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Will valtrex help hhv6 (low levels)?

Clerner

Senior Member
Messages
249
Location
Sarasota Florida
Test results: very high ebv titers, but just found out i have hhv6 was 1:40 (in range is <1:20), and parvovirus 1.9 igg (in ran<0.9).

Slight hhv6 and parvovirus are " past infections" according to test.

Will valtrex 3 g/day be enough in light of hhv6 and parvovirus? Or will I need anything possibly for hhv6 and parvo?

Thanks for any info on these 2 co-infections. Hopeful....
 

Ellkaye

Senior Member
Messages
163
Get your cd4 count and cd8 count tested and report back with your values and ratios.

The question u ask is a secondary one.

U have time. How sick are u? What s your function % on the lerner/bell scales.

Dont rush into anything.
Maybe u dont have ME.
Maybe you do
 
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Clerner

Senior Member
Messages
249
Location
Sarasota Florida
Thanks! I have been diagnosed with ME by Dr Dantini. Really high ebv titers for well over a year now and all the symptoms including vertigo. Already started valtrex 2 wks ago. In light of the 2 new viruses, just wondering if other combo of antivirals. Seems like just slight elevation on hhv6.

Who tests for cd4 and cd8? Dr Dantini just said likely Nk cells are likely and told me how to get them up naturally.

Not working and have been pretty sick. Get out of the house only for a few hrs.

Thanks for your response!
 

Ellkaye

Senior Member
Messages
163
perhaps get the cd4 count and cd8 count and cd4 cd8 ratio. If possible get your cd3 count too. Must be able to get these done wherever u are in the world.....even if your total lymphocyte count is okay u need your cd3, cd4, cd8 values and ratios..

That's your first step. Look forward to your response. What % are u on on the Bell disability scale? 35-40% ??

AaaaaaNd the BAND PLAYS on.........
We will leave no man behind. Lots of fallen victims out there.
It's time it stopped. Time to help the individual next to you and when they're better they ll help just one more and so on. One by one.
 
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SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
Slight hhv6 and parvovirus are " past infections" according to test.
Almost everyone has positive titres to some combination of EBV, HHV6, CMV, VZV, HSV because we've all been exposed to these pathogens and should be producing some antibodies to them. A positive titre alone is nothing to be concerned about as a general rule. High titres years after the initial infection along with symptoms of the infection are another matter.

In your shoes, I'd go by Dr Dantini's interpretation of your pathogen test results. If he thinks your test results don't indicate a current infection then I wouldn't be concerned. If he feels they are infections that need treating, then I assume he will give you treatment.

In some cases, the specialist will treat the most important infection aggressively and hope that once the immune system is not so taxed with that one, it will be better able to handle the less serious infections. Only if those infections persist do they add in additional antiviral treatments. In other cases, the specialist will use multiple antivirals. That seems to happen most often when there are multiple high titres.

Valtrex is not a particularly good AV for HHV6, although it has some activity. It may be sufficient if you really only need to keep it suppressed.

Dr Dantini knows his stuff. If he's not ordering treatment for HHV6 and parvo, you probably don't need it... yet anyway. If you have questions about those pathogens, it would be worth asking Dr D what he's thinking about those results.
Who tests for cd4 and cd8? Dr Dantini just said likely Nk cells are likely and told me how to get them up naturally.
Some ME/CFS specialists do large immune function workups. NOVA University's Institute of Neuroimmune Medicine in Miami FL is one of them. Neither of those tests is absolutely necessary in order to get treatment for ME, they are indicators of immune function. Since there is no direct treatment for abnormal CD4 and CD8 cell numbers, you will have to decide what benefit you would get from having those tests. Dr D probably did not think you would get enough benefit to justify the cost. A majority of ME patients have low NK cell function which does seem to respond to certain treatments in some cases. It sounds like Dr D is on top of that.

I'd say you'll get better, more knowledgeable answers to your questions from Dr D than from a bunch of strangers on the internet. :) The best we can tell you is our experience or what we'ver heard from our doctors, or read in research papers.
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
Dr Dantini knows his stuff. If he's not ordering treatment for HHV6 and parvo, you probably don't need it... yet anyway. If you have questions about those pathogens, it would be worth asking Dr D what he's thinking about those results.

Some ME/CFS specialists do large immune function workups. NOVA University's Institute of Neuroimmune Medicine in Miami FL is one of them. Neither of those tests is absolutely necessary in order to get treatment for ME, they are indicators of immune function. Since there is no direct treatment for abnormal CD4 and CD8 cell numbers, you will have to decide what benefit you would get from having those tests. Dr D probably did not think you would get enough benefit to justify the cost. A majority of ME patients have low NK cell function which does seem to respond to certain treatments in some cases. It sounds like Dr D is on top of that.

I'd say you'll get better, more knowledgeable answers to your questions from Dr D than from a bunch of strangers on the internet. :) The best we can tell you is our experience or what we'ver heard from our doctors, or read in research papers.

Exactly what I would say. Since you're lucky enough to have a doc who actually gets it why ask here?
 

Jonathan Edwards

"Gibberish"
Messages
5,256
Test results: very high ebv titers, but just found out i have hhv6 was 1:40 (in range is <1:20), and parvovirus 1.9 igg (in ran<0.9).

Slight hhv6 and parvovirus are " past infections" according to test.

Will valtrex 3 g/day be enough in light of hhv6 and parvovirus? Or will I need anything possibly for hhv6 and parvo?

Thanks for any info on these 2 co-infections. Hopeful....

You clearly ned to take your physician's advice here but if these are past infections then no treatment would be needed.
 

Clerner

Senior Member
Messages
249
Location
Sarasota Florida
In some cases, the specialist will treat the most important infection aggressively and hope that once the immune system is not so taxed with that one, it will be better able to handle the less serious infections. Only if those infections persist do they add in additional antiviral treatments. In other cases, the specialist will use multiple antivirals. That seems to happen most often when there are multiple high titres.
Thanks for the response. I understand what you are saying. I agree that a c4, CA testing not necessary. I am VERY thankful to have dr Dantini's help! I guess I am only curious as to how one can tell which is the "primary infection" what if my parvo is truly the culprit here? 6 months on valtrex won't help. Ebv is and continues to be high, ( for over a year) but I have never been tested for parvo before now. Maybe I have had that that for longer? I hear the only help for parvo is ivig. Just curious..
 

Clerner

Senior Member
Messages
249
Location
Sarasota Florida
your questions from Dr D than from a bunch of strangers on the internet. :) The best we can tell you is our experience or what we'ver heard from our doctors, or read i
Dantini gave Rx valtrex based on high ebv and waiting for other results (phone consult only) that are now in and his nurse just said to stay on valtrex. I guess after 6 months of valtrex I could possibly see if maybe treating the parvo would help....
 

Clerner

Senior Member
Messages
249
Location
Sarasota Florida
Again, just not sure how one would know
Dantini gave Rx valtrex based on high ebv and waiting for other results (phone consult only) that are now in and his nurse just said to stay on valtrex. I guess after 6 months of valtrex I could possibly see if maybe treating the parvo would help....

Sorry about the above post! Ugh!
@Jonathan Edwards. I am definitely following the dr's advice. But, I feel it is always necessary to research and advocate for yourself. Asking questions is important as doctors do not know everything.
 

Clerner

Senior Member
Messages
249
Location
Sarasota Florida
For what it's worth my IgG titer from Quest/Focus was 1:80 and Stanford did not think it was significant at all.
This does help, but I guess I was more worried about parvo. How do they know if ebv or parvo is the primary virus. I guess if I don't get better on valtrex I will suspect parvo might be problem...thanks again.
 

halcyon

Senior Member
Messages
2,482
This does help, but I guess I was more worried about parvo. How do they know if ebv or parvo is the primary virus. I guess if I don't get better on valtrex I will suspect parvo might be problem...thanks again.
I would look up Kerr's work on parvovirus B19 associated CFS. The cases he talks about have positive B19 IgM antibodies and they find the viral DNA in the blood. Perhaps if your doctor thinks it's warranted you can obtain some further testing for this.
 

SOC

Senior Member
Messages
7,849
Dantini gave Rx valtrex based on high ebv and waiting for other results (phone consult only) that are now in and his nurse just said to stay on valtrex. I guess after 6 months of valtrex I could possibly see if maybe treating the parvo would help....
FWIW, my parvo went from low positive (by PCR) to negative after 3-6 months of Equilibrant on the advice of my ME specialist. It was more a "this is worth a try since there isn't an established medication for parvo" rather than "this will definitely work."