How to Prepare for a CT Scan

November 2, 2025 · 3 min read · Light Radiology Team · CT Scans

This guide outlines how to prepare for your CT scan, including what to wear, eating and drinking instructions, and information about contrast dye. Following these steps helps ensure accurate images and a smooth appointment.

New to CT? Read What Is a CT Scan and How Does It Work? for a simple overview before your appointment.

Check your referral

Your referral form or booking confirmation will specify whether your scan requires contrast. Preparation can differ depending on the type of CT ordered by your doctor.

Unsure why CT was requested? See Why Your Doctor Might Refer You for a CT Scan.

General preparation

Bring your referral, Medicare card, and any previous imaging if available.
Arrive 10–15 minutes before your appointment to complete forms.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing without metal zips, belts, or buttons.
Leave jewellery, watches, and piercings at home when possible.
Continue taking your usual medications unless instructed otherwise.

Fasting and hydration

If your scan uses contrast, avoid eating for 2–4 hours before your appointment.
Drink water to stay hydrated; clear fluids are usually fine.
If your scan does not use contrast, you can generally eat and drink normally.

Learn how contrast affects preparation in CT Scan with Contrast vs Without Contrast.

Patients with diabetes or kidney conditions

Tell us if you have diabetes or kidney problems. These conditions can affect how your body handles contrast dye.
If you take metformin, you may need to pause it temporarily after your scan. We will give specific instructions.
Bring a list of current medications with you.

Contrast injection preparation

For contrast scans, a small IV cannula will be placed in your arm.
Let staff know if you have had any reaction to iodine contrast before.
Inform us of asthma, allergies, thyroid disease, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

For more on safety, read Are CT Scans Safe?

Pregnancy and children

If you are or might be pregnant, inform us before your scan. We will assess whether CT is necessary or suggest an alternative such as ultrasound or MRI.
For children, we tailor scanning protocols to keep radiation dose as low as possible.

On the day of your scan

Arrive a few minutes early to complete your questionnaire.
Remove metal items and change into a gown if required.
If contrast is used, you will have a brief consultation before the injection.
Relax and follow the radiographer’s instructions during the scan.

Curious what happens during the scan? Read What to Expect During a CT Scan.

After your scan

If you had contrast, drink extra water through the day to help flush it from your body.
You can eat, drink, and resume normal activities immediately unless told otherwise.
If you notice redness, swelling, or pain at the injection site, contact us or your GP.

Quick checklist

Referral and Medicare card ready
Loose, metal-free clothing
Follow fasting instructions if contrast is used
Drink water before and after
Arrive early to allow time for paperwork

In summary

Most CT scans require little preparation. Following these simple steps helps ensure clear images and a safe, efficient experience. If you are unsure about fasting, medications, or contrast, contact our team before your appointment.

Buy Valtrex Online In Australia – What You Need To Know. Visit Our Pharmacy ↓

Valtrex (valaciclovir) in Australia: A Doctor’s Review for Adults Over 30

Perspective: Practising Australian GP

Attention: The Pain, Swelling and Stress You Don’t Need

If you are over 30, you already have enough on your plate: work deadlines, family responsibilities, and the constant juggle of everyday life. The last thing you need is a painful cold sore on your lip, a shingles rash wrapping around your torso, or the burning discomfort of a genital herpes outbreak. Many patients tell me the same thing: “Doctor, I felt it coming, but I hoped it would go away—now I have swollen glands and I feel run-down.”

That swollen, tender lump in your neck or groin is a lymph node working hard because your immune system is fighting the herpes virus. Valtrex is the antiviral I often reach for to stop that battle quickly and get you back to normal.

Interest: What Is Valtrex and How Does It Work?

Valtrex active ingredient valaciclovir is a prescription antiviral medicine. Many people ask me, “Is Valtrex an antibiotic?” No, it is not. Antibiotics treat bacterial infections such as strep throat or a urinary tract infection. Valtrex belongs to a class called antivirals, and it works specifically against herpes viruses—herpes simplex type 1 (cold sores), herpes simplex type 2 (genital herpes), and varicella-zoster virus (shingles and chickenpox).

Valaciclovir is a “prodrug.” After you swallow it, your body converts it into aciclovir, the active virus-fighting molecule. This clever design gives you higher levels of medicine in the bloodstream with fewer daily doses, meaning you can get relief more conveniently.

**Table 1: Valtrex vs Sandoz valaciclovir vs Antibiotics**
Feature	Valtrex (brand)	Sandoz valaciclovir (generic)	Typical antibiotic
Active ingredient	Valaciclovir	Valaciclovir	e.g. amoxicillin, doxycycline
Treats	Herpes viruses	Herpes viruses	Bacterial infections
Is it an antibiotic?	No	No	Yes
TGA approved	Yes	Yes	Yes
Effectiveness for herpes	Gold standard	Equivalent to brand	Not effective

Valtrex and swollen glands

Swollen glands (lymph nodes) are a common and often distressing symptom of herpes outbreaks. When the virus reactivates, your immune system sends white blood cells to the area, making the nearby nodes swell and become tender. Because Valtrex stops the virus from multiplying, it lowers the viral load and reduces the immune system’s alarm response. In my clinical experience, patients who start Valtrex early often report that the swollen glands settle faster and the whole episode feels less severe.

Valtrex and skin rash

It is important to understand the difference between a herpes skin rash and a drug reaction. A herpes rash usually begins with tingling, itching or burning, then small fluid-filled blisters appear on a red base—classically on the lip, nose, genitals, or along one side of the chest for shingles. Valtrex is highly effective for this kind of rash. However, if you take Valtrex and develop a widespread, itchy rash, hives, facial swelling or breathing difficulty, stop the medicine and seek medical help immediately, as this could be an allergic reaction. For most people, Valtrex is well tolerated.

Desire: Why Australian Adults Over 30 Prefer Valtrex

As a doctor, I see that people over 30 often have more frequent and more painful herpes recurrences because stress, lack of sleep, sun exposure, and changes in immunity become bigger triggers. Valtrex offers several clear benefits:

Faster healing: Cuts days off the outbreak when started at the first tingle.
Pain reduction: Less burning, less nerve pain, especially in shingles.
Swollen gland relief: Reduces the immune system’s overreaction.
Prevention: A low daily dose can suppress recurrent cold sores or genital herpes, reducing the number of outbreaks.
Convenience: Valtrex is taken orally, usually twice a day for most conditions, not every four hours.

Valtrex brand vs generic effectiveness

Many patients ask whether the cheaper Sandoz valaciclovir works as well as brand-name Valtrex. The short answer is yes. In Australia, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) requires generic medicines to be bioequivalent to the original brand. That means the same active ingredient, same strength, same absorption, and same effect in the body. I regularly tell my patients: if you want to save money, Sandoz valaciclovir from Chemist Warehouse is a perfectly effective option. Some people prefer the branded Valtrex because it has decades of clinical experience and a familiar tablet, but both are excellent choices.

**Table 2: Typical Adult Dosing for Valtrex / Valaciclovir**
Condition	Typical adult dose	Duration
Cold sores (herpes labialis)	2 g (2000 mg) twice daily for 1 day	1 day
Genital herpes – first episode	500 mg twice daily	5–10 days
Genital herpes – recurrence	500 mg twice daily	3 days
Genital herpes – suppression	500 mg once daily	Ongoing as prescribed
Shingles (herpes zoster)	1 g three times daily	7 days

Always follow your doctor’s or pharmacist’s dosing instructions. Early treatment is best—within 72 hours of symptoms.

Valtrex at Chemist Warehouse

In Australia, you can have your Valtrex or Sandoz valaciclovir prescription filled at Chemist Warehouse. It is one of the most convenient and cost-effective places to buy antiviral medicines. Chemist Warehouse often stocks both the branded Valtrex and generic Sandoz valaciclovir, and their pharmacists can help you understand the price difference and choose what suits your budget. Just take your prescription in person or use their online ordering with an e-prescription.

Valtrex and Qoctor online consult

If you cannot get an appointment with your regular GP, or you want a discreet and fast consultation from home, Qoctor is an Australian telehealth service that can assess your symptoms online and provide a prescription for valaciclovir when appropriate. This is particularly helpful for people who feel embarrassed about discussing genital herpes, or who need a repeat script for cold sores before a big event. A Qoctor online consult can save you time and get your treatment started quickly, without sitting in a waiting room.

Action: Stop the Outbreak Before It Stops You

You do not have to suffer through painful blisters, swollen glands, and days of feeling miserable. Valtrex—or its equally effective generic Sandoz valaciclovir—can dramatically reduce the severity and length of herpes outbreaks. Remember, Valtrex is not an antibiotic; it is a targeted antiviral that works on the herpes virus. If you have tingling, a burning sensation, or the first sign of a blister, act now.

Here is your simple action plan:

Note the early warning signs: tingling, itching, burning, pain, swollen glands.
Book a telehealth consult with Qoctor online or see your GP.
Get your e-prescription for Valtrex or Sandoz valaciclovir.
Take the script to Chemist Warehouse or your local pharmacy.
Start the medicine as soon as possible—ideally within 72 hours.

As an Australian doctor, I want my patients to have the tools to get better faster. Valtrex is one of those tools. Don’t let a herpes outbreak disrupt your life. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist today and take back control.

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