It's important to always discuss your health with your doctor. It is important to go to the doctor as soon as you suspect you may have shingles. Shingles should be diagnosed and treated early (within 72 hours, or 3 days) after the rash appears. Oral antiviral medications like FAMVIR^® (famciclovir) are used to treat shingles. FAMVIR is available in easy-to-swallow tablets.

Prescription oral FAMVIR may help shingles lesions heal faster for many people. In one clinical study, patients taking FAMVIR saw their shingles lesions heal almost 30% faster than people taking a sugar pill.

In addition, for many people age 50 or older, prescription oral FAMVIR may significantly shorten the duration of PHN, reducing the number of days you have pain. The people who took FAMVIR started taking the medication within 72 hours (3 days) after the shingles rash appeared.

In healthy people shingles usually disappears without complications in 3 to 5 weeks.