Famvir Patient Information |
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 Famvir®
is a prescription oral antiviral medication that is indicated for :
- Treatment of recurrent genital herpes
- Suppression of recurrent genital herpes
- Treatment of recurrent herpes simplex virus infections (genital herpes and cold sores) in
HIV-infected patients
Famvir Patient Information
Famvir® - 125mg, 250mg and 500mg tablets.
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 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 500mg, 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 :
- 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.
FAMVIR SIDE EFFECTS AND OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION :
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.
* The efficacy of Famvir 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.
IMPORTANT NOTE
This site is for educational purposes only; information contained
within should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Please
consult a licensed health care provider regarding your medical condition.
Famvir Patient Information
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