Famvir Medication - Uses & Side Effects

It acts by inhibiting the production of genetic material, which is required for reproduction and hence the survival of the virus. When you take FAMVIR, it is absorbed into your bloodstream, and then converted into another drug called penciclovir. A virus infects the cells and begins to multiply over and over again, making new viruses. Penciclovir stops the herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2 from multiplying, which may reduce the symptoms of the outbreak and helps sores to heal faster. 

Famvir Dosage

• The recommended dosage is 250 mg twice daily for up to 1 year.
• The safety and efficacy of Famvir therapy beyond 1 year of treatment have not been established.
• For recurrent orolabial or genital herpes simplex infection, the recommended dosage is 500 mg twice daily for 7 days.

Uses of Famvir

• Famvir is a prescription oral antiviral medication that is indicated for the treatment of recurrent genital herpes, suppression of recurrent genital herpes and the treatment of recurrent herpes simplex virus infections (genital herpes and cold sores) in HIV-infected patients.

Side Effects of Famvir

• Side effects, that may go away during treatment, include headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or tiredness. If they continue or are bothersome, check with your doctor.
• Contact your doctor immediately if you experience hallucinations, disorientation, or confusion.
• If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.
• Headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, gas, stomach pain, tiredness, and tingling of hands/feet may occur as your body adjusts to the medication. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Warnings and precautions before taking Famvir:

• The effects of Famvir during pregnancy have not been adequately studied.
• If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, inform your doctor immediately.
• Famvir should be used during pregnancy only when the benefit to the mother clearly outweighs the potential risk to the baby.
• 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 medicine.
• Before taking famciclovir, you should tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to penciclovir; or if you have any other allergies.

Drug Interaction:-

If you are taking Famvir with certain other drugs, then the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. So it is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Famvir with probenecid, a drug used to treat gout.

Overdose

After taken Famvir if you feel that overdose is suspected, then you should contact with your doctor immediately. Symptoms of Famvir overdose may include:

• Seizures
• Hallucinations
• Kidney damage

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