Famciclovir Dosing

For those who are beginning shingles treatment with famciclovir, dosing usually starts at 500 mg three times a day for a week. The recommended famciclovir dosage for treating a genital herpes outbreak is 1000 mg twice daily for one day. However, for preventing future genital herpes outbreaks, the suggested dose is 250 mg twice a day for up to a year. For treating cold sores, most people take a single famciclovir dose of 1500 mg.

 

An Introduction to Famciclovir Dosage

The dose of famciclovir (Famvir®) that your healthcare provider recommends will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
 
  • The medical condition being treated
  • Other medications you may be taking
  • Other medical conditions you may have.
     
As always, do not adjust your famciclovir dosage unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
 
For any use, your healthcare provider should reduce your famciclovir dose if you have kidney disease (including kidney failure). In this case, your famciclovir dose will be based on the condition being treated and how well your kidneys are functioning.
 

Famciclovir Dosing for Shingles

The recommended starting famciclovir dose for shingles treatment is 500 mg every eight hours (three times a day) for seven days. Famciclovir should be started within three days of the onset of shingles symptoms.
 

Famciclovir Dosing for Genital Herpes

The dose of famciclovir for genital herpes depends on whether you are using famciclovir to treat or prevent outbreaks.
 
Outbreak Treatment
For treating an outbreak of genital herpes, the dose of famciclovir is 1000 mg twice daily for one day, starting at the very first signs of an outbreak. The earlier it is started, the better it works.
(Famciclovir Dosing Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;