ZOVIRAX

Treatment options

Buy ZOVIRAX safely, securely and easily in a few simple steps. Start a consultation today to check your eligibility with a prescribing clinician, at no cost to you.

Includes Free Private Prescription & Consultation
ZOVIRAX
82 people rated this product 5 stars
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Manufactured by GSK
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Dispensed in the UK
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Delivered securely by Royal Mail
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Zovirax key facts

Report suspected side effects or adverse reactions to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) using the Yellow Card Reporting system that covers medicines, vaccines, e-cigarettes and medical device incidents.

Learn more about reporting side effects

Other known brand names

Sitavig

About Zovirax

Zovirax contains aciclovir, an antiviral, as its active ingredient. It is used for the treatment of cold sores (herpes labialis) and genital herpes (herpes simplex strain 2, HSV-2), which are both herpes viruses.

Aciclovir is also used to treat varicella zoster virus (VZV, herpes zoster), which causes chickenpox and shingles and is also used in immunocompromised patients to prevent infections such as cytomegalovirus (CMV) in those who have had an organ transplant.

Aciclovir’s mechanism of action is to block certain enzymes in the virus, preventing virus replication. This allows your immune system to control the infection.

NowPatient offers Zovirax and generic aciclovir for the treatment of Herpes Simplex virus, genital herpes, and shingles, following an online consultation with a prescribing clinician.

Key facts of Zovirax

  • Zovirax is an antiviral treatment used for genital herpes, cold sores, and shingles (herpes zoster) in adults
  • Zovirax has some common side effects which include skin reactions, nausea and vomiting
  • It can be dangerous if you take Zovirax with certain medications. If you’re not sure if it is safe, discuss this with the prescribing clinician

Who is Zovirax suitable for?

Zovirax is suitable for adults between 18 and 65 years of age.

Who is Zovirax not suitable for?

Zovirax may not be suitable for some people. To make sure it’s safe for you, speak to the prescribing clinician before using Zovirax if you:

  • Have had an allergic reaction to the active ingredient aciclovir in the past or any of the other inactive ingredients such as dimeticone, liquid paraffin, propylene glycol, poloxamer 407, purified water, or sodium laurilsulfate
  • Have kidney disease
  • Have liver problems
  • Are over 65 years of age
  • Have a weak immune system

How and where to get Zovirax?

You can buy Zovirax safely and securely from NowPatient. You can start a consultation today for free and if you qualify for treatment, you only pay for the cost of the medication. Delivery is made to your home or office from our registered pharmacy.

Our service is certified, safe and effective, and we only ever treat conditions. If you book a consultation with a prescribing clinician for the treatment of Herpes Simplex virus, genital herpes, or shingles, you can discuss if Zovirax is a suitable treatment option for you.

At the end of the consultation, the clinician will decide if a treatment plan is suitable for you. If it is, the clinician will issue you with a prescription which can then be ordered, paid for and delivered directly to your chosen address by NowPatient.

Dosage and strength for Zovirax for Herpes Simplex virus, genital herpes, and shingles

Zovirax is available as a Zovirax tablets, Zovirax cream, suspension, or powder for infusion. When used for Herpes Simplex virus, genital herpes, or shingles, it is available in tablets ranging from 200 to 800 mg tablets.

Information about how to take Zovirax for Herpes Simplex virus, genital herpes, and shingles

Your dose of Zovirax will depend on the condition you are being treated for:

  • Herpes Simplex virus – 200mg, five times a day for 5 days at approximately four hourly intervals
  • Genital herpes – 200mg, five times a day or 400mg three times a day for 5 days or longer if new lesion appear or healing incomplete
  • Shingles – 800mg five times a day for 7 days at 4 hourly intervals

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you can. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at your usual time. You should always complete the course of treatment as prescribed by your healthcare provider and read the patient information leaflet provided with your medication for further drug information.

What happens if you take too much Zovirax?

If you take more than prescribed, then it can lead to some unpleasant side effects. You should talk to your doctor or reach out to one of our prescribing clinicians, if you have taken too much aciclovir and you experience any of the following side effects:

What are the side effects of Zovirax?

Very common side effects include:

  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Dizziness
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhoea
  • Abdominal pain
  • Lower back pain
  • Photosensitivity
  • Skin rash
  • Itching

If you experience any serious side effects, you should contact NHS 111.

If you experience a serious allergic reaction such as anaphylaxis with the signs shown below you should contact emergency services on 999.

  • Your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
  • You’re breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you’re choking or gasping for air)
  • Your throat feels tight or you’re struggling to swallow
  • Your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
  • You suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
  • Someone faints and cannot be woken up

Information about taking Zovirax at the same time as other medications or herbal supplements

There is not enough evidence to suggest there are any drug interactions between herbal supplements and Zovirax. In any event, you should let your prescribing clinician know if you are taking any herbal supplements.

Also, speak to your doctor if you are taking certain prescription drugs, in case of drug interactions:

  • Aminoglycosides
  • Methotrexate
  • Cyclosporin
  • Tacrolimus
  • Cimetidine
  • Probenecid

Can Zovirax taken for Herpes Simplex virus, genital herpes, shingles be taken long term?

Courses of treatment of Zovirax range from 5 to 7 days. If your condition has not improved within this time, speak to your doctor for medical advice.

Is there a herbal Zovirax?

No. Herbal Zovirax does not exist. If you have been marketed such a formulation, it may be fake.

Can women use Zovirax?

Women can take Zovirax for the treatment of Herpes Simplex virus, genital herpes, or shingles. However, Zovirax is not recommended during pregnancy or if you are breastfeeding as acyclovir may pass into breast milk. Checking with your doctor before taking Zovirax.

Should I avoid any particular food or drink when taking Zovirax?

You can eat and drink normally when taking Zovirax for the treatment of Herpes Simplex virus, genital herpes, or shingles.

What lifestyle changes can I make to help me with Herpes Simplex virus, genital herpes, or shingles?

Condoms can reduce the risk of getting genital herpes if used correctly, but be aware, a condom will only protect the area of the body it covers. You should also avoid sex while you have outbreaks of sores or blisters.

Shingles develops when the varicella-zoster virus, which originally caused chickenpox, is reactivated in your body, after you have already had chickenpox. There are vaccines such as Shingrix that are now available. Speak to your doctor for advice if you are considering the Shingrix vaccine.

Alternatives to Zovirax

Alternatives for the treatment of Herpes Simplex virus, genital herpes, or shingles include other antiviral drugs such as Valtrex, valacyclovir, Famvir, or famciclovir.

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Medical Disclaimer

NowPatient has taken all reasonable steps to ensure that all material is factually accurate, complete, and current. However, the knowledge and experience of a qualified healthcare professional should always be sought after instead of using the information on this page. Before taking any drug, you should always speak to your doctor or another qualified healthcare provider.

The information provided here about medications is subject to change and is not meant to include all uses, precautions, warnings, directions, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or negative effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a particular medication does not imply that the medication or medication combination is appropriate for all patients or for all possible purposes.

Service Guide

Everything you need to know about Getting Treated Privately

What does the Get Treated Privately service do?

The Get Treated Privately service is a private prescribing service which is designed for adults aged 18 years and over, who are experiencing health issues and who would like to receive a fast-track assessment and if applicable, a treatment plan from a qualified prescribing clinician. Treatments are dispensed and delivered to your home or workplace from our regulated online pharmacy.

Is this a safe service?

Yes. Our formulary of medications prescribed and conditions treated are controlled, governed, and continuously risk-assessed by our Medical Director, Dr. Aseel Hamoud. Unlike other prescribing services which operate using faceless questionnaires, our service is conducted through remote video consultations, also known as synchronous consultations. This builds patient safety and prescribing appropriateness into our service, ensuring our prescribing clinicians can be satisfied with who and what they are treating. There is no guarantee of supply of medications, and any prescriptions supplied are at the sole discretion of our clinician prescriber. There is no charge for the consultation.

What is a prescribing clinician and is it safe for me to use them on the NowPatient platform?

Our prescribing clinicians are board-certified pharmacists, nurses, or doctors who can also prescribe any medicine for any medical condition, subject to accepted accreditation and good clinical practice. They are all registered with their respective regulatory bodies. For example, a pharmacist independent prescriber is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Each prescribing clinician undergoes an extensive background check including a disclosure and barring service check (DBS). In addition, they undergo a rigorous license verification process. When you book an appointment with our prescribing clinicians you will see their full name, license number, and any specialized credentials they have.

Is the service available worldwide?

Yes, the Get Treated Privately service is available worldwide.

Do I need to pay for this service?

Yes. This is a private service. You do not need to pay for the consultation. You only pay for the cost of the medication you are prescribed.

How do I book a consultation?

Once you have logged into your account, you will need to navigate to the Get Treated Privately quick action widget which is located at the bottom of your dashboard. You can then select one of the following actions – ‘Search Treatments’ or ‘Search Conditions’.

Depending on the search type, you will be taken to a consultation booking screen. You will then need to select a date and time that is convenient for you, along with the preferred language of the prescribing clinician you wish to choose. You will then see a list of all available clinicians. From this list, you can filter clinicians by gender and then select the clinician you would like to confirm for your booking.

Once you have approved this, you will see a summary of the appointment including preliminary information about the consultation. At this point, you will also be able to add a reminder to your calendar. Always ensure your account health profile is up to date before any consultation. This ensures that our clinicians have the most up-to-date information about your current health status and anything that may influence their prescribing decisions. You will receive a push notification and email reminding you of your consultation, 30 minutes before it is due to start.

You can ‘star’ the Get Treated Privately quick action widget to have it display in the ‘My Favourite Widgets’ section of your dashboard, for ease of future booking or checking active or past orders.

What happens during the remote video consultation?

During the consultation, the clinician will ask you a series of questions that will allow the clinician to diagnose your health condition and consider possible treatment options. At the end of the consultation, the clinician will decide if a treatment plan is a safe and appropriate option for you.

If it is, the clinician will discuss the various treatment options that may be available, so that you can jointly agree on the option that is most suited to you. Once you have jointly agreed on a treatment plan, the clinician will issue a prescription order which will be available in your ‘shopping cart’ at the end of the consultation.

Also, with your consent, the clinician may wish to inform your GP of the treatment that was prescribed. We recommend that you agree to this since your GP is responsible for your overall care and they should have a record of this consultation and medication prescribed. In addition, our clinician may take the opportunity to advise you on your overall health including advice on healthy living or stop smoking.

What happens at the end of the consultation?

At the end of the consultation, you will receive a notification which will summarise the outcome. It will also advise if any referrals were made to your GP, along with any other advice that was given to you by the clinician.

If a GP referral letter was issued, you will be able to view a copy of this in the ‘My Documents’ section of your dashboard.

If you were prescribed a treatment plan, it will now be available in your shopping cart. When you go to your shopping cart, you will be able to checkout and make payment. Once the checkout is complete, your prescription order will be sent to our regulated online pharmacy for processing.

What if the prescriber does not prescribe what I want?

We operate a safe and effective service. This means that our prescribing clinicians always exercise their clinical judgment when prescribing. Unfortunately, we do not operate a service where you can demand a certain medication. If you are not prescribed anything, then you will not be charged.

Will I get status updates for my order?

Yes. When you place an order with NowPatient, we will keep you fully updated with the status of your order. Every time the status of your order changes, you will be notified immediately. These notifications will appear in your ‘My Notifications’ section on your dashboard. You can click the notification and it will take you to your active orders screen which will give you a timeline overview of the progress of your order. This can also be accessed using the ‘My Orders’ quick action widget which is on your dashboard. Here, you can access active and past orders.

How will my order be delivered?

All orders are shipped in discreet and unmarked packaging. This means it is suitable for delivery wherever you require (home, work, or a neighbour). For thermo-sensitive orders (e.g. Insulin or weight loss injections) we use cold chain-validated packaging. Your parcel will normally receive an estimated delivery window from the courier on the day of delivery.

For your protection and safety, your first order can only be delivered to the address that is registered with NowPatient. Future orders can be delivered to any other address, for example, your workplace.

Do you ship cold-chain or temperature sensitive products?

Yes. We use a specialist courier service for all thermo-sensitive deliveries. This is to ensure that cold chain integrity is always maintained and thus the product quality, safety and efficacy.

Learn more about how we handle the delivery of temperature sensitive products.

Where do you deliver?

We currently deliver to all postcodes/zipcodes worldwide. Some postcodes in rural areas may have a slightly longer delivery time.

When will my order arrive?

We aim to ship all orders placed Monday – Friday before 3pm on the same day. Orders placed outside these times will be shipped the next working day. All deliveries are shipped by Royal Mail, which delivers Monday through Saturday in the UK. For deliveries outside of the UK, please check with your national postal service for accurate delivery days.
Our delivery options have the following delivery times:
  • UK – Royal Mail Tracked 24 & Signed for Delivery – Next day delivery
  • Europe – Royal Mail Tracked – Typical delivery of 3-5 working days
  • Worldwide – Royal Mail – Typical delivery of 5-7 working days. If a tracked option is available for your country via Royal Mail, this service will be applied.

What should I do if my order has not arrived?

Delivery is normally made promptly after your dispatch notification is received. You can check the tracking details of your order in the ‘My Notifications’ section of your dashboard, at any point after dispatch.

Unfortunately, packages can sometimes get lost in the delivery system, if after 10 days you have not received your delivery, please contact us and we will do all we can to resolve the problem.

Can you prescribe GLP-1 weight loss injections?

Yes. However, with GLP-1 weight loss medications, the license requires that there are support resources put in place as part of the plan including coaching for a healthy lifestyle, exercise, and diet. Our clinicians will discuss this with you, if you are prescribed this type of treatment.

You can learn more on our Weight Loss Programs feature page.

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WHY WE BUILT NOWPATIENT

We are committed to helping everyone, everywhere live healthier lives

The NowPatient virtual care platform provides you with access to trusted health information, affordable treatments, management of chronic health conditions and continuous monitoring for health risks. NowPatient can be accessed by downloading the App or using your web browser.

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Your Questions Answered

For your peace of mind, we can answer your questions quickly

What does NowPatient do?

NowPatient is an online pharmacy & telehealth service that is available in the US and UK. Our service is FREE and packed with useful features that can help you save money on the cost of your medications, access virtual treatments, and provide tools that can help improve your overall health.

Get started today and benefit from medication remindersGet Treated PrivatelyNHS online pharmacyGP appointment bookingRx savings cardDrug CouponsUS drug savings programshealth conditions informationgenetic testinghome test kitsBMI RisksType 2 Diabetes Riskspollen meterair quality monitor, and lots more!

Our service is operated by experienced medical professionals in the United States and the United Kingdom. You can view the online services that we provide by clicking Features.

UK users can safely and securely buy medicines online that treat a wide range of medical conditions. UK customers can also order NHS prescriptions online with the benefit of free tracked delivery.

US customers, regardless of insurance coverage, can enjoy huge savings on prescription medications using our various drug savings programs including drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.

Where is NowPatient located?

NowPatient has offices in the United Kingdom and United States.

In the UK, we are located at:

NowPatient
28 Chipstead Valley Road
Coulsdon
Surrey
CR52RA

In the US, we are located at:

NowPatient
8911 North Capital of Texas Highway
Suite 4200 #1263
78759
Austin, TX

How can I contact NowPatient?

To contact NowPatient, please use the contact form available on the Contact Us page.

Alternatively, if you need to speak to us, you can reach us on the following numbers:

UK telephone number – 020 388 51 500
US telephone number – 1-866-967-1977

Who owns NowPatient?

NowPatient is owned and operated by Infohealth Ltd, a licensed online pharmacy with services spanning the UK, US and Rest of the World. Infohealth Ltd is registered in England and Wales under company number 04004930 and our registered office is at Lynwood House, 373 – 375 Station Road, Harrow, England, HA1 2AW.

Our website is www.nowpatient.com. Our App is called “NowPatient” and can be downloaded from the App Store (for Apple devices) or Google Play (for Android devices).

Can you tell me more about your NHS online pharmacy?

NowPatient’s Pharmaceutical services in the UK are provided by Infohealth Limited trading as ‘Infohealth Pharmacy’.

Our dispensing pharmacy is regulated and authorized for internet sales by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), registration number 1036487. You can view our license credentials on the General Pharmaceutical Council website. Our superintendent pharmacist who is responsible for the safe and effective oversight of medicines supplies is Mr Amish Patel (Registration Number 2042705).

Medicines are not ordinary items of commerce. All medicines or healthcare product sales are made under the supervision of a registered pharmacist who is licensed by the GPhC. At all times, we endeavour to provide a professional and transparent service whose primary goal is to ensure that the best interests of the patient are served.

How do I make a complaint?

From time to time, we accept that our service levels may not be up to your expectations. NowPatient welcomes concerns, compliments and complaints as valuable feedback that will help us learn from your experiences and make improvements. Feedback can be provided via our clear and transparent Complaints Procedures.

Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s prescribing services for treatments offered?

Our prescribing services are regulated by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). We provide the following regulated activity:

• treatment of disease, disorder, or injury
• transport services, triage, and medical advice are provided remotely
• caring for adults over 65 years old
• caring for adults under 65 years old

NowPatient prescribing services are run by Infohealth Limited. The Clinical Safety Officer and nominated individual is Mr Navin Khosla.

Can you tell me more about NowPatient’s US services?

Our head of US services is Dr. Jamie Winn.

You can lower the cost of your prescription medications using our various savings programs which include drug coupons, savings card and manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs.

We do not provide any prescribing services or dispensing services in the United States.

Is NowPatient legit and can I trust information from NowPatient?

Yes. NowPatient provides trustworthy and accessible clinical, health education and prescription services. We are also trusted by the NHS to deliver clinical and NHS repeat prescription dispensing across the whole of England. In the United States, we work with over 65,000 pharmacies to deliver considerable costs savings for our users.

NowPatient is operated by experienced licensed medical professionals in the United Kingdom and United States. Our Medical Team can be found here.

Our service is trusted by thousands of patients worldwide. You can read their reviews on our Trustpilot:

NowPatient Trustpilot

What are NowPatient’s opening hours?

Our office hours are:

UK – Monday-Friday 9am-6pm GMT
US – Monday-Friday 8am-5pm EST

Please note that we are closed at weekends.

In the event of a medical life-threatening emergency please call:

UK – 999
US – 911

In the event of a medical emergency which is not life-threatening please call:

UK – 111

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