Whenever you take two or more medications, whether they be prescription or over-the-counter, it is important to ensure they are safe together. In addition to preventing harmful interactions, it is important to ensure that one medication won't prevent the proper absorption of the other medications. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to discuss all of your medications, including Alli and Valtrex, and how to properly administer them.
Alli
Alli is an over-the-counter weight loss medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Alli should be taken approximately 30 minutes prior to eating a low fat meal. This medication prevents the enzyme lipase from breaking down fat in the digestive tract. As a result, some of the fat consumed passes through the digestive tract without being absorbed and exits the body in a bowel movement. Fat contains 9 calories per gram. Absorbing less fat results in absorbing fewer calories, thereby aiding in weight loss.
Valtrex
Valtrex is a prescription anti-viral medication used to prevent genital herpes outbreaks and transmission and reduce the duration and severity of outbreaks of genital herpes and cold sores. People managing genital herpes take Valtrex once per day. People managing cold sores take two doses of Valtrex 12 hours apart as soon as they feel an outbreak approaching. Unless specifically prescribed by a physician, cold sore patients do not take Valtrex again until another cold sore outbreak occurs.
Taking Alli with Valtrex
Neither Alli nor Valtrex contraindicate each other, according to "Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses." Therefore, it is regarded as safe for people to take both Alli and Valtrex. Alli and Valtrex may be taken at the same time or at different times throughout the day, although it may be easier to remember to take all of your medication if you take your Valtrex with your morning dose of Alli each day. Setting a medication schedule and sticking to it helps you to prevent skipped doses.
Considerations
You should follow a low fat diet when taking Alli. Eating fatty foods while taking Alli can lead a variety of unpleasant side effects, including diarrhea, bloating and flatulence with oily spotting. Eating meals with 15 g or less of fat is the best way to avoid these side effects, according to "Focus on Nursing Pharmacology."
Herpes simplex I -- the virus causing cold sores -- and herpes simplex II -- the virus causing genital herpes -- cannot be cured. Therefore, it is important to take precautions against spreading cold sores and genital herpes even while taking Valtrex.
References
- "Focus on Nursing Pharmacology"; Amy Morrison Karch; 2009
- "Davis's Drug Guide for Nurses"; Judi Deglin, et al.; 2010
- "Handbook of Obesity Treatment"; Thomas A. Wadden PhD, et al.; 2004
