Famciclovir for Herpes Zoster User Reviews

• Anonymous
• December 10, 2011

"On Wednesday, I noticed I had swollen lymph nodes in my neck and a spot on my eyebrow that was red and sore. On Saturday, I went to see a doctor, and he immediately recognized it as shingles and got me started on famciclovir and 600 mg of ibuprofen every 8 hours. I took both medications religiously (shingles is nothing to mess around with). Over the next 3 days, the spot on my eyebrow blistered and then scabbed over, my eye swelled up, and I started to develop another spot on my forehead. On day 4, the swelling was noticeably reduced and was completely gone by day 6. The second place on my forehead never blistered or scabbed over. I didn't experience any side effects. Worked great for me (29 yr old female)."

• mbe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 19, 2017

"I noticed tingling and burning on my left thigh one day, as well as increasingly severe back pain. Two days later, I had a light rash that I mistook for razor burn along my bikini line on my left thigh. Two days after that, my OB (I was 31 weeks pregnant) diagnosed me with shingles. I started famciclovir the next day (went to PCP who prescribed it... long story). My PCP mentioned that the back pain was probably a symptom of shingles, that the area of my back in question was linked to the same dermatome as the rash on my leg. By day 3 on medication, my discomfort had decreased, and new sections, while they had appeared, did not blister. By day 5, my blistered section was mostly scabbed over."

• Anonymous
• September 6, 2011

"Side effects were serious enough to warrant a concurrent dose of prednisone. Condition was shingles, upper left body quadrant. Welts, blisters, itching, pain. One week on the medicine was insufficient to clear it up. Side effects included persistent headache, nausea, diarrhea, and serious swelling/itching on the palms of my hands."

• Jmo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2021

"I’m a 50-year-old female. My rash started off being itchy and red, then pus-like rash. My dermatologist prescribed Valtrex. The shingles were located in the middle of my forehead. After taking 4 tablets, my whole face swelled up, especially around my eyes, with evident swollen glands on both sides of my cheeks and the neck area, with shortness of breath. Told my doctor, then he prescribed Famvir. I took 1 tablet, my face started to swell up again after an hour of taking it, this time slightly worse than the first. My lips started to swell, so I took antihistamine. So, no good experience from these antiviral meds for me, unfortunately. I did some research and found Lysine tablets, which helped alongside antibiotics, Ibilex. Eventually, I had to stop taking Ibilex after 3 days because of diarrhea and upset stomach. Now, day 7, only on Lysine, vitamin B, C, and zinc tablets to help me through. The rash is still slightly sore and red with black scabs. Luckily, it didn’t spread."

• Dai...
• June 1, 2008

Famciclovir "Helped very bad shingles outbreak in about 3 days."

• R0n...
• January 21, 2017

Famciclovir "I had a breakout of shingles on my abdomen. Took this medicine, and the pain and itching went away within a couple of days. I would recommend this to anyone that has shingles."