Genital Herpes Suppression
For preventing future outbreaks of
genital herpes, the recommended dose is
acyclovir 400 mg twice daily for up to one year. After one year, you should visit your healthcare provider to decide whether to continue treatment with this medication.
Dosage of Acyclovir Chickenpox
When treating
chickenpox in children age two and older, acyclovir dosing guidelines are based on weight. The recommended amount is acyclovir 20 mg per kg (about 9 mg per pound) four times per day for five days. For children weighing more than 88 pounds and for adults, the recommended dose is 800 mg four times a day for five days.
General Information on Dosing With Acyclovir
Considerations to keep in mind when taking acyclovir include the following:
- The medication comes in the form of tablets, capsules, and a suspension (oral liquid). Acyclovir injection (used for more serious herpes infections), cream, and ointment are also available (see Zovirax Cream and Zovirax Ointment for more information).
- Acyclovir can be taken with or without food. If the medication bothers your stomach, try taking it with food.
- If you have kidney disease (such as kidney failure), your healthcare provider may need to prescribe a lower acyclovir dosage.
- Be sure to shake the liquid form thoroughly before each dose.
- For the medication to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. Make sure to take acyclovir exactly how your healthcare provider recommends.
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