As with any medication prescription or over the counter, there are different dosages for different people. Dosage may depend on age, risk factors and medical history. It is important to discuss medical history with your doctor before taking Valaciclovir.

Dosage depends on a few different factors including:

• Your age
• Your weight, for children
• The medical condition you are being treated for
• Any other types of medical conditions you may have
• Other medication currently being taken

Valaciclovir Adult dosage:

• Cold sores: The recommended dosage of valacyclovir for treatment of cold sores is 2 grams twice daily, taken 12 hours apart. Valacyclovir should be taken as soon as the first symptom is noticeable.
• Genital Herpes: initial episode: One gram twice daily for ten days. For best results take valacyclovir within 48 hours of the onset of signs and symptoms.
• Recurrent Episodes: For people that experience recurrent episodes of genital herpes, the recommended dosage of valacyclovir is 500 mg twice daily for three days. Take valacyclovir at first sign or symptom of an onset.
• Suppressive Therapy: For chronic suppressive therapy of recurrent genital herpes, the dosage recommendation is one gram once daily in patients with a normal immune function. In patients with a history of nine or fewer recurrences per year should take 500 mg once daily. For patients with HIV and a CD4+ cell count should take valacyclovir twice daily at 500 mg.
• Reduction of Transmission: For reduction of transmission of genital herpes in patients with a history of nine or fewer recurrences per year should take 500 mg once daily for the source partner.
• Herpes Zoster: The recommended dosage of valacyclovir for treatment of herpes zoster is 1 gram three times daily for seven days. Valacyclovir should be taken at the first sign of herpes zoster and is most effective when started within 48 hours of the onset of the rash.
• Shingles: The recommended dosage of valacyclovir is 1 gram taken three times daily for seven days.

Valacyclovir dosage for Children

• Cold Sores: The recommended dosage of valacyclovir for treatment of cold sores in pediatric patients 12 years of age is 2 grams twice daily for one day taken 12 hours apart.
• Chickenpox: For treatment of chickenpox in pediatric patients 2 to 18 years of age, the dosage recommendation is 20 mg taken three times daily for five days. Valacyclovir should be administered at the first signs of chickenpox.
  Other dosage information
• Valacyclovir should be taken at the first sign of an outbreak. It works best if taken as early as possible; the medication may not work if taken too late.
• Take valacyclovir at the same time every day.
• If you do not take the medication as scheduled, take your next dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule. Do not take a double dose.
• Valacyclovir can be taken with or without food. If stomach irritation occurs, try taking valacyclovir with food.
• For valacyclovir to work correctly, you must take it as prescribed. Valacyclovir will not work if you take if differently than how your doctor recommends.

Dosage varies from person to person and it is very important to discuss all medical history and medications you are taking before starting valacyclovir or any other type of drug.

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STD’s are among the most common diseases that exist today, there are many medicines available to help treat STD’s such as valacyclovir for herpes, but there is no cure for most of the STD’s that exist today.

Herpes simplex

Herpes simplex is a viral disease caused by herpes simplex viruses; there are two types of herpes viruses: herpes simplex virus 1 and herpes simplex virus 2. Both types of viruses cause herpes simplex. Infection with the herpes virus is categorized into one of various disorders based on the site of the infection such as oral herpes, genital herpes, herpetic whitlow, herpes gladiatorum, ocular herpes, cerebral herpes infection encephalitis, Mollaret’s meningitis, neonatal herpes and even Bell’s palsy are all caused by the herpes simplex viruses.

The most common herpes infection is oral herpes, or cold sores, it infects the face and mouth and has visible symptoms they are blisters on and around the mouth area. The other most common type of herpes is genital herpes; this infects the genitals and also has visible symptoms such as blisters on and around the genital area.

Herpes viruses

Herpes can be active and inactive, during active periods, a patient will have visible blisters on their mouth or genitals depending on which disease they have. During inactive periods, no blisters are visible and this is often called remission. During remission, it is still possible to transmit the disease to a sexual partner.
Herpes multiply by viral shedding; after the initial infection the viruses move to the sensory nerves where they will stay for the rest of the patient’s life, though herpes is asymptomatic, viral shedding can still occur.

How Herpes is transmitted

Herpes simplex is most easily transmitted by having direct contact with body fluid of an infected person, most likely during sexual intercourse. Transmission can also occur from skin to skin contact during periods of viral shedding. Valacylovir works to treat herpes by reducing the blisters on the skin, valacyclovir does not protect against the virus and it is recommended that people with herpes always use protection when participating in a sexual activity.

Children with Herpes

There are many different factors that can cause herpes infection in a child such as birth, if the mother is infected with the herpes virus she can pass it on to her child at birth.

There is no cure or vaccine for herpes available at this time. There is no way to eliminate the herpes virus, but there is treatment available to reduce viral reproduction and shedding, which will in turn prevent the virus from entering the skin, and also relieve symptoms such as blisters.

Valacyclovir Herpes treatment

Valacyclovir has been approved to treat shingles, chickenpox in children, cold sores, and genital herpes which are all caused by a virus. Once a person has been infected with the virus, it never goes away. It stays in the body and remains inactive in certain nerve cells in the body; it waits to become active again.
Valacylovir is an antiviral medication that helps the body fight the infection by preventing the virus from multiplying. When used to treat genital herpes, valacyclovir helps prevent breakouts from recurring and can also help prevent the spreading of the virus to other people.

Valacyclovir can produce great results in patients with genital herpes when prescribed by a doctor and used correctly.

Valacyclovir

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Valacyclovir is an antiviral drug used for the treatment and prevention of the herpes virus. It is a very popular drug and also goes by the name Valtrex. This pill is most commonly known to treat herpes but has a variety of other uses as well.

FDA approved uses of Valacyclovir

• Treating chicken pox in children
• Treating shingles in adults
• Treating cold sores in adults and children
• Treating genital herpes in adults
• Preventing recurrent genital herpes outbreaks in adults
• Decreasing the spread of herpes to sexual partners in adults.

NON FDA approved uses of Valaciclovir

• Bell’s palsy
• Cytomegalovirus
• Cytomegalovirus infection prophylaxis
• Epstein-Barr Virus infection prophylaxis
• Herpes simplex infection prophylaxis

Chicken Pox

Chicken pox is a very contagious illness that is caused by the varicella zoster virus. It begins with skin rashes usually on the body and head and not hands, they become itchy raw pockmarks with small open sores which usually heal without scarring.

Chicken pox is spread easily through direct contact with the secretions from the rash. Many people do not get chicken pox more than once in their lifetime.

Valacyclovir is an antiviral medication that helps the body fight the virus and prevents it from spreading. Valacyclovir was approved for the use in children suffering from chicken pox.

Shingles

Also know as herpes zoster (or just zoster), shingles is a viral disease that causes a painful skin rash to occur with blisters in a limited area on one side of the body, often in a stripe pattern. The same virus that causes chicken pox, varicella zoster virus, causes shingles. Once a person gets over chicken pox, it is not eliminated from the body completely and can go on and develop into shingles, usually many years after the initial infection.

Cold Sores

Cold sores or herpes simplex is also a viral disease that is caused by the herpes simplex viruses, both herpes simplex virus 1 and herpes simplex virus 2. This is the most common form of infection; causing blistering on the face and mouth.

Genital herpes

Genital herpes is transmitted through sexual intercourse and sometimes from skin to skin contact. Like oral herpes, large painful blisters appear but on the genitals. Women with genital herpes often experience symptoms such as painful urination and cercvitis.

In males the blisters usually form on the shaft of the penis but can also form on the buttocks, anus and the inner thigh. In females the blisters form on the labia, clitoris, vulva, pubis, and sometimes on the buttocks and anus.

Symptoms usually are pain, itching, and burning. Less frequent but still common symptoms include discharge from the penis or vagina, fever, headache, muscle pain, swollen and enlarged lymph nodes and malaise.
Valacyclovir can be helpful for patients with these viruses and can be prescribed by a doctor. Always tell your doctor of any medical problems you are experiencing and your medical history. There are certain risks and side effects associated with taking valacyclovir and it is important to discuss these with your health care provider.

Valacyclovir

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