The most common acyclovir side effects include mild muscle aches and pains, flushing, upset stomach, upset of kidney or stomach symptoms, and headache. Less common side effects of acyclovir are muscle pain and tenderness, back pain, nausea, rash, joint pain, and weakness. Serious side effects of acyclovir that are not listed above may occur at any time. If you develop serious side effects not listed above, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Serious side effects not listed above may occur if you take, or have taken, acyclovir, with other drugs that cause cyclosporine-induced muscle toxicity. See the for a full list of side effects listed above. Serious side effects not listed above may occur if you take acyclovir or another cyclosporine-related drug with acyclovir and other drugs that cause cyclosporine-related cyclosporine-induced muscle toxicity. If you have liver problems, kidney problems, or problems with the heart, you may have an enzyme problem, which can cause an abnormal increase in the amount of cyclosporine in your blood. This enzyme problem may cause your liver problems. If you develop signs and symptoms of liver problems that are similar to those of kidney problems, such as kidney pain, itchy skin, dark urine, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, dark urine, loss of appetite, and jaundice, you may get these symptoms. See also Warning section.
Aciclovir Side EffectsRead the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start using acyclovir and each time you get a refill. Use this medicine to treat a serious infection. Taking more than the recommended dose can cause the infection to be life-threatening. If you have any symptoms of an infection, such as fever, chills, trouble breathing, or swollen lymph nodes, you should avoid using acyclovir.
Take acyclovir by mouth with or without food. It is usually taken twice daily. Do not take more than the recommended dose to treat a viral infection.
If you are taking acyclovir, shake the bottle well before each dose. If you have problems swallowing or if you have difficulty opening a blister, you should take 1 dose on top of this one. If you are at risk for liver problems, you should use at least 2 doses at the same time. Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose. Do not take 2 doses at once.
Acyclovir may make you feel dizzy or sleepy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how you react to this medicine. Do not stand up or walk for more than 2 hours after taking this medicine. This medicine can make you more likely to pass out if you take this medicine before you feel better.
If you have side effects that are not listed above may happen, get medical help right away. You may need to stop taking this medicine. See your doctor if you have any more questions. You may need urgent medical treatment or surgery. You should not stop taking this medicine without talking to your doctor.
See your doctor if you have more questions.
Using acyclovirVacation is an effective treatment for recurrent herpes labial herpes infections (shingles), but there are some serious side effects that people should be aware of, like skin photosensitivity, and can be very dangerous for your health.
Vacation can cause side effects including:
This is a rare side effect, but people who have been taking aciclovir for five years or more should seek medical attention right away. There are no studies that show these side effects. The most common side effect is a skin reaction with a blue color to the skin or sun sensitivity. These reactions can be mild and may be temporary. However, if you experience a painful or swollen skin, call your doctor immediately.
If you experience any of the following, you should stop taking aciclovir and call your doctor right away:
Aciclovir is taken once a day at the same time each day.
The recommended dose is 800 mg, taken once a day. It’s not usually necessary to take this medicine more than once a week.
It can be taken with or without food, but some people find they need to take it with a high-fat meal.
For the best experience, always ask your doctor about the dosage you are taking. It is important to be informed about the side effects, and the medications you are taking.
Aciclovir is not a prescription medication and can be bought over the counter or without a prescription. You should not take aciclovir if you have kidney disease, high blood pressure, anuria, or an infection. You should also be told about any other medications you are taking, including antibiotics and antacids.
If you are under 18 years old and take aciclovir, your healthcare provider will ask you to stop taking it. This can be done if you have kidney disease, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, high cholesterol, or if you are taking certain medications.
If you miss a dose of aciclovir, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule.
However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double up on doses to make up for a missed one.
If you think you have been taking too much aciclovir, you may be given a drug overdose. The overdose can be fatal if it causes severe symptoms, like breathing problems, collapse, or coma.
If you are over 65 years old, and you take too much aciclovir, call your doctor or get emergency medical help right away. Your doctor may call you to get help right away if you have serious side effects, such as blood clots, kidney problems, liver problems, heart failure, or high blood pressure.
If you think you may have an overdose, call the poison control center or call emergency services right away.
VIDEOYou can call the poison control center or get emergency medical help right away.
Zovirax is a prescription medicine that belongs to a class of drugs called antivirals. Zovirax contains aciclovir as its active ingredient and has potent antiviral activity. This medication is mainly used for the treatment of viral infections like genital herpes, cold sores, and chickenpox.
If you are diagnosed with the herpes virus, start the therapy as soon as possible or at the first sign of an outbreak. Your doctor may prescribe you Zovirax tablets depending on your age and medical condition. The tablets are taken orally with or without food.
Take the medication at the same times every day for maximum benefit. Do not skip any dose, or stop this medication early without consulting your doctor. Always drink enough water while taking Zovirax to prevent the chances of dehydration and kidney damage.
Patients may experience some common side effects after taking Zovirax, including:
Contact your doctor immediately if you notice any serious side effects, including:
Product name:Aciclovir 400mg
Company name:
DIN:02243327
Status:Marketed
Status date:2012-02-16
Active ingredient(s) | Strength |
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Aciclovir | 400mg |
Other generic | aciclovir |
Click on a resource to visit a page with more information. You may be taken away from this page to a different Government of Canada website.
For consumersResource | Description |
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The Product Monograph is a scientific document that describes the properties, claims, indications and conditions of use of the product and contains any other information that may be required for optimal, safe and effective use. The Product Monograph includes three sections:
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Side effects are troublesome symptoms or feelings that you may not expect that show up when you are taking a medicine. All suspected side effects should be reported, especially those that are:
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Section C.01.020.1 of the Food and Drug Regulations and section 62 of the Medical Devices Regulations, require hospitals to report to Health Canada all serious adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and medical device incidents (MDIs) within 30 days of being documented within the hospital. This regulatory requirement only applies to hospitals. |
After Health Canada completes the regulatory review process for a product, the clinical information included in a submission is made publicly available for non-commercial purposes. |
If you havesix or more recurrent outbreaksof genital herpesa yearor if yoursymptoms are very severeand causing youdistress, you can take aciclovir every day on a long-term basis. This issuppressive treatmentand it aims to stop outbreaks happening at all.
How often do I take suppressive treatment? You take one aciclovir 400mg tablet twice a day.
Thetreatment is continued for six to 12 months. Then you have a break from medication to re-assess recurrence frequency. Suppressive treatment may be restarted if you have further severe outbreaks. Suppressive treatment can reduce the risk of passing HSV on to your partner but it cannot prevent it altogether and so you should always wear a female or male condom during any sexual activity. If you are experiencing recurrent outbreaks of genital herpes you should also consider being tested for HIV as it may be a sign of a weakened immune system due to HIV.Caution: It’s important to maintain adequate hydration while taking either of the treatments for genital herpes.
Add 1 tablet of aciclovir 400mg IV to aourses for one hour. Continue with aciclovir 400mg IV untilosoane 400mg IV. Increase the duration of the treatment from six to 12 months. If necessary, you can increase the treatment to six months. If you are experiencing severe symptoms you should seek medical attention right away. This is called suppressive treatment and it helps reduce the risk of passing HSV on to your partner. You can take one aciclovir 400mg tablet twice a day for six to 12 months.