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valtrex or acycolvir?

cb2

Senior Member
Messages
384
HI i would love to get some ideas around making this decision..
i have been trying valtrex since Jan.. i started at 500mg 2x a day and did ok for the first few weeks then i felt horrible and very depressed ( i think the depression was the worst part of "horrible") so i cut it back to 500mg 1x a day..
AND
I am thinking of going back to the acyclovir.. I don’t seem to do well with the Valtrex, or maybe I should buckle down for a month and see if I can get through 2 doses a day at 500mg of the Valtrex??

I looked way back at my labs when I first started the acyclovir and my titers had actually gone down-after a few months on acyclovir. I can’t remember clearly and didn’t take such good notes but I believe I stopped taking the acyclovir consistently and had cut back the dose when i was taking it. which would explain why my titers started going up again.. i thought the medication wasn't working but i realize i wasn't taking it as i was supposed to.


If that is the case than the acyclovir was working for me.. I was sure a lot more active then than I am now.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?
thank you
cb
 

cb2

Senior Member
Messages
384
the Dr first put me on acyclovir, i was taking i think 800mg 3x a day and i believe it brought IGG titers down until I started skipping doses. Which I am only putting 2 and 2 together now- I thought the medicine wasn't working,but it may have been me not using it correctly after the first year i was feeling better I think.

when my labs came back a few months ago with very high titers that is when it was suggested to switch to Valtrex.. however valtrex seems to make me lethargic and depressed.

At this point I am thinking I may do better going back on the acyclovir and sticking to the dose i was originally given in 2011. or do i try to "wait out " the valtrex side effects to see if they pass in a month? i don't deal well with the deep depression.
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
the Dr first put me on acyclovir, i was taking i think 800mg 3x a day and i believe it brought IGG titers down until I started skipping doses. Which I am only putting 2 and 2 together now- I thought the medicine wasn't working,but it may have been me not using it correctly after the first year i was feeling better I think.

when my labs came back a few months ago with very high titers that is when it was suggested to switch to Valtrex.. however valtrex seems to make me lethargic and depressed.

At this point I am thinking I may do better going back on the acyclovir and sticking to the dose i was originally given in 2011. or do i try to "wait out " the valtrex side effects to see if they pass in a month? i don't deal well with the deep depression.


Famvir is an alternative and can be dosed twice a day. Dosing more than twice a day can be hard to manage.
 

leokitten

Senior Member
Messages
1,542
Location
U.S.
Famvir has another advantage over Valtrex (and Zovirax/acyclovir) that it's doesn't cause crystalluria at higher doses. With Valtrex and Zovirax at higher doses you have to always make sure to drink plenty of water to counteract this so that you don't end up with kidney problems.
 

Hutan

Senior Member
Messages
1,099
Location
New Zealand
If acyclovir worked well for you, then going back to it sounds like a good idea.

But as the active ingredient in Valtrex ends up being acyclovir in your body, I wonder if it is the formulation of the other things in the particular brand of Valtrex you are taking that is causing a problem? Perhaps you could try a different brand?
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
I had zero problems with acylcovir, even noticed some mild benefit but I could not take Valtrex due to side effects. I was in a rage of epic proportions and went for a few days before I realized what it was. I stopped the Valtrex and the rage stopped.

Valtrex has lots of side effects that affect our brain so it's entirely possible it is the Valtrex. Between Acyclovir and Famvir, I'm for Famvir.
 

cb2

Senior Member
Messages
384
I could ask them for Famvir.. does anyone know if it gets covered by express scripts? i looked at there site and it didnt look like it but maybe it is not correct. Most of my titers are high EBV and hsv-1
3/17/2015 EBV VCA 10.77 POSITIVE
3/17/2015 HSV-1 10.53
Thanks for the encouragement! I certainly dont need any more brain side effects.. i have a hard enough time already!
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
however valtrex seems to make me lethargic and depressed.
I have been taking Valtrex for 13 days, slowly increasing the dose until I am almost at 500 mgs. So far I am hating the side-effects. For me it is joint and muscle pain, lethargy and constipation. Don't know if I am going to stick this one out!

Sushi
 

geraldt52

Senior Member
Messages
602
I have been taking Valtrex for 13 days, slowly increasing the dose until I am almost at 500 mgs. So far I am hating the side-effects. For me it is joint and muscle pain, lethargy and constipation. Don't know if I am going to stick this one out!

Sushi
By any chance had you previously taken Acyclovir (Zovirax), Sushi? If so, were the side effects the same, or no side effects?
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
I have never had issues with valtrex but for me it didnt do much compared to famvir.

I know a few people who had problems with valtrex who said it was the blue dye in the pills as most i think are blue?? These people had issues with other meds and blue dye also?
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
I have never had issues with valtrex but for me it didnt do much compared to famvir.

I know a few people who had problems with valtrex who said it was the blue dye in the pills as most i think are blue?? These people had issues with other meds and blue dye also?
None of mine have ever been blue. I haven't had any side effects with Valtrex.
 

Sidereal

Senior Member
Messages
4,856
I get issues with Valtrex when I go up to 2000 mg (vertigo). At lower doses I get no negative effects. Slight energy boost, maybe 5% better functioning than usual. My pills are blue. Have tried both brand and generic.
 

cb2

Senior Member
Messages
384
my pills are blue too.. i switched back the acyclovir yesterday and am getting itchy bumps on skin- ..i didnt have that before- so i am hoping it is something else. curious about the blue dye in the pills.. it makes sense to me.
i like the idea of trying famvir if it is covered. otherwise how expensive is it?
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
my pills are blue too.. i switched back the acyclovir yesterday and am getting itchy bumps on skin- ..i didnt have that before- so i am hoping it is something else. curious about the blue dye in the pills.. it makes sense to me.
i like the idea of trying famvir if it is covered. otherwise how expensive is it?

I think it depends on isurance as i have heard some saying they pay approx $10 a month, i guess it depends on how your dr writes it up for insurance companies.

Here in australia im prescribed famvir off label and it costs me $94 a month for 250mg twice a day.
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
I usually take Apotex. I got a different one another time but didn't notice a difference. They are white.

Acyclovir is blue usually I think. So is Valtrex.

I can't take Valtrex but I'm fine with acyclovir so for me it's not the dye.