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ACICLOVIR APOTEX Aciclovir Consumer Medicine Information

For a copy of a large print leaflet, Ph: 1800 195 055

What is in this leaflet limited to one area of the body. If Before you take this taken within 72 hours of first medicine This leaflet answers some common getting the rash, aciclovir makes an outbreak of shorter questions about this medicine. It does When you must not take it not contain all the available and less severe information. It does not take the · as part of the management Do not take this medicine if you place of talking to your doctor. program for certain infections in have an allergy to: All medicines have risks and people who have the human · aciclovir or (HIV). benefits. Your doctor has weighed · any of the ingredients listed at the HIV is the virus that causes the risks of you taking this medicine end of this leaflet. against the benefits they expect it acquired immune deficiency Some of the symptoms of an allergic will have for you. syndrome (AIDS). Aciclovir does not cure AIDS or get rid of the reaction may include: If you have any concerns about HIV virus from your body, but it · shortness of breath taking this medicine, ask your may prevent further damage to · wheezing or difficulty breathing doctor or pharmacist. the immune system by stopping Keep this leaflet with the medicine. production of the herpes . · swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body You may need to read it again. How it works · rash, itching or hives on the skin Aciclovir works by stopping the · fainting or hay fever-like production of the virus that causes symptoms. What this medicine is herpes and shingles. It does not get If you think you are having an used for rid of the virus from your body. allergic reaction, do not take any Ask your doctor if you have any more of the medicine and contact Aciclovir belongs to a group of questions about why this medicine your doctor immediately or go to medicines called anti-virals. has been prescribed for you. the Accident and Emergency The 200 mg strength is used to: department at the nearest hospital. Your doctor may have prescribed it · treat . It makes an for another reason. Do not take this medicine after the outbreak of genital herpes shorter expiry date printed on the pack or This medicine is not addictive. and less severe if the packaging is torn or shows This medicine is available only with · prevent or reduce the number of signs of tampering. a doctor©s prescription. outbreaks and/or severity of If it has expired or is damaged, return genital herpes in people who This medicine is not expected to it to your pharmacist for disposal. affect your ability to drive a car or experience them often. If you are not sure whether you operate machinery. The 800 mg strength is used: should start taking this medicine, This medicine should not be used in · to treat shingles, also known as talk to your doctor. children. herpes zoster. Shingles is caused by the same virus which causes chicken pox. It usually involves nerve pain and a blistery rash,

ACICLOVIR APOTEX TABLETS 1 Before you start to take it These medicines may be affected by Management of HIV this medicine or may affect how well Tell your doctor if you have The usual dose is one 800 mg tablet it works. You may need different allergies to any other medicines, four times a day at six hourly amounts of your medicines, or you foods, preservatives or dyes. intervals. may need to take different medicines. Tell your doctor if you have or Other medicines not listed above How to take it have had any of the following may also interact with acyclovir. medical conditions: Swallow the tablets whole with a full Your doctor and pharmacist have · or problems glass of water. more information on medicines to be · neurological disorders such as careful with or avoid while taking When to take it muscle weakness, paralysis, this medicine. seizures, confusion, etc Take your medicine at about the same time each day. · an imbalance of electrolytes (salts) in your body Taking it at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also · severe lack of oxygen from any How to take this help you remember when to take it. part of your body medicine It does not matter if you take this · neurological reactions from a Follow all directions given to you medicine before or after food. cytotoxic (anti-cancer) medicine. by your doctor or pharmacist Tell your doctor if you are carefully. How long to take it pregnant or plan to become They may differ from the Continue taking your medicine for as pregnant or are . information contained in this leaflet. long as your doctor tells you. Your doctor can discuss with you the If you do not understand the Make sure you have enough to last risks and benefits involved. instructions on the box, ask your over weekends and holidays. If you have not told your doctor doctor or pharmacist for help. about any of the above, tell him/ If you forget to take it her before you start taking this How much to take medicine. If it is almost time to take your next Your doctor will tell you how much dose, skip the dose you missed and of this medicine you should take. Taking other medicines take your next dose when you are This will depend on your condition meant to. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if and whether you are taking any other Otherwise, take it as soon as you you are taking any other medicines. remember, and then go back to medicines, including any that you The doses below may be lower if you taking your medicine as you would get without a prescription from are elderly or have kidney problems. normally. your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop. Initial genital herpes Do not take a double dose to make Some medicines and this one may The usual dose is one 200 mg tablet up for the dose that you missed. interfere with each other. These every four hours, while awake, for a This may increase the chance of you include: total of five tablets daily for ten days. getting an unwanted side effect. · , a medicine Recurrent genital herpes If you are not sure what to do, ask commonly used to treat gout The usual dose is one 200 mg tablet your doctor or pharmacist. · , used for stomach three times a day for up to six If you have trouble remembering to problems months. take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints. · diuretics, also called fluid tablets Or · , used to treat multiple One 200 mg tablet every four hours, while awake, for a total of five If you take too much sclerosis, , leukaemia, (overdose) Hodgkin©s lymphoma and other tablets daily for five days. diseases Shingles Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre · methotrexate given by injection The usual dose is one 800 mg tablet (telephone 13 11 26) for advice or into the spine to treat cancer and every four hours, while awake, for a go to Accident and Emergency at leukaemia total of five tablets daily for seven the nearest hospital, if you think days (or up to ten days if your eyes · mycophenolate mofetil, used by that you or anyone else may have are affected by shingles). people with organ transplants. taken too much of this medicine.

ACICLOVIR APOTEX TABLETS 2 Do this even if there are no signs of Do not stop taking your medicine · menstrual problems. discomfort or poisoning. or change your dosage without The above list includes the more You may need urgent medical first checking with your doctor. common of your attention. medicine. Things to be careful of If you take too much of this Tell your doctor as soon as possible medicine, you may feel or be sick, Genital herpes and HIV can be if you notice any of the following: transmitted to your partner during have a headache and/or feel · confusion confused. sexual activity. It is important to remember that this medicine will not · depression, agitation, irritability keep you from transmitting herpes or · unusual thoughts or actions, HIV to others. (seeing, feeling or While you are using Be careful driving or operating hearing things that are not there) this medicine machinery until you know how this · shakiness/trembling medicine affects you. · difficulty speaking Things you must do · uncoordinated movements, i.e. If you are about to be started on unsteady walking any new medicine, remind your Side effects · fever, sore throat, swollen glands doctor and pharmacist that you · blood problems (e.g. feeling tired are taking this medicine. Tell your doctor or pharmacist as and weak, fever, frequent Tell any other doctors, dentists, soon as possible if you do not feel infections, unusual bruising or and pharmacists who treat you well while you are taking this bleeding or swelling around that you are taking this medicine. medicine. wounds) If you become pregnant while This medicine may have unwanted · fluid retention taking this medicine, tell your side effects in a few people. All · eye problems (inflamed eye). doctor immediately. medicines can have side effects. The above list includes serious side If you are about to have any blood Sometimes they are serious, most of effects that may require medical tests, tell your doctor that you are the time they are not. You may need attention. taking this medicine. medical attention if you get some of the side effects. If any of the following happen, tell It may interfere with the results of your doctor immediately or go to some tests. Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not the Emergency department at your Make sure you stay well hydrated experience any of them. nearest hospital: whilst taking this medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to · yellowing of the skin and/or eyes Keep all of your doctor's answer any questions you may (jaundice) or other symptoms appointments so that your progress have. indicating liver problems such as: can be checked. mental confusion, drowsiness, Tell your doctor or pharmacist if Your doctor may occasionally do restlessness, itching and you notice any of the following and tests on your blood or urine to check unconsciousness they worry you: for side effects and see how your · kidney problems e.g. too much or · stomach problems such as nausea kidneys are working. Go to your too little urine, or pain when (feeling sick), vomiting (being doctor regularly for a check-up. urinating, or pain in the kidneys sick), diarrhoea, constipation, · troubled breathing Things you must not do stomach pain · changes in taste sensation, loss of · chest pain, fast heart beat Do not take this medicine to treat appetite, weight loss (palpitations) any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to. · dizziness/giddiness or headache · convulsion (fits) Do not give your medicine to · difficulty sleeping · losing consciousness or in a coma anyone else, even if they have the · increased hair loss · signs of a blood clot such as a same condition as you. swollen and painful area in your · weakness, fatigue, lack of energy, leg and swelling in your foot or Do not stop taking your medicine tiredness or lower the dosage without ankle. · aching, leg pains, muscles pains, checking with your doctor. joint pain, muscle cramps

ACICLOVIR APOTEX TABLETS 3 The above list includes very serious Blister packs of 50 and 90 tablets* side effects. You may need urgent AUST R 182881. medical attention or hospitalisation. 800 mg tablets: Tell your doctor or pharmacist if capsule shaped, biconvex, white to you notice anything that is making off-white tablets embossed "800" on you feel unwell. one side and "ACV" on the other Other side effects not listed above side. may also occur in some people. Blister pack of 35 tablets* AUST R 182883. * Not all strengths and/or pack sizes Storage and Disposal may be available. Ingredients Storage Each tablet contains 200 mg or Keep your tablets in the pack until 800 mg aciclovir as the active it is time to take them. ingredient. They also contain the If you take the tablets out of the following: pack, they may not keep well. · magnesium stearate Keep your medicine in a cool dry · microcrystalline cellulose place where the temperature stays below 25°C. Protect from light and · sodium starch glycollate moisture. · pre-gelatinised maize starch Do not store this medicine or any · colloidal anhydrous silica. other medicine in the bathroom or The tablets do not contain any near a sink. Do not leave it on a lactose, gluten, tartrazine or any window sill or in the car. other azo dyes. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines. Sponsor Keep it where children cannot Apotex Pty Ltd reach it. 16 Giffnock Avenue A locked cupboard at least one-and- a-half metres above the ground is a Macquarie Park NSW 2113 good place to store medicines. APO and APOTEX are registered Disposal trademarks of Apotex Inc. If your doctor tells you to stop taking this medicine or the expiry date has This leaflet was prepared in May passed, ask your pharmacist what to 2019 do with any medicine that is left over.

Product description

What it looks like 200 mg tablets: capsule shaped, biconvex, white to off-white tablets embossed "200" on one side and "ACV" on the other side.

ACICLOVIR APOTEX TABLETS 4