About Acyclovir

If you’ve used Acyclovir, please help others by adding your feedback. What would you tell your best friend about this product? Please remember that we do not give medical advice. That is for your local health care provider, who is familiar with your medical history.

Subj: Neonatal herpes
Date: 4/17/2010
My daughter is now 12 years old. She was born with neonatal herpes on her scalp because I didn’t know I was a carrier of the Herpes virus. She was hospitalized and received IV acyclovir for a week and then continued with a pic line at home for another 2 weeks. She then received acyclovir orally 3x a day for the first 6 months of her life. I thought it might help to share her outcome, which has been wonderful. She is a normal, healthy straight-A student. She has only had a handful of outbreaks in the same spot on her scalp and those were in her toddler years. None since. However, a strange probable side effect is that her first year molars formed with no roots. The oral surgeon said he had never seen anything like it and proceeded to consult with other experts who agreed that it must have occured due to a medication she received either in utero or as an infant. Of course I have no proof this is related to the acyclovir, but I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

Another concern I have is that my daughter just had some blood tests done and her liver enzyme is slightly elevated. She is also slightly overweight for her age, so the two may be related. However, in researching long term side effects of acyclovir I’ve found that it can cause an increase in liver enzymes. I guess my main concern is what else we might find over the years that this medication may have caused. Don’t get me wrong, it is a wonderful medication I would use it again in a heartbeat. It probably saved my daughter from developing brain damage among other things as an infant. I’m just wondering if any long-term studies have been done with children. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Rochelle

AskDocWeb: Readers are encouraged to share information about any long-term studies involving Acyclovir.

Subj: To: Venkat (post from November)
Date: 4/17/2010
I just wanted to reassure you about your wife taking acyclovir while pregnant. With my second pregnancy I took acyclovir every day during the last few months of the pregnancy to ensure that I wouldn’t be “shedding” the virus during childbirth. My second daughter is now 9-years old and perfectly healthy and very intelligent. She has no side effects from me taking the drug while pregnant. I hope this reassures you! Congratulations on your impending parenthood!

Rochelle

Subj: sex drive
Date: 4/18/2010
I have reason to believe Acyclovir has lowered my sex drive. Been taking it a year and have felt myself “dry up”. I started to decrease my pills to ween myself of it and lo and behold, my libido came back, among other things. Big Pharma will never admit it.

Zack

Subj: Intense swelling and itchiness
Date: 5/1/2010
Hello, I’ve just been prescribed Acyclovir for a mild herpes sore that I had already had for about two weeks. The sore was almost healed when I went to the doctor for the prescription, but when I came home and started taking it, I have been experiences a strange intense reaction on my vagina. I’m not sure if it is due to the pills or something else, I have intense swelling and itchiness from my back side to my front and it won’t seem to go away. I’ve been confused as to what is going on thinking it was the herpes giving me the rash (this is my first bad outbreak), but when no bumps appeared, or turned into blisters and I realized it is probably related to something else…. perhaps a nasty side effect from the acyclovir? Or from the baking soda compress, or something I else I put on to relieve the burning and itching. I feel like I’m loosing my mind from the discomfort. Any ideas?

Nina

AskDocWeb: The first thought is symptom relief; your doctor can help with that as there are creams available that can relieve both. If the problem is confined to the one area then it is unlikely to be caused by Acyclovir.

Subj: Woman’s monthly cycle
Date: 5/2/2010
Can Acyclovir affect a woman’s monthly cycle?

Kat

AskDocWeb: Although it is not listed as a side effect, others have reported menstrual problems and changes in their period when taking Acyclovir.

Subj: Panic is terrifying
Date: 5/7/2010
Five days ago I had my first Herpes outbreak. My symptoms are very severe. Two days ago I was diagnosed and prescribed 400mg 3*a day. My first night of sleep after starting the medicine I felt jumpy and woke up several times during the night. At this time I was also still very sore and fatigued. The next day I could feel that my body felt better. That night though, when I went to sleep, I woke up almost spastically every 10 – 30min. throughout the entire night. So this third day, I felt realy good. I was awake and active all day. That night I was very tired and looking forward to sleep. Once I started to slip out of conciousness my mind went to (I Guess) a dream state but it was panic. I jumped up, out of breath and hot. This went on all night. I’d feel good but tired but as soon as I’d start to slip I’d get this wierd, terrifying feeling like I was dying. I haven’t gotten more than a few seconds sleep all night and the panic is terrifying. Other than that I can tell the drug is working wonders. I am tempted to cease the medication because I can’t go through another night like that but on the other hand I want to heal. Should I cease usage? I haven’t read anything like this happening to anyone else. Is this a rare or dangerous side effect?

D

AskDocWeb: It sounds like you are having panic attacks, which is not listed as one of the possible side effects of Acyclovir. Please talk this over with your doctor. Learning that you have herpes is stressful and can be very difficult emotionally.

Subj: Black stools and constipation
Date: 5/10/2010
I take 400 mlg acyclovir 3times a day for belpaulsy. I was wondering can it turn your stools black and make you constipated? I am also on iron pills twice a day?

Darla

AskDocWeb: A black stool can be caused by iron supplements but it may also indicate the presence of blood, in which case you should seek prompt medical attention. A black stool has not been reported with Acyclovir but it can indicate bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, such as the stomach. It can also be caused by Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol, and black licorice. Constipation is not listed as a side effect.

Subj: First outbreak of genital herpes
Date: 5/12/2010
Hello, I just passed a genital herpes… Started with big cold in all my body, then felt hot then the herpes come out on the skin in the genital area. I started take Aciclovir, for 5 days, the dose indicated in prospect. In the day 3, I felt a big press on my chest, cannot breathing, difficulty breathing on efforts. I went to hospital and they found nothing till now in my body. I am thinking to take a MRI check to see if my heart and lungs have problems. I stopped this treatment since more than one week and I am still in difficulty breathing. I know this effect is listed for aciclovir, but not on the prospect! I found this info in internet and they said it is 1 from 10000 persons who meet this effetcs… What can I do? Is MRI useful to see the lungs and heart area? I had a X-ray, doctor said is ok, same to be also a small cold, he gave me medicines also antibiotics, 3 kind of antibiotics I took, for nothing! None has any effect, no change anything! I am still in difficulty breathing, but not the same bad as in that days … The doctor gave me also some expectorants medicines, but I have nothing to expectorate (to eliminate mucus from lungs). I still have a dry cough and like a rash in my throat, I can’t breathe when is hot in the room also. In evening I am breathing more good because if not hot air in the room. Please give me a sugention what to do to take out this sife effects or if MRI help to detect fome problems made by this aciclovir…

Aylin

AskDocWeb: You may want to consider the possibility that what you are thinking of as side effects may instead be the symptoms of an unrelated disease or condition. We are not saying that it is, just that it is possible to have multiple things going on at the same time.

The first outbreak of herpes can be very painful and upsetting but it is also likely to be worse than any future outbreaks. Some people do not have any further outbreaks or symptoms after their first one although they can still shed, and spread, the active virus. During the first outbreak, genital herpes may cause you to have flu-like signs and symptoms, such as headache, muscle aches and fever, as well as swollen lymph nodes in your groin. The initial outbreak typically lasts from 10 to 21 days.

MRI scans can show muscles, joints, bone marrow, blood vessels, nerves and other structures within the body. Images that the scans produce are usually two-dimensional, but in some cases several different scans can be taken to build up a three-dimensional image that can be displayed on a computer screen. MRI scans are most often used to examine the brain, spine, abdomen and pelvis. You can certainly talk to your doctor to find out if the MRI scan would be helpful in determining your condition.

Subj: Fungus?
Date: 5/13/2010
In 2008 I was prescibed acyclovir 200 mg for a small painful blister like bump on my upper lip. Well I took it for 1 day the recommended dosage which was 5x daily the next day it was gone and has not returned in over 2 years. My question is now I have a fungus like irritation I contracted from jail on my lower leg, and I still have my acycolvir 200mg but it is expired can I take this to help what is on my leg?

Monica

AskDocWeb: Sorry Monica, Acyclovir has no affect on fungus. In any case, expired medication should be disposed of properly.

Subj: Phentermine, acyclovir, and ciprofloxacin?
Date: 5/16/2010
I started taking phentermine to lose weight, and 3 days after I got my herpes back, so I started to take acyclovir 800mg, and at the same time I got sistitis and started taking ciprofloxacin. Is it ok to take these 3 medicines at the same time? I am worried about getting kidney or liver problems. Thanks

Rebecca

AskDocWeb: We didn’t find any drug interactions listed for using those 3 medications together however, this does not necessarily mean that no interactions exist. Always consult with your doctor or pharmacist.

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