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: Gross hematuria?
Date: 9/3/2010
Hi, I took Valacyclovir 500mg twice a day x 10 days. 2 days later developed gross hematuria could this have been caused by the drug? Thanks,

Betsy
AskDocWeb: Gross hematuria (blood in urine) often results from severe infection of the bladder and/or tissue that lines the urinary tract. However, the U.S. National Library of Medicine has the following warning listed for Valacyclovir:

If you experience any of the following side effects, call your doctor immediately:

• rash
• itching
• confusion
• yellowness of the skin or eyes
• fever
• blood in the urine

Subj: Acyclovir or Aciclovir?
Date: 9/5/2010
Your section on the miss spelling of the name acyclovir has promted me to send this note as I copied the name from the tablets that I have from a leading pharmacy as Aciclovir. Are these genuine? They are 800mg and manufactured by WOCKARDT UK Ltd, your reply would be appreciated.

Roger
AskDocWeb: Acyclovir and Aciclovir are two brand names of the same drug. Wockhardt UK is a legitimate pharmaceutical business that exports to over 50 countries including the Middle East, Australasia, Africa and South East Asia as well as Europe.

Subj: Tingles in the extremities
Date: 9/10/2010
I have been taking acyclovir for oral and genital herpes for 1.5 years. I stopped about three weeks ago because I was getting constant tingles in my fingers, palm (sensitive and nerves tingle with movement), toes, arms and knees. Also, started getting constant pain in tingles on my scalp. the tingles seem to be less, but are still there. could they be permanent or long-term? and what about hair loss, will it grow back?

Sarah
AskDocWeb: That tingling in the extremities is called peripheral neuropathy, which is sometimes caused by herpes infections. There is more information about this on page 6.

Subj: Skin sensitivity
Date: 9/11/2010
Since taking Acyclovir for Shingles I have suffered from skin rash caused by exposure to cold air. The worst occasion was after swimming in the open, when my whole body went bright red, and I nearly passed out. Even now some months later, my face and arms will burn if I come into a warm house after being in cold air. Anti-histamine lessens the effects. Any thoughts?

Tim
AskDocWeb: Since an anti-histamine lessens the effects, it may be something allergy related. Do you have that response when going into any warm house from the cold or just specific houses? Have you considered consulting with an allergist?

Subj: Dehydrated
Date: 9/13/2010
I’ve been taking Acyclovir for about three weeks now twice a day 400 mg. I’ve noticed that I feel dehydrated (dry mouth, nose, sinuses) and also feel a slight irritation in the genital area and my urine smells funny. Are these common side effects? Are they something to be concerned about? Like renal failure?

Sue
AskDocWeb: There are reports of sore throat with this medication but not dehydration. Those are not common side effects so check with your doctor.

Subj: Yeast infection
Date: 9/14/2010
I had this white pimples on my penis… So I was prescribed acylvior.. but appearntly when test came back I was negative for hsv and sypilis…didn’t have no hsv virus… sooo after I discard the med…. I get this red bublely rash on my legs near my testicles… soo I went to the doctor and told me it was a yeast infection… could acylvior be the cause of this??? I was taking the pill for no reason…

Rafael
AskDocWeb: No, Acyclovir does not cause yeast infections and has no affect on fungi.

Subj: Molluscum Contagiosum
Date: 9/14/2010
Will Acyclovir help with Molluscum Contagiosum and aleviate the breakout blisters?

R
AskDocWeb: According to the CDC Acyclovir has not been shown to be effective in treating poxvirus infections such as Molluscum contagiosum. However, there are antidotal reports of successful treatment of Molluscum Contagiosum with oral Acyclovir. Currently that would be an off-label use of Acyclovir.

Molluscum contagiosum is a skin rash caused by the Molluscum contagiosum virus, a virus of the poxvirus family. This virus is easily spread through close or intimate contact with an infected person and objects used by infected people.

Subj: Overdose?
Date: 9/15/2010
I have herpes on a very small part of my neck/chest. When I feel an outbreak coming I take 2 acyclovir. Well I guess I was wrong and wasn’t getting an out break. I woke up covered in spots. One nurse practitioner thinks its scabies and I think its hives. I have a cold as well and diarrhea. I don’t sleep around and I very clean. I’m using permethrin 5% now but only just in case its scabies. Could i have overdosed on acyclovir and gave myself a rash? Its only on my torso with 2 dots on my leg. No spots near my vagina but most of the spots are on my chest and back. I’m so scared. Please help.

What did I do?
AskDocWeb: If you follow your doctor’s instructions then it is highly unlikely that you would get an overdose. A skin rash is one of the possible side effects of Acyclovir. It does NOT indicate an overdose. The symptoms of an overdose include hallucinations, seizures, and kidney damage, which may show up as decreased urine production. Of course if an overdose is suspected always contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.

Subj: MS and shingles
Date: 9/19/2010
I first started getting leg pains on the 6th sept. I was suspecting a DVT !!.. doc said probably a pinched nerve come back in a few days. Then a rash appeared on the 11th so back i went to doc on the 13th. I have been takin Acicovir 800mg five daily the rash is fading fast never crusted.. am i still infectious to others? I need to get back swimming to keep my legs mobile as i have MS. will shingles likely to re occur and will it affect the ms progression?

Sarah
AskDocWeb: In general, shingles patients are no longer infectious when all the lesions have burst and have crusted over. There may be a connection between shingles and multiple sclerosis. In the April 2007 issue of “The Journal of Neurology,” Sotelo et al found the shingles virus in a patient’s blood during an MS attack. They believe that when a multiple sclerosis patient has a flare-up of symptoms, this virus plays some role. Since then the HHV 6 has been found in about 70% of post mortem MS brains. The MS Association has reported that patients who were administered antiviral drugs like valcyclovir and acyclovir had a reduction in disease activity. Although there is no cure for multiple sclerosis, the vaccine for shingles may offer palliative benefits to MS patients and opens the door to further research.

Subj: Rash, dry mouth and itch but it works
Date: 9/22/2010
I despise this drug Acyclovir and personally I don’t think anyone knows all of its side effects. I think it affects different people with more side effects than they know, Since I have been taking it I have broken out in a rash on one side of my body. I still get herpes in my eyes from time to time, but not as badly as I did before I started taking the drug. I take 400mg twice per day. It also dries out my mouth and makes me itch all over. I continue to take it until it can be changed to something else because I am tired of getting herpes in my eyes and paying mega bucks to Doctors to cure it – only for it to come back again. I, too, have major stress in my life due to my high pressured job.

Ann

Subj: Aciclovir cream
Date: 9/25/2010
dear sir/madam i would like to know the aciclovir cream and how to use it and all the use of it!! thanks regards

Sheron
AskDocWeb: Aciclovir cream is used to treat genital herpes (herpes simplex infections) and cold sores. In general, creams are applied topically to the affected area but there are over 100 aciclovir creams on the market. The instructions vary with the cream but specific instructions come with each product. Aciclovir cream is well tolerated by most people but there are a few possible side effects. Between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 people experience the following uncommon side effects:

• Stinging or burning sensation after applying
• Mild drying or flaking of skin where applied
• Itching in the area applied

Between 1 in 1000 and 1 in 10,000 people experience the following rare side effects:

• Flushing skin due to widening of small blood vessels (erythema)
• Allergic inflammation of skin (contact dermatitis)

This list may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine’s manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with Aciclovir cream, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Subj: Is shingles is contagious?
Date: 9/25/2010
I have just been told I have shingles and started taking Acyclovir. I have been with a friend of mind today that is having cancer treatment. Do I need to worry about her getting this from me? I am so sorry about her because her system is so low.

Cheryl
AskDocWeb: That depends on her medical history, if she has had chickenpox or not. Shingles is contagious and can be spread from an infected person to children and adults who have not had chickenpox. However, instead of developing shingles, these people develop chickenpox. The risk of transmitting the virus to people who have not previously had chickenpox lasts as long as there are new blisters forming and old blisters healing. The contagious stage of shingles is the time prior to healing or crusting of the blisters. Once all of the blisters are crusted over, the virus can no longer be spread and shingles is no longer contagious. If your friend has already had chickenpox, she cannot catch shingles (or contract the virus) from someone else.

Subj: Chicken pox
Date: 9/26/2010
My child who is 4 years had chicken pox and was given Acyclovir she got much better is this good for the baby.

CM
AskDocWeb: Although rare, some children have a higher risk of developing complications from chickenpox and may need extra treatment with an antiviral medicine. In general, children younger than 12 years old and older than one month are not meant to receive antiviral medication if they are not suffering from another medical condition which would put them at risk of developing complications.

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