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Tips on Taking Famciclovir
Genital Herpes Suppression
For preventing future outbreaks of genital herpes, the recommended dose of famciclovir is 250 mg twice daily for up to one year. After one year, you should visit your healthcare provider to decide whether or not to continue famciclovir.
The recommended famciclovir dose for treating cold sores is a single dose of famciclovir 1500 mg at the first signs of a cold sore.
The recommended famciclovir dose for people with HIV for treating cold sores or genital herpes is famciclovir 500 mg twice daily for seven days.
Some considerations for people taking famciclovir include:
- Famciclovir comes in tablet form and is taken by mouth. For some uses, it is taken every day; for other uses, it is taken just for a day or for a week.
- Famciclovir can be taken with or without food. If the drug bothers your stomach, try taking it with food.
- For the medication to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. Make sure to take famciclovir as your healthcare provider prescribes.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD