Key takeaways:
Valtrex is a prescription medication that treats shingles. It doesn’t cure shingles, but it can help speed up healing and lessen pain. Ideally, you should start Valtrex within 72 hours of developing a shingles rash — the earlier you start the better.
Nausea is a common Valtrex side effect. While you can take your dose with or without food, taking it with a meal or snack may help lessen nausea.
In rare cases, Valtrex can cause kidney injury, especially if you’re dehydrated. You can lower the risk of kidney problems by drinking enough fluids during treatment.
There are ways to save on Valtrex, which is available as a lower-cost generic. With GoodRx, you could save over 50% off the average retail price of generic Valtrex.
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If you’re dealing with shingles, you’re not alone. Shingles can be a painful and uncomfortable experience that affects as many as 1 in 3 people in the U.S. in their lifetime. And while a shingles rash can resolve on its own over time, a medication like Valtrex (valacyclovir) can help speed up healing and reduce pain you’re experiencing. Plus, leaving shingles untreated can increase the risk of long-term problems.
So, once you’ve started Valtrex for shingles, how quickly will you start feeling some relief? And is there anything you can do to lessen side effects or make it easier to take your pill?
Here, we’ll provide five pharmacist-backed tips for taking Valtrex for shingles.
1. Valtrex starts working for shingles in a few days, and it works better the sooner you start it
Ideally, you should start taking Valtrex within 3 days (72 hours) of developing a shingles rash. And the sooner you start treatment, the better. After starting Valtrex, it typically takes about 2 to 3 days to start seeing an improvement in your shingles symptoms.
Valtrex works by preventing the virus that causes shingles from multiplying. This can help prevent the rash from spreading, lessen pain, and reduce the severity of your infection. Keep in mind that it can still take a few weeks for your shingles rash to fully clear up.
Good to know: The typical Valtrex dosage for shingles is 1 gm by mouth three times a day for 7 days. Even if you start feeling better or your rash has improved, don’t stop taking Valtrex early. You’ll need to take it the entire 7 days to fully treat the infection.
2. Taking Valtrex with food might help lessen nausea
One of the most common Valtrex side effects is nausea, which can be an unwelcome addition to your shingles symptoms. But taking your Valtrex dose with food may help combat this side effect.
Generally, you can take Valtrex with or without food. But if you’re experiencing nausea after taking Valtrex on an empty stomach, try taking it with a meal or snack. For example, you could take a dose with breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
If you’re still nauseous or start to vomit after taking Valtrex, notify your healthcare provider. They may have other ways to help manage your nausea.
3. You can cut Valtrex tablets in half if you have difficulty swallowing them whole
Compared to other pills, Valtrex tablets are big. For some people, this can make them hard to swallow whole. Luckily, there are ways you can deal with this issue:
Splitting your tablets: If your Valtrex tablet (or generic alternative) has a line down the middle of the pill, you can cut it in half. You should use a pill splitter (not a knife) to cut the tablet. Split each dose just before you take it. Don’t split them all at once, as this may crumble the pill and prevent you from getting the full dose.
Taking the liquid version: If it’s still challenging to swallow the tablets after splitting, or if you know you have difficulty swallowing tablets in general, there’s another option. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting a liquid version of Valtrex. This isn’t a commercially available product, but your local pharmacy may be able to make the liquid version. If not, many compounding pharmacies can make it for you.
Whether you split Valtrex or take the liquid form won’t change how well it works. It’s just important that you get your full dose, in whatever form that’s easiest for you to take.
4. Keep hydrated to lower the risk of kidney injury from Valtrex
Keeping hydrated is key while taking Valtrex. This is because Valtrex can cause kidney injury. Its active component, acyclovir, makes crystals that can clog up your kidneys. While kidney injury from Valtrex is rare, being dehydrated can increase your risk.
Drinking enough fluids while taking Valtrex can help lower the risk of kidney injury. This is especially important for older adults and people with a history of kidney problems. Your healthcare provider can give recommendations for how to safely stay hydrated during treatment. This may vary based on your personal situation.
If kidney injury happens, you may not have any noticeable signs or symptoms. But if you notice dark urine, lower back pain, or changes in your urination frequency, let your healthcare provider know.
5. If you miss a Valtrex dose, take it as soon as you remember
It’s important to take all of your Valtrex doses as prescribed. But if you miss a Valtrex dose, you can take it as soon as you remember and evenly space out the rest of your doses for the day. Don’t take the dose if it’s almost time for your next scheduled dose or try to take two doses at once. This may increase the likelihood of side effects.
To stay on top of your dosing schedule, you can set an alarm or a reminder on your phone. If you’re taking Valtrex with food, timing your dose with breakfast, lunch, and dinner can help you establish a routine.
Tips for saving on Valtrex
There are ways to save on Valtrex, which is available as a lower-cost generic. At certain pharmacies, you could save over 50% off the average retail price of generic Valtrex with GoodRx discounts. Generic Valtrex’s price is as low as $18.90 with a free coupon from GoodRx.
The bottom line
Valtrex is an oral medication used to treat shingles in adults. Valtrex works best if you start taking it within 72 hours of developing a shingles rash. But the sooner you start treatment, the better. You should start to see improvements within a few days of starting Valtrex.
Valtrex can cause nausea as a side effect. Taking your Valtrex dose with food may help lessen nausea. And if the pill is too big to swallow it whole, you can cut it with a pill splitter.
Make sure to drink enough fluids while taking Valtrex. In rare cases, kidney injury can occur, especially if you’re dehydrated. If you notice darker urine, low back pain, or changes in urination frequency, let your healthcare provider know.
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References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). About shingles (herpes zoster).
MedlinePlus. (2018). Valacyclovir.
Remedy Repack Inc. (2023). Valacyclovir hydrochloride- valacyclovir hydrochloride tablet, film coated [package insert].
