their kidneys are also more likely to be affe
cted; and those with kidney problems need a smaller dose. Older adults tend to suffer the pain of shingles for a longer time after healing has begun.
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Overdose
Check with your doctor immediately in case you suspect an overdose. When taken by people with kidney disorders, excessive doses of Valtrex have been known to cause psychological problems and kidney fa
ilure.
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