Uses

Valacyclovir is used to treat viral infection affecting the skin. It is found to be effective against:

1. Shingles (herpes zoster)

2. Cold sores

Valacyclovir treats these ailments by hindering the virus from multiplying i.e reproducing so that they don’t affect the nearby healthy cells. Valacyclovir is a famous antiviral because of its ability to treat and heal shingles, cold sores, or genital herpes quickly. It helps and relieve any pain or discomfort caused by these. It also reduces the chances of transmitting these viruses and infecting others with this disease.

Cold Sores

Cold sores are group of small blisters on the lip and around the mouth. Valacyclovir is an FDA approved drug for treating cold sores. Its most effective when taken at the initial signs of the cold sore symptoms. A twice a day dosage of Valtrex can shorten the duration of infection.

Shingles

Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral condition which can cause an unpleasant skin rash through lesions upon only one side of your body. Its symptoms include burning or shooting pain and tingling or itching. Valacyclovir is used to treat localized shingles in both adults and adolescents. Valacyclovir can help the shingles rash to heal more quickly.

It should be noted that Valacyclovir does not cure shingles or cold sores, it only treats them and is affective for reducing the duration and severity of these infections.

Side Effects

Common side effects of Valacyclovir include headache, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Infrequent side effects include sore throat, constipation, abdominal pain, agitation, vertigo, confusion, dizziness, rash and weakness. Rarer side effects of the drug are recorded to be coma, seizures, crystalluria, tremor, psychotic symptoms, fatigue and anaphylaxis.

Tabs

Always take Valacyclovir Tablet as directed by your doctor. The dosages can be of both of 500mg or 1000mg

500mg

 500mg is generally ingested for the management of HSV attacks on the skin as well as genital herpes. The usual dose is 500mg twice a day.

1000mg

The usual dosage for the treatment of shingles is 1000mg tablet three times a day. This is continued for seven days.

The dosages can vary from person to person hence a doctor should be consulted first and treatment should only be started as per his directions.

Reviews

Drugs.com

Drugs.com has given Valacyclovir 9.4/10 average rating for the treatment of Cold sores. The reviewers are pretty satisfied with the product claiming it to be a miracle product which treated their cold sores over night. Some ever go as far as to say that it has cured them and they don’t suffer from the disease anymore although there’s no scientific evidence to it as Valacyclovir is classified as a treatment for the cold sores and herpes, not a cure.

For treatment of shingles drugs.com has an average 7.4/10 rating for this drug. It is observed that the treatment is more effective when taken on the first sign of ailment. Users deem it a life saver and say that it treated their recurring shingles problem. Valtrex reduced the pain, inflammation and duration of the outbreak for many users.

Webmd

The user reviews and rating for Valacyclovir drug are high and satisfying in webmd as well. The users say that they see improvement in their condition every day.