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Anything I should know before starting valacyclovir?

ChookityPop

Senior Member
Messages
583
Is there anything I should know? What are the risks for ME patients?

I already drink lots of water. Plan on taking 1g 3x a day every 8 hours.

I have taken it sporadically in the past with no issues. I also was mild/moderate at the time. I also got better at that time though I dont know if it was because of the Valtrex as I took it quite sporadically.

What dose have people had the most success with?

1g 3x a day is the optimal dose as I understand it.
 

Shanti1

Administrator
Messages
3,139
I started valacyclovir at the end of July. Here are some things I noted from my own experience:
  • My lymph node swelling/tenderness decreased within the first week and was gone by the first month. My brain fog also improved to some degree
  • The first generic they gave me were large dark blue tablets and the second refill was a different generic that were large white tablets. I discovered I tolerate the blue tablets much better than the white and the pharmacy now has it noted on my account to always fill the Rx with the blue
  • I experience side effects if I take the prescribed dose of one 3x/day. The side effects are similar to my ME/CFS symptoms of fatigue and brain fog, but they decrease if I lower the dose. I am currently taking 1g day before bed (so I can sleep it off) and I will take 2-3 g/day on the weekends to hit it harder (I am still able to work from home during the weekdays). I was bordering on moderate and valacyclovir and a couple of other things have helped me to move back into a solid mild.
I sure hope that you have a good result!
 

Shanti1

Administrator
Messages
3,139
Yeah Dosage above 1g hitting harder and are much more toxic to Mitochondria.
I get slightly Energy boost but at the same time fatigue increases.

Yes, exactly.

@Shant1 is it Bluefish Valaciclovir?

Not sure if it is bluefish... this is what it looks like on one side. The other side has an F on the left and is blank on the right. Have you also found that you tolerate one type of generic better?
1632933974674.jpeg
 

Pyrrhus

Senior Member
Messages
4,172
Location
U.S., Earth
Yeah Dosage above 1g hitting harder and are much more toxic to Mitochondria.

Actually, the active ingredient in valacyclovir - acyclovir - is relatively harmless to mitochondria because it is only activated in infected cells and has no effect in uninfected cells.

There are other antivirals that can be harmful to mitochondria in uninfected cells, but acyclovir is not one of them.

Mitochondrial toxicity is relatively low because acyclovir is activated only in infected cells by the promiscuous viral thymidine kinase and otherwise, mitochondrial toxicity would accumulate during long term treatment.
Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17573351/
 
Last edited:

DrUniverse

Godfather
Messages
154

nerd

Senior Member
Messages
863
Could also be. Which Brand is blue then?

I'm not sure. I had blue one before. Now I have the original Valtrex which is white.

Well for me above 2g Hits noticable

You might notice the downstream effects of its interaction in bone marrow cells or in kidney tubular cells. You'd notice a change in standard blood markers such as gamma globulins, albumin, thrombocytes, erythrocytes.
 

ChookityPop

Senior Member
Messages
583
I started valacyclovir at the end of July. Here are some things I noted from my own experience:
  • My lymph node swelling/tenderness decreased within the first week and was gone by the first month. My brain fog also improved to some degree
  • The first generic they gave me were large dark blue tablets and the second refill was a different generic that were large white tablets. I discovered I tolerate the blue tablets much better than the white and the pharmacy now has it noted on my account to always fill the Rx with the blue
  • I experience side effects if I take the prescribed dose of one 3x/day. The side effects are similar to my ME/CFS symptoms of fatigue and brain fog, but they decrease if I lower the dose. I am currently taking 1g day before bed (so I can sleep it off) and I will take 2-3 g/day on the weekends to hit it harder (I am still able to work from home during the weekdays). I was bordering on moderate and valacyclovir and a couple of other things have helped me to move back into a solid mild.
I sure hope that you have a good result!

Thanks for sharing! Thats great to hear you feel better on it! Very interesting with the decrease in lymph node swelling. Why would this happen you think?

And how long have you been on it and how long are you planning on taking it?
 

Shanti1

Administrator
Messages
3,139
Thanks for sharing! Thats great to hear you feel better on it! Very interesting with the decrease in lymph node swelling. Why would this happen you think?

I believe my ME/CFS is linked to a severe case of mono I had as a child. My EBV IgG levels were above the detection limit. I think the EBV reactivation was either occurring directly in my lymph nodes or was occurring elsewhere, picked up by the lymph, and then initiating the proliferation of immune cells in the lymph nodes (which makes them swell). Stopping the viral replication keeps the virus in its non-replicating plasmid form and stops the immune activation.

And how long have you been on it and how long are you planning on taking it?

I am thinking to go for at least 6 months. At this point, when I try to stop, my lymph swelling begins to return.
 
Messages
44
I have been taking valtrex 3g daily for 40 days now with no improvements.

My tablets are white. I didn’t know there was a blue one, that’s interesting