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Is Valacyclovir (valtrex) working for active CMV?

Messages
37
hello everyone...

I am positive for CMV and EBV.. and thats pretty sure now because i've verified the antibody-tests (IgG and IgM) with a lymphocyte-transformation-test. It shows active Varicella zoster virus and CMV actually.. EBV looks like in latent phase, but i had some slightly positive EarlyAntigens to it.. so it could be mildly reactivated... but thats not the culprit right now...

3 Months ago i started my antiviral protocol... (my second, because the 1st was 2012 with 5 Months on low dose valcyte). My CMV titers went down from 27 (with valcyte) to 18 (with famvir) to 12 (everything above 3-4 is positive.. ). I took the Valcyte only 1 months because i was afraid of the side effects.. especially the carciogenic. So i was highly positive for CMV. With the valcyte, i wanted to break down the viral load quickly.. and then switch to another antiviral with lower side effects... i switched to Famvir and took it 6 weeks. The first 2-3 weeks on 500mg/day.. then 1x1000mg/day for 2-3 weeks. But i didnt felt very good on it.. i mean.. i felt better then before the second treatment started.. but it felt like i was slipping backwards.. and that happend. Wednesday last week i dropped the Famvir because i was sick, but instead of getting better.. i got worse and worse.. friday was the worst day i felt a long time, especially the "psycho" symptoms were very strong. On satureday i got some valaciclovir.. because i read, that valaciclovir 3000mg/day is making 2 times higher plasma peak levels then famvir 1500mg/day. I thought, ok, maybe the Famvir isn't working on 1000mg/day but it is too expensive to take it on 1500 or more a day...
When i got the valaciclovir, i took 1500mg right away and another 1500mg later. My symptoms improved.. and yesterday too. I know it sounds weird, because we are thinking in months mainly.. but i swear.. the really bad symptoms i got on friday went away with the valacyclovir.

Because of the fact, that Famvir with a "low" dose of 1000mg/day took down the CMV Viral load from 18 to 12, i wanted to ask, if someone has experience with treating CMV with valacyclovir (valtrex)?? I know, Dr. Lerner says for CMV Valcyte is needed.. but like i said, i would like to avoid it if possible. I want to increase my Valacyclovir-dosage to 4500mg/day and stay on it for a few weeks.. then do some new tests and take a look on the titer. Of course.. this trial depends on my symptoms.. when i got my old symptoms back over a few days.. i will switch to Valcyte again and stick with it.


best regards and sry for my english (i'm from germany)

Edit: the weird thing is, with Famvir the CMV titer fell from 18 to 12.. and i felt "ok" on it.. but since 1 week i didn't felt ok on it anymore.. i dont think that it stopped working..
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
@copi2k
I have posted alot about how famvir helps me and symptoms worsen when i stop famvir. I only use 250mg twice a day. I have used valcyte too.

I have used valtrex at 1000mg twice a day and had viral reactivations while on it. I think there might be something to combining famvir/valtrex but no studies on it.

Only way to know is to try things.

I also wonder if you are having an iris reaction with famvir which is immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. This happens in hiv where the viral load is lowered and the immune system starts to fire up and killing other infections. Hard to know if thats happening but possible if its lowering your viral load ?
 
Messages
37
hi heaps,

i dont know if it was a iris like reaction.. i cought a cold 3-4 weeks ago and didnt recover really from it. Then about 2 weeks ago while i upped the Famvir 500--> 1000mg/day I had 4-5 days nightsweats and just felt like having the flu. Maybe it would be worth trying 3000-4500mg valtrex and 500mg Famvir a day.. but yeah that's the weird thing... like i said, my titers went down quite good with famvir so it should work.
My Immunesystem will be checked next week and I will start with delimmun and autohaemotherapy with ongoing antiviral treatment for EBV and CMV.
Actually i got so far, that when i relax in the evening.. taking a hot bath and lay down in the couch to watch tv...I have nearly 0 symptoms. Honestly I forgot how that feels like... 1-2 years ago I couldn't imagine to reach such a "level of recovery".. but for me, it is far away from recovery. Recovery for me is when you can drop your antivirals and work and do sports normally like a healthy guy.. without problems, that is recovery. Recovery for me is not, that I am symptomfree while taking antivirals and can't do sports.

best regards
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
@copi2k
I agree with your definition of recovery and why i keep persuing it.

I'm currently able to work part time but good for nothin outside of that, as my gym equipment gathers more cob webs and dust.

Antivirals plus other things are helping me get to my current level but if i stop, i drop quite a bit with cmv viral symptoms or shingles.

Need a good antiviral that clears the viruses from our bodies not just stop them replicating ? ?
 
Messages
37
For CMV a new antiviral is in phase 3 (Letermovir) and has nearly none sideeffects.. the management said, that they plan to get the drug on the market in 2016.. maybe this could safe us?
In my opinion, our immune-system is dysregulated and can't fight the virus effectly, we need to push the viral load down but at the same time it is necessary to get out immunsystem checked and to stimulate it... to "switch it on"..
Did you try immunovir or something like that to boost your immune system?
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,089
Location
australia (brisbane)
For CMV a new antiviral is in phase 3 (Letermovir) and has nearly none sideeffects.. the management said, that they plan to get the drug on the market in 2016.. maybe this could safe us?
In my opinion, our immune-system is dysregulated and can't fight the virus effectly, we need to push the viral load down but at the same time it is necessary to get out immunsystem checked and to stimulate it... to "switch it on"..
Did you try immunovir or something like that to boost your immune system?


Yes i tried immunovir while on famvir and a very slight increase in nk numbers. At the start of the year i stopped avs and remained on immunovir and had a shingles outbreak on my head. So for me it wasnt effective enough to keep viruses down or cheap enough to justify it. If it was dirt cheap i would keep using it .

I've used a russian immune modulator / interferon inducer called cycloferon . I did feel better on this and at the time i had several nk function tests which showed it increased my nk function significantly . But what i found over time the effects wore off. I dont think its meant to be used continuously . Information on it shows its used in 10 to 20 dose treatment cycles and then repeated at a later date . Maybe good for viral crash or something like that.

I have used ahcc mushroom extract for several months. I didnt notice any improvement in symptoms and no increase in nk numbers. Unable to get nk function test while on this .

Its really hard to find something that actually works on nk function long term. Research on nk cells is still quite limited, but I think its moving in that direction as a cancer treatment, getting nk cells to kill cancer cells.
 

Wonkmonk

Senior Member
Messages
1,006
Location
Germany
Hi @copi2k, I know it's an old thread, but I'd be keen to know how it went for you.

Did the Valacyclovir work?

How are you doing now? Are you still having therapy?

Kind regards, also from Germany ;)