General Information
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in
this leaflet
This leaflet answers some
common questions about Famvir.
It does not
contain all the available information. It does not
take the place of talking to your doctor or
pharmacist.
The information in this leaflet
was last updated on the date listed on the final
page.
Some more recent information on the
medicine may be available.
You should
ensure that you speak to your pharmacist or doctor
to obtain the most up to date information on the
medicine.
You can also download the most up
to date leaflet from www.novartis.com.au.
Those updates may contain important
information about the medicine and its use of
which you should be aware.
All medicines
have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed
the risks of you taking Famvir against the
benefits it can provide.
If you have any
concerns about this medicine, ask your doctor or
pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the
medicine. You may need to read it again.
What Famvir is used for
Famvir is an
antiviral medicine that is used to treat shingles
in adults and adolescents.
Shingles is a
condition that is caused by a herpes virus called
varicella zoster, the same virus that causes
chicken pox. The virus can become active again in
the body, even after many years, resulting in
shingles. The main symptom is a rash that can
cause pain, burning and blisters.
Although
Famvir does not cure the viral infection, it helps
to relieve the symptoms and shorten their
duration.
The best results are obtained if
the medicine is started as soon as possible after
the first symptoms begin to appear.
Ask
your doctor if you have any questions about why
this medicine has been prescribed for you. Your
doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
Famvir is only available with a doctor's
prescription. It is not addictive.
This
medicine is not recommended for use in children
under 12 years of age.
Before you take
Famvir
When you must not take it
Do
not take Famvir if you have an allergy to:
famciclovir, the active ingredient
penciclovir, a related antiviral medicine
any of the other ingredients of Famvir listed
at the end of this leaflet
Some of the
symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty
breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue
or other parts of the body
rash, itching or
hives on the skin.
Do not take Famvir after
the expiry date printed on the pack or if the
packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
In that case, return it to your pharmacist.
Before you start to take it
Tell
your doctor if you have a problem with:
your
body's immune system, which helps to fight
off
infections
your kidneys
your
liver
Your doctor may want to take extra
precautions in that case.
Tell your doctor
if you are pregnant, intend to become pregnant or
if you are
breast-feeding. It is not known
whether taking this medicine during pregnancy
could affect your baby or whether the active
ingredient in Famvir passes into the breast milk.
Your doctor can discuss with you the benefits and
risks involved.
Tell your doctor if you are
lactose intolerant. FAMVIR® 250 mg tablets
contain lactose.
Tell your doctor if you
are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes
or preservatives. Your doctor will want to know if
you are prone to allergies.
If you
experience an allergic reaction, stop using the
medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist
immediately.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other
medicines, including any that you buy without a
prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or
health food shop. Some medicines and Famvir may
interfere with each other. These include:
probenecid, a prescription medicine used to
treat gout (a disease with painful, swollen joints
caused by uric acid crystals)
medicines that
can affect your kidneys.
You may need to
take different amounts of these medicines or you
may need to take different medicines. Your doctor
and pharmacist have more information.
If
you have not told your doctor about any of these
things, tell him/her before you start taking this
medicine.
How to take Famvir
Swallow
the tablets whole with a full glass of water.
They may be taken with or without food.
Follow all directions given to you by your
doctor and pharmacist carefully. These
instructions may differ from the information
contained in this leaflet.
If you do not
understand the instructions on the label, ask your
doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to
take
The usual dose is one 250 mg tablet
three times each day for seven days, beginning no
later than 72 hours
after the rash appears.
Your doctor may have prescribed a different
dose.
For people whose immune system does
not work as well as it should, the dose and
duration of treatment may be increased.
For
people who have reduced kidney function, the dose
may be reduced.
Follow your doctor's
instructions on how many Famvir tablets to take.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you are
unsure of the correct dose for you. They will tell
you exactly how much to take.
Follow the
instructions that they give you.
When to
take it
Unless your doctor tells you
otherwise, take one tablet when you get up in the
morning, one in the afternoon and one just before
going to bed at night.
Try to take the
tablets at about the same time each day.
How long to take it
Continue taking
Famvir every day for the full course of treatment.
To help clear up your infection, you must take the
full course of treatment, even if your symptoms
begin to clear up after a few days.
If you
forget to take it
Take a dose as soon as
you remember. Take your next tablet at the usual
time, and then go back to taking it as you would
normally.
Do not take a double dose to make
up for the one that you missed. This may increase
the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.
If you have trouble remembering when to
take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some
hints.
If you take too much (Overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the
Poisons Information Centre (telephone number 13 11
26), or go to Accident and Emergency at your
nearest hospital if you think that you or anyone
else may have taken too much Famvir. Do this even
if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
Keep the telephone numbers for these places handy.
While you are taking Famvir
Things
you must do
If you become pregnant while
taking Famvir, tell your doctor. Your doctor can
discuss with you the risks of taking it while you
are pregnant.
If you are about to be
started on any new medicine, remind your doctor
and pharmacist that you are taking Famvir.
Tell any other doctor, dentist or pharmacist
who treats you that you are taking Famvir.
Things you must not do
Do not give this
medicine to
anyone else even if their condition
seems to be the same as yours.
Do not use
it to treat any other complaints unless your
doctor tells you to.
Do not stop taking
your tablets or change the dosage without checking
with your doctor first. If you stop your tablets
suddenly, your condition may worsen or you may
have unwanted side effects.
Things to be
careful of
Be careful driving, operating
machinery or doing jobs that require you to be
alert until you know how Famvir affects you. This
medicine can cause dizziness, sleepiness or
confusion in some people.
Things that may
help your condition
Take the following
precautions to avoid spreading the virus:
Keep
the areas affected by the virus as clean and dry
as possible.
Wear loose-fitting clothing to
avoid irritating the rash.
Avoid touching or
scratching the sore area as you may spread the
virus on your fingers.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as
possible if you do not feel well while you are
taking Famvir. All medicines can have side
effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the
time they are not. You may need medical treatment
if you get some of the side effects.
Do not
be alarmed by these lists of possible side
effects. You may not experience any of them. Ask
your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions
you may have.
Tell your doctor if you
notice any of the following and they worry you:
headache
dizziness
nausea (feeling
sick) or vomiting
diarrhoea
The above
side effects are usually mild.
Tell your
doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of
the following:
a rash that is separate from the
shingles rash
extreme sleepiness or confusion,
usually in older people
hallucinations (seeing
or hearing things that are not really there)
painful or swollen joints
aching muscles
or muscle tenderness or weakness that is not
caused by exercise.
The above side effects
may need medical attention.
Tell your
doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency
at your nearest hospital if any of the following
side effects happen:
bruising or bleeding more
easily than usual as it may indicate that the
number of platelets (a type of blood cell
responsible for blood clotting) in your blood are
reduced
signs of a serious skin or mouth
reaction, which may include widespread red, raised
areas, blisters or sores
signs of a possible
liver problem such as persistent pain in the upper
right abdomen, yellowing of the skin and/or eyes,
dark
urine or pale bowel motions
The
above side effects are very rare. Tell your doctor
if you notice anything else that is making you
feel unwell. Other side effects not listed here
or
not yet known may happen in some people.
After using Famvir
Storage
Keep your
medicine in the original container until it is
time to take it.
Store it in a dry place at
room temperature.
Do not store Famvir or any
other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink.
Do not leave it in the car or on window sills.
Heat and dampness can destroy some
medicines. Famvir® tablets will keep best
if they are stored cool and dry.
Keep the
medicine where children cannot reach it. A locked
cupboard at least
one-and-a-half metres above
the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to
stop taking this medicine or the expiry date has
passed, ask your pharmacist what to do with any
medicine you have left over.
Product
description
What it looks like
Famvir 250 mg tablets are white round tablets,
marked with either "Famvir" or "FV" on one side
and "250" on the other. Each carton contains 14 or
21 tablets.
Famvir 500 mg tablets are
white, oval film-coated tablets with either
"FAMVIR 500" or "FV 500" on one side and plain on
the reverse side.
Each carton contains 30
tablets.
Ingredients
Active
Ingredient
Famvir® 250 contain 250
mg famciclovir per tablet
Famvir®
500 contain 500 mg famciclovir per tablet.
Inactive ingredients
Famvir®
250 mg tablets contain:
hypromellose (E 464)
hydroxypropylcellulose (E 463)
lactose
macrogol
magnesium stearate (E 572)
sodium starch glycollate
titanium dioxide
(E171)
Famvir 250 mg tablets do not
contain sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other
azo dyes. Famvir® 500 mg tablets contain:
hypromellose (E 464)
hydroxypropylcellulose (E 463)
macrogol
magnesium stearate (E 572)
sodium starch
glycollate
titanium dioxide (E171)
Famvir® 500 mg tablets do not contain
lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other
azo dyes.
Sponsor
Famvir®
tablets are supplied in Australia by:
NOVARTIS Pharmaceuticals Australia Pty Limited
ABN 18 004 244 160
54 Waterloo
Road
North Ryde NSW 2113
Telephone 1 800 671
203
Web site: www.novartis.com.au
® = Registered Trademark
This
leaflet was prepared in
October 2008
Australian Registration Number.
Famvir 250
mg AUST R 51389
Famvir 500 mg AUST R
67391
FAMVIR® FOR SHINGLES