Acyclovir is a powerful antiviral medication prescribed to treat infections caused by the varicella and herpes simplex viruses. It won’t cure these infections but will help to minimize their symptoms and shorten their duration.
You may have heard of Zovirax, which is a brand-name prescription medication that treats certain viral infections. Acyclovir is simply the generic name for Zovirax. It is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat infections caused by the varicella virus as well as the herpes simplex 1 and herpes simplex 2 viruses.
Though acyclovir doesn’t eradicate the virus the way, say, an antibiotic would eradicate a bacterial infection, it does prevent viruses from dividing and spreading. Therefore, it can make a viral outbreak less severe than it might otherwise be. Acyclovir has a long track record, having been used since the 1980s. It is considered a “first line” treatment for herpes infections.
The drug works best when a person starts taking it as soon as possible after signs of an impending outbreak are evident. Many people with recurring outbreaks of herpes often experience symptoms before seeing skin eruptions, symptoms like skin tingling or sensitivity. The sooner that acyclovir is started during an outbreak, the better it can work.
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about acyclovir.
Q: Can I take acyclovir if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?
A: Animal studies of acyclovir and pregnancy have found no link between physical birth defects and even large doses of acyclovir. Observational studies in women have found no higher risk of physical birth defects in women who took acyclovir during the first trimester of pregnancy. That said, it’s important for your doctor to know you’re pregnant before prescribing you acyclovir (or anything else).
If you are breastfeeding, you should be aware that acyclovir may pass into the breast milk. Whether this is harmful to babies has not been studied systematically. Therefore, you should be certain to inform your doctor if you are breastfeeding so he or she can weigh the risks and benefits in your particular situation.
Q: What are the most common side effects of acyclovir?
A: Digestive upset, including vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea, are the most common side effects of acyclovir taken for herpes. Higher doses of acyclovir, or acyclovir taken for a longer time period than is usual for herpes outbreaks, can cause other side effects, like tiredness. Some of the other side effects that have been reported with acyclovir include muscle aches, achy joints, fluid retention, confusion, or changes in behavior, and you should notify your doctor if you experience these.
Serious side effects are rare, but if you experience them, you should seek medical advice right away. These rare but serious side effects include hives, blistering or peeling rash, yellow skin or eyes, unusual bruising or bleeding, loss of consciousness, seizure, difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, tongue, lips, or throat, and hallucinations.
Older adults (over age 65 or so) tend to experience more side effects when taking acyclovir, because their kidneys do not flush the drug out of their system as quickly as a younger person’s kidneys do.
Q: Does acyclovir interact with other medications?
A: Acyclovir can interact with prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, and supplements or herbs, so it is important that you tell your doctor about any medication or supplement you take regularly.
Medications that treat fungal or bacterial infections can interact with acyclovir. Such medications include Fungizone (amphotericin B), Amikin (amikacin), Garamycin (gentamicin), Kantrex (kanamycin), and Tobi (tobramycin, also branded as Nebcin).
Medications used to treat HIV/AIDS may also interact with acyclovir, including Retrovir, or AZT (zidovudine).
Q: How much acyclovir do I need to take?
A: People with healthy immune systems who take acyclovir for herpes simplex, typically take 200 milligrams by mouth every 4 hours, 5 times per day, for 10 days, though many people are prescribed 400 milligrams 3 times per day for 5 to 10 days.
Adults whose immune systems are compromised generally take 400 milligrams by mouth 3 times a day for 5 to 10 days for a first outbreak, and the same dosage for 5 to 14 days for repeat outbreaks.
Q: Does acyclovir reduce the risk of transmitting herpes?
A: Anyone with herpes simplex 1 or 2 should know that it is possible to spread the infection even when there are no blisters evident on the skin. This type of asymptomatic shedding happens most commonly during the first 12 months of having the virus, though it can happen at any time. In other words, the absence of visible sores does not guarantee a sexual partner won’t be infected with herpes.
Taking acyclovir helps suppress herpes and reduces the chance of passing the virus to a sexual partner by about half, but that still represents a level of risk many people don’t want to take. Taking acyclovir and using condoms reduce the risk of transmission further. One study has shown that an anti-HIV drug called Tenofovir, applied vaginally, can also reduce sexual transmission of herpes. Short of complete abstinence, however, the use of condoms and acyclovir together is the most effective (though not 100 percent effective) ways to reduce herpes transmission.
Q: Can I drink alcohol while taking acyclovir?
A: You should not consume alcohol while taking acyclovir. Both acyclovir and alcohol are neutralized in the liver using the same enzyme system. That means that when you consume both, it takes longer for them to be processed by the body. In practical terms, this means it can greatly lower your resistance to the effects of alcohol and increase your risk of alcohol poisoning.
If the processing of acyclovir by the body is too slow and too much of the drug accumulates, an overdose is possible, which can, in serious cases, result in acute kidney failure. Avoiding alcohol altogether while taking acyclovir is by far the smartest approach.
Q: Can acyclovir be used to treat chicken pox?
Acyclovir can be used to treat chicken pox. In otherwise healthy children, however, doctors may not feel the benefit of acyclovir is worthwhile to treat chicken pox. In adults or in children with compromised immune systems, however, acyclovir may be prescribed to treat chicken pox, especially if the disease is caught early. Ideally, acyclovir should be started within 24 hours of a chicken pox rash appearing.
Likewise, acyclovir can be used to treat shingles, which is caused by the same virus as chicken pox. It may need to be taken at a higher dosage and for a longer time to treat shingles. It’s best if someone with a shingles outbreak starts taking acyclovir within three days of the rash appearing.
Q: How much does acyclovir cost?
When purchased at a typical retail pharmacy, a 10-day course of acyclovir, 400-milligram tablets, taken 3 times a day (for a total of 30 tablets) costs between $14 and $25. Bear in mind, however, you will also have to pay the costs associated with seeing your physician, whether that’s a copay or cost applied to your insurance deductible. Expect to pay anywhere from $25 to $75, and it’s also important to consider the cost of your time.
Working with an online facilitator like eDrugstore.com, however, you can obtain a typical 10-day course of acyclovir, 400-milligram tablets to be taken 3 times per day (30 tablets total) for $69. With this option, there is no copay or money applied toward your deductible, and you don’t have to make an appointment or take off time from work. Many people find the convenience and discretion of this method of obtaining acyclovir to be preferable.
Acyclovir isn’t a cure for herpes, chicken pox, or shingles, but it can make an enormous difference in quality of life for people who suffer from these illnesses. If you would like to educate yourself further on sexually transmitted diseases like herpes simplex, we encourage you to visit eDrugstore’s Sexual Health page.
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