Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of using the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For docosanol, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to docosanol. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as preservatives or dyes.

Pregnancy—Topical docosanol has not been studied in pregnant women. However, this medicine has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies using rats or rabbits.

Breast-feeding—It is not known whether docosanol passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children—Although there is no specific information comparing use of docosanol in children with use in other age groups , this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Older adults—Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of docosanol in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines—Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are using any other topical prescription or nonprescription OTC medicine that is to be applied to the same area of the skin.