Valcyte Side Effects

Serious Side Effects of Valcyte

If you experience Valcyte overdose, call the poison control center (1.800.222.1222). If the victim of overdose is not breathing or has collapsed, call 911. Signs of an overdose include:

Uncontrollable shaking hands or seizures
Decreased urination or bloody urine
Sore throat or chills
Pale skin or jaundice (yellowing of skin or eyes)
Confusion, trouble sleeping
Fast heartbeat, shortness of breath

The following side effects are rare, but serious:

Seeing lights or specks, seizures
Swelling of the hands, feet, or lower legs
Numbness, burning sensations, pain or tingling in the hands or feet
Hives, rashes, itchiness

Valcyte may affect your bone marrow and blood cell count. You may be required by your doctor to take regular blood tests. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience:

Unexplained bleeding or bruising
Excessive tiredness, weakness, or fainting

Common Side Effects of Valcyte

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of an appetite, or above average thirst may occur while using Valcyte.
Patients undergoing treatment may also experience fever (temperature above 100°), low blood cell counts, sleepiness, or dizziness.
Rejection of grafts or organ transplants may happen in some patients.
In children, Valcyte may cause constipation, high blood pressure, and cold symptoms.

Warnings & Recalls for Valcyte

Valcyte Black Box Warnings

Valcyte may cause hematologic toxicity. This includes granulocytopenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia.
In animal studies Valcyte has caused cancer and birth defects.
Valcyte may decrease the number of sperm in a man's body or cause problems with fertility.

General Valcyte Warnings

You should not take Valcyte if you have undergone a liver transplant.
Do not take Valcyte if you are undergoing hemodialysis.
Women must tell their doctors if they are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Men must use a condom not only while taking Valcyte, but at least 90 days after stopping treatment.
Valcyte cannot be taken for the same amount of ganciclovir tablets.

Valcyte Treatment and Use

Valcyte | valganciclovir is an antiviral medication used to treat cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis, an infection that can cause blindness in those with AIDS. Valcyte is also used as an antiviral for patients who are at a high risk for CMV after a heart or kidney transplant.

How does Valcyte work?

Valcyte includes a mixture of diastereomers that are converted to ganciclovir in the body. Ganciclovir stops the replication of CMV.

Valcyte Dosage Information

In patients using Valcyte as a CMV Retinitis treatment the initial dose is two 450 mg pills two times a day for 21 days. For maintenance, dosages are reduced to two 450 mg pills once a day.

For patients who are using Valcyte as a preventative CMV disease treatment, a typical dose is two 450 mg tablets once a day, beginning within ten days before a transplant or the following 100 days after a transplant.

Pediatric patients from 4 months to 16 years of age will have varying doses as prescribed by a doctor.

Other Names for Valcyte

Brand name:

Valcyte

Generic name:

Not available