What is aciclovir?
Aciclovir (or "acyclovir") is an antiviral medication for genital herpes. It can be taken to treat or prevent genital herpes outbreaks and is a prescription-only treatment. Although there is no cure for herpes and the virus will remain in your body, taking aciclovir can stop or reduce the unpleasant symptoms. In order to buy Aciclovir, you need a prescription. When you place an order with us, one of our doctors will review your order and issue a prescription if the medication is suitable for you.
How is aciclovir taken?
Aciclovir tablets can be taken without food but you should drink a glass of water whenever you take a tablet. You should also drink plenty of water during your treatment to minimise the risk of dehydration, as aciclovir can be harmful to the kidneys if you become dehydrated.
Which dosage do I require?
The dosage and duration of your course of aciclovir depends on whether you have herpes symptoms at the moment or whether you are having treatment to prevent recurrent genital herpes outbreaks.
Dosage for an acute outbreak
If you are suffering from an acute herpes outbreak, the doctor will prescribe a 5 day course of three 400mg aciclovir tablets to be taken every day. Please note, product packaging may differ from the image above.
Preventative treatment
If you have had more than six genital herpes outbreaks in the last year or you are struggling with particularly severe symptoms, our doctor may recommend a preventative herpes treatment of two 400mg tablets of aciclovir, to be taken every day for 6-12 months. This may prevent you from getting further outbreaks.
How fast will it work?
How quickly and how well aciclovir works depends on the severity of your symptoms and how soon after you start noticing symptoms you start treatment.
It is best to start taking aciclovir as soon as you notice the first symptoms. In some cases, aciclovir will prevent the development of sores if taken before the first sores have developed.
Once the lesions have developed, aciclovir can prevent further sores from developing and help your body fight the virus. The duration of each herpes flare up varies and an outbreak can last from a few days to a few weeks. You should consult a doctor as soon as you start experiencing the symptoms of an outbreak.
Can I have sex while taking aciclovir?
The herpes virus easily passed on during an active outbreak, but can be passed on at any time. You should avoid having sex until all lesions have healed completely. If you do choose to have sex in the meantime, you should use a condom.
Using a condom will help reduce the risk of transmission. As condoms only cover the penis, but leave other areas of your partner’s skin exposed, there is still a risk that you could transmit the virus, even when using a condom.
Once you carry the virus, there is always a risk that you could pass it on to a partner, regardless of whether you are experiencing symptoms. It is best to continue using a condom once your lesions have healed to reduce the risk of transmission.
For personalised advice, speak to one of our doctors in a telephone consultation.
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