Valtrex Woes

[JuliaB]

Three weeks ago my doctor prescribed Valtrex to treat HHV 6. He would like me to be on 1000 mg (1 gm tablet) 2 x's daily. I am struggling to get up to 1000 mg a day. I have been cutting the tablets in half and am taking 500 mg in the morning and 500 mg in the evening. I am experiencing the crawling sensation in my arms and legs that is very much like Herxheimer symptoms. I am very familiar with Herxheimer syndrome due to treating candida overgrowth over the last several years but, I also know that viruses don't die off like bacteria. Has anyone else experienced Herx-like symptoms on Valtrex? If so, did they ease up after time? I am trying to decide if I need to just continue powering through all the symptoms in hope that they will subside or if I need to consider talking with my doc about another medication.
Thanks for your time!
Julia

 

[minkeygirl]

Herx symptoms are from bacterial die-off. Since HHV6 is a virus that is not what you are experiencing.

However you can have issues from antivirals.

Most will tell you to start really low and go up slowly. So maybe you need to cut them down even more and start with 250 1x day for a few days. Then add another 250. Stabilize on that and add another 250 etc until you are at your dose. Then is no rule of thumb that you have to take so much to start.

I was never able to take Valtrex because I had the side effect of rage from it but I have been able to take Famvir. I had to start and stop that a few times because I took too much to fast.

If after cutting way back and going slower you still have problems, maybe think about changing then.

 

[antares4141]

I just started at a dose of valacyclovir 2 1gm (1000 mg) a day. Had my third dose this morning. So far don't feel better or worse. Hope this continues. I have antibiotics that I did a course of roughly 3 months ago and herxed at first to the point I had to stop. Digestive tract seemed to shut down, flue like fatigue to the point of bed ridden. Eventually after I stopped puked waited about a day than started slowly eating solid food again. 3 days later tried a smaller dose and the benefits were profound. All cfs symptoms including pem were drastically reduced and stayed that way for about 3 months.

Only reason I didn't start abx again is I wanted to have a clear impression of any benefits from the antivirals. Didn't even consider that if I herxed I would not know which medication was responsible or if it was a combination of the two.

Took roughly a 20 day course of abx and quit cause I was starting to herx again. But a lot of the positive effects stuck for about two months.

Still wonder how much is environmental. Spent 3 weeks in denver and south dakota and when I got back immediately started feeling crappy. Almost as much as before I started the abx. Which seems to be the case every time I come back home to truth or consequences, nm.

 

[Sushi]

Still wonder how much is environmental. Spent 3 weeks in denver and south dakota and when I got back immediately started feeling crappy. Almost as much as before I started the abx. Which seems to be the case every time I come back home to truth or consequences, nm.

Do you have environmental issues in Truth or Consequences? I am north of you in Albuquerque (higher I think) and find it a good climate for me.

Sushi

 

[antares4141]

I've always crashed when coming back from fl and nc. Which I do once or twice a year. Just took a trip to sd and co in my new camper. Thinking being less airborne dust, mold & other allergins. (This time of year) Didn't notice much of an improvement when I left but got slammed when I came back. Other factors to consider though. I tried eating nuts granola, gf rice checks around the same time. I always try to keep in mind when these things happen not to place too much stock into any one thing. And beat myself up for lacking self discipline when it comes to food. I only spent 3 weeks up n. If I didn't have obligations here I would drive back up. Just kind of stressful finding places to stay and not a whole lot to do. Which really doesn't matter cause when my symptoms are bad I can't do anything anyways.

 

[Matt_C]

When I first started Valtrex I had an increase in fatigue and other symptoms but it didn't last long. I started with 500mg, then 1000mg, then 1500mg a day. I stopped taking it for a week or so to speak with doc about the symptoms, then I found Dr Lerner's protocol and started taking 4000mg a day (1000mg four times per day). I found I tolerated the higher doses better than the lower doses.