Valtrex versus Acyclovir

[concernedmom4]

Hi Grace:

My daughter was diagnosed with genital herpes and we are trying to support her in her care.  We would love your thoughts on the following:

Her doctor prescribed Valtrex.  We do not have insurance for prescriptions.  Your comments in other threads seem to indicate that taking Acyclovir at 400 mg 2x per day is the equivalent of taking the Valtrex at 500 mg 1x per day.  Is this correct?  I hope so because Valtrex is $225 versus Acyclovir at $17 per month.  

I also spoke to a friend who has had herpes for over 20 years before either drug was around....just topical creams.  She now takes Acyclovir (since it came out) effectively 2x/day with no breakouts.  She ups the dose to 3x per day if she feels something coming on.  I know everyone has a different body chemistry, but do you think she is having such success because perhaps she built up some immunity in the years before the Acyclovir came out?

Finally, the pharmacist I spoke with also indicated that the two options above have the same effect....but I just cannot understand the price differential.  Is there anything in a medical journal or scientific that I can have my daughter read that will support this so that she will not feel she is taking something that will not work?  She has in her mind that Valtrex is the only thing that can work.

This has been emotionally devastating for her - any other advice to get through it?  

Thanks!

[gracefromHHP]

You don't have to be a member to use costco's pharmacy either from what I understand :)


grace

[concernedmom4]

GREAT link - thanks so much for your response.  

For others reading - try CostCo's pharmacy - the best prices I've found so far, except for  the site Grace mentions in the link above.

Thanks again!

[gracefromHHP]

http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/8280?personal_page_id=2773  is a prior journal entry I've made that I think you will find useful reading.

acyclovir is the "original" herpes antiviral. It's been around for about 30 years now. It's available as a cheap generic.  All herpes antivirals since then have had to prove themselves to work just as well to even get fda approval.  It's kinda like the aspirin of herpes drugs :)

Suppressive therapy reduces ob's by 70% and shedding by 80-90%. They really do work well for most folks who use them.

grace