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Before Using Famvir
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For famciclovir, the following should be considered:
Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to famciclovir. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, sulfites or other preservatives, or dyes.
Pregnancy - Famciclovir has not been studied in pregnant women. However, famciclovir has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.
Breast-feeding - It is not known whether famciclovir passes into the breast milk of humans; however, it does pass into the milk of rats. Famciclovir is not recommended during breast-feeding because it may cause unwanted effects in nursing babies.
Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of famciclovir in children with use in other age groups.
Older adults - Famciclovir has been used in the elderly and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.
Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change your dose or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.
Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of famciclovir. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
- Kidney disease - Kidney disease may increase blood levels of this medicine, increasing the chance of side effects
Important Note
The following Information on Famvir Medication is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional. It should not be construed to indicate that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective for you. Consult your healthcare professional before using tFamvir Medication.
Types of Treatment
After the initial outbreak* of genital herpes, FAMVIR can be prescribed in one of three ways:
- Episodic treatment - your doctor treats an outbreak of genital herpes as it occurs. The usual dose of FAMVIR is one 125-mg pill, twice a day, for 5 days.?
- Suppressive treatment ? if you have frequent or severe outbreaks, you take one 250-mg pill, twice a day, for up to 1 year?? to suppress the genital herpes virus and help to prevent outbreaks.
- Patients with HIV - Famvir Medication is the only prescription oral antiviral therapy indicated for treating genital or orolabial herpes in people infected with HIV. In patients with herpes simplex and HIV, the dose of FAMVIR is 500 mg, twice a day, for 7 days.?
FAMVIR can be taken with or without food.
When discussing treatment options with your doctor, be sure to discuss your lifestyle, how you feel about outbreaks, the pain and severity of your symptoms, and the frequency of your outbreaks. Be sure to talk with your doctor about the type of treatment (episodic or suppressive) that would be most appropriate for you.
For episodic and suppressive treatment, always take your medicine as prescribed by your doctor. If you are taking any other prescription or over-the-counter medications, please be sure to tell your doctor. No medication has been proven to prevent the transmission of genital herpes. It's important to know that FAMVIR will not prevent the spread of genital herpes to others. During an outbreak, you must avoid sexual contact, and use a condom in between outbreaks.
Efficacy of Famvir Medication
- Episodic Treatment
One clinical study showed that episodic treatment with FAMVIR significantly relieved all of the symptoms of a genital herpes outbreak. For many people, the duration of the symptoms associated with genital herpes, pain, burning, itching, and tenderness, was reduced. These same people also experienced a faster healing of sores compared to those taking a sugar pill.
- Suppressive Treatment
Many people on twice-daily suppressive therapy with FAMVIR may go almost a year without experiencing an outbreak.
Side Effects and Other Important Information
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine.
However, check with your doctor if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome:
More common
Headache
Less common
Diarrhea; dizziness; nausea; unusual tiredness or weakness; vomiting
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.
FAMVIR should not be taken by patients with known hypersensitivity to the product, its components, and DENAVIR® (penciclovir cream).
FAMVIR has no clinically significant interactions with cimetidine, allopurinol, theophylline, digoxin, or zidovudine (AZT).
Concurrent use of FAMVIR with probenecid or other drugs significantly eliminated by active renal tubular secretion may result in increased plasma concentrations of penciclovir.
FAMVIR does not contain any dyes.
FAMVIR (famciclovir) is not for everyone. In clinical studies with FAMVIR, the most commonly reported side effects included headache, nausea, and diarrhea. Ask your doctor if FAMVIR is right for you.? If you have kidney problems, your doctor will determine if FAMVIR is appropriate, and if so, what the right dose is for you. See the full Prescribing Information for more information about FAMVIR.
The efficacy of Famvir Medication has not been established for the treatment of an initial outbreak of genital herpes infection.
If you have impaired kidney function, your doctor will determine the appropriate dose for you.
The safety and efficacy of FAMVIR therapy beyond 1 year of treatment have not been established.
No antiviral has been proven to prevent the transmission of genital herpes.
There is no cure for genital herpes.
Proper Use
Famciclovir is best used within 48 hours after the symptoms of shingles (for example, pain, burning, blisters) begin to appear, or within 6 hours after the symptoms of recurrent genital herpes (for example, pain, blisters) begin to appear.
Famciclovir may be taken with meals.
To help clear up your herpes infection, keep taking famciclovir for the full time of treatment, even if your symptoms begin to clear up after a few days. Do not miss any doses.
However, do not use this medicine more often or for a longer time than your doctor ordered.
Dosing - The dose of famciclovir will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of famciclovir. Your dose may be different if you have kidney
disease. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
- For oral dosage form (tablets):
- For treatment of shingles:
- Adults - 500 milligrams (mg) every eight hours for seven days.
- Children - Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- For suppression of recurrent genital herpes:
- Adults - 250 mg two times a day for up to one year.
- Children - Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- For treatment of recurrent genital herpes:
- Adults - 125 mg two times a day for five days.
- Children - Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
- For treatment of recurrent herpes virus infections of the mucous membranes (lips and mouth) and genitals in HIV-infected patients:
- Adults - 500 mg two times a day for seven days.
- Children - Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
Missed dose - If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. 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 doses.
Storage - To store this medicine:
- Keep out of the reach of children.
- Store away from heat and direct light.
- Do not store the tablets in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
- Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.
Precautions While Using This Medicine
If your symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, check with your doctor.
The areas affected by herpes should be kept as clean and dry as possible. Also, wear loose-fitting clothing to avoid irritating the sores (blisters).
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