famvir stronger then valtrex??

[heapsreal]

In my previous post i mention im going back on famvir after being on valtrex now for 7 months and prior to that 12 months on famvir. My personal experience with the 2 drugs is that i feel famvir is more effective, while googling/researching i came accross an interesting article , just remember famvir converts to penciclovir in the body :-

It is the oral form of penciclovir, a nucleoside
analogue, which has a similar antiviral spectrum to acyclovir for
the herpesviruses with approximately similar potency, although
penciclovir generates higher intracellular triphosphate concentrations.
In tissue culture experiments, penciclovir triphosphate
was reported to have a prolonged intracellular half-life; 1020 h
in herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1- and HSV-2-infected cells
compared with 0.71 h in HSV-1- and HSV-2-infected cells
for acyclovir (Crumpacker et al., 1996).

I wonder if its prolonged intracellular half life is why I find it more effective. Even though it doesnt refer to ebv, Im sure it would also have an increased effect.

Time will tell as i have just finished my first day back on famvir.

cheers!!!

 

[heapsreal]

Heres a link showing how famvir is effective against hep B, http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/daae.htm mmmmm i wonder what else its effective against.

 

[heapsreal]

after being on valtrex for 6 months or so and now changing back to famvir Im starting to feel better again. Ive been back on famvir(250mg twice day) now for about 2 weeks. For some reason i think famvir is a better match for me, more time will tell.

cheers!!!

 

[slayadragon]

I think this varies from person to person, perhaps depending on the exact types/strains of viruses that are present.

My longtime CFS physician, Dr. Dale Guyer of Indianapolis, seems to use Famvir more often than Valtrex though.

Best, Lisa

 

[maryb]

Heapsreal which viruses have you tested positive for, I have chronic high levels EBV and low level CMV results, fe;t bad on generic Valtrex.

 

[Navid]

after being on valtrex for 6 months or so and now changing back to famvir Im starting to feel better again. Ive been back on famvir(250mg twice day) now for about 2 weeks. For some reason i think famvir is a better match for me, more time will tell.

cheers!!!

i'm on valtrex now too....for hi ebv titres...curious what viruses you are fighting....wondering if i'd be better served by famvir.

i feel a teeny tiny bit better on valtrex but still super duper fatigued.

thanks, shebacat

 

[upnorth]

I may try a round of antivirals. My specialist gave me famvir to try. I tryed valtrex a couple years ago for 3 months but didn't notice much difference. Harpsreal, are you the only one here who's tryed famvir (called famciclovir in Canada). How long have you been on it? Do you notice a reduction in viral symptoms? If so, which ones? Look forward to hearing from anyone else who's tried this.

 

[heapsreal]

before cfs i have tested positive for cmv but onset on cfs was with ebv and chickenpox, Ive had elevated lymphocytes the whole time and these came down when i did my initial 12 months on famvir but after changing to valtrex is when i went backwards, this might be due to a to lower dose of valtrex (compared to lerners study)as i was only on 500mg twice a day and like ive mention in this post, famvir has a longer intracellular half life.

 

[upnorth]

Which symptoms did you find relief from? Or was it overall energy?....just curious.

 

[heapsreal]

Hi up north,

the first time i used famvir improvement was very suttle, didnt seem to crash as bad, brain fog clearing etc, in 12 months i went from a 5-6 to an 8-9 out of 10. Now on my second round with famvir although early days, i have just noticed a global improvement in energy and endurance, not alot but better then i was. I will give it a good 3 months first as this helps to rule out the cfs variable of ups and downs.

cheers!!!

 

[upnorth]

Thanks heapsreal....
Sounds like it's had a positive effect on you.

I'm having some major side effects unfortunately even on a low dose. I don't know if I'll be able to stick it out, but I'm going to try.

I have a very "immune" or "viral" case of post infectious M.E./CFS so my Dr. thought it was worth a try.
I'll let you know how it goes.

Like you mention, with the M.E. ups and downs I'll have to stick it out for a while to really know if it's making a difference for me.

 

[heapsreal]

Hi upnorth,
what sort of reaction are u having? Also what av are u taking and what dose? Its hard to tell if something is happening as u already know its so up and down with this illness anyway. If u can i would try and stick it out for 3 months, also try and split your dose to atleast twice a day as these drugs have short half lifes . I dont know if its ever really been answered but some say they have a die reaction but i wonder if its somethings else as these av's dont directly kill viruses just stop them replicating and hopefully reduce your viral load down to a level your immune system can handle. I never had any negative reactions to av's, but like we all know, everyone is different. The only other advise i can give is try to rest up and get good sleep, medicated or not, this go's along way in helping your immune system.

cheers!

 

[upnorth]

Hi heapsreal,

I'm on Famciclovir which is the same as Famvir...low dose - 250mg twice a day but now went down to 1/2 pill two times a day for a few days. Severe nausea and headache. I don't get nausea with M.E. so it is most definitely the famciclovir. When I tried valtrex I also had side effects but they were bearable (headache dizziness) so I used it for 3 months before stopping because I really noticed no difference. This time the headache could be the OI which is also worse the last few days.

 

[Sandrawall]

Is it because famvir is lesser dosage than valtrex. I am having generic famvir, this is also very good. Is their any one who had generic famvir?

 

[nventor]

Hello heapsreal and everyone,
Any thoughts about taking Famvir with Immunivor? I have posted before that I have HHV-6, EBV, Lyme, high Monocytes and low Lymphs
and multiple visits to multiple ID's that question if any of these can even be treated. I know, find a new doc, but in the interim, I feel like I have to
do something and my GP is willing to try and help me as he has known me for years and realizes how sick I have become.

Regards,

 

[upnorth]

Hi nventor,
I couldn't find much at all about the use of Famvir or famcilovir (same thing) in M.E./CFS. I know people who've tried Valcyte (and had some good improvement - although not a cure) and Dr. Learner treats with valtrex and occationally famciclovir. Funny, my tests seem to run with a Low WBC and occationally neutropenia which sounds the opposite of you? All I know are the side effects for me were pretty bad so I've gone off the famciclovir for a while.

 

[heapsreal]

hi nventor, i cant see a reason not to use immunovir with av's, but i would use the av's by themselves for a few months to judge their effectiveness then add the immunovir and see if u get a boost, then maybe go off av's and stay on immunovir. Im going to try something similar with cycloferon soon which is an immune modulator similar to immunovir. The av's can help beat the virus down but us folks with cfs have poor natural killer cell function which in normal people is enough to stop these viruses from reactivating, so adding immunovir strengthen nk cell function which will help your immune system deal with these viral reactivations as well as other infections that may crop up. Drugs like immunovir and cycloferon are what is termed interferon induces which have antiviral activity and also directly strengthen your immune system(nkcells), the drug ampligen works like this but in alot more powerful way, but we have to use the tools we have at our exposel.

keep us all posted on how u go,
cheers!!!

 

[heapsreal]

upnorth, u may find some help with broad range antibiotics like doxycycline with immunovir

 

[consuegra]

Dr. Dale Guyer's idea with AV's is to start slow and build slowly. He uses acyclovir, and Famvir and occasionally Valcyte. His idea is to perhaps eventually take some of each, and at the same time. His thought is that no one knows the activity of these antivirals in ME/CFS and it is not clear which viruses are being inhibited, even among those viruses that can be identified as suspects. He also believes that a very small dosage of any particular AV can be beneficial as no one really knows the dosage level needed for ME/CFS patients. So dosage is based on tolerance. In other words, cut back if you get a reaction and stabilize at tolerance level and try then to build slowly. People are different in their reactions to these drugs and Dr. Guyer cautions to go slow. He also advocates building the immune system prior to the introduction of AV's. My daughter is on acyclovir and is starting Famvir. She takes 125 mg of Famvir and it drags her down. The plan is to advance by half a 125 mg pill per month if possible.

Chris

http://cfspatientadvocate.blogspot.com

 

[upnorth]

Thanks for the ideas heapsreal....I'm not sure if my Dr./specialist would go for an antibiotic, but I'll ask her about the immunovir.

Thanks for the info consuegra, I had so much trouble finding much on famvir/famciclovir and ME/CFS. I may try again, but even at 1/2 250mg pill two times a day I felt like I was WORSE for fatigue and viral symptoms....It's good to hear that I'm not the only one with this reaction "She takes 125mg of Famvir and it drags her down"....how long do you expect she'll keep on it before she decides whether or not its working?