Antivirals arent a cure, but they can help the right people that fit that sub group. If one has co-infections with lyme or other bacterial infections then improvement in viral infections can be masked by these bacterial infections??
The other difficult thing is actually getting a 100% diagnosis that the herpes viruses are reactivating because they cant really tell, high titres are a guide as well as some other immune tests such as lymphocyte subset testing. Also if one has a low nk function then it just makes it more possible that the herpes viruses can reactivate as its the job of nk cells to fight these infections??
The only way to know is to trial the antivirals and if after 3-6months these arent helping then either stop and look elsewhere for issues or possibly continue and look into possible bacterial co-infections. Some doctors may just trial one on a long term dose of doxycycline. But its not black and white.
I think people have to realise that its a long term committment financially, as well as getting results.
I think many of us have stopped and started when we first used antivirals as we sometimes forget how bad we felt. So one could improve from a 4 out of 10 to a 7 and still feel like crap and stop av's, then realise that going back to a 4 out of 10 is so much worse. Then we go back on the avs.
I dont want people to think its a magical cure, but for the right people it can improve ones symptoms and function. I emphasis this as many people have tried avs unsuccessfully but i think its worth a shot, it can be a shot in the dark though but one can get lucky