Curious about Valtrex

[WilfredB]

Hi,
My doctor just put me on 1,000mg daily valtrex for supression due to frequent recent outbreaks (and to decrease the risk of transmission).  I realize that individual results will vary, but I was wondering whether some people could write about their experience with Valtrex and how succesful (or not) it was at reducing their outbreaks.
Thanks,

[WilfredB]

Thanks Grace...I've read many of your posts.  You're always thoughtful and your posts are highly appreciated.

[gracefromHHP]

you don't quite sound like a nutjob yet...lol.

My advice is - don't even look at your genital area except for when you dry off when you get out of the shower at this point ( well you can look so that you aim properly when peeing so that your wife doesn't kick you out of the house....he he he ). hypervigilance isn't needed.  also consider following up on this with a dermatologist for a 2nd opinion about your current symptoms. perhaps you have a folliculitis or a fungal infection or something going on that your regular doctor isn't recognizing.  it doesn't sound like it's herpes going on all the time at this point though by no means.

grace

[WilfredB]

Okay, yeah, I know that I sound like a nut job.  Don't worry, I'm seeing a therapist very regularly and trying to cope with my anxiety there (and taking antidepressants).  

This whole diagnosis is just really affecting me and I'm trying to really understand (a) what it is that's happening to my body (b) what the best treatment is (and I trust my provider about this) and (c) how to protect my wife (which I think I understand although we aren't having sex until I understand (a)).  Mostly I guess that it is question (a) that I'm having trouble sorting out at this point.

[WilfredB]

Okay, I'm still trying to get my head around this diagnosis.  I saw my provider (who is  fairly experienced with herpes).  I thought that the very small lesions and marks that I was seeing were pinhead sized vesicles and shallow ulcers.  I have itching, irritation and discomfort. in those areas.  SHe told me that actual lesions would be less subtle (larger) and more easily visible.  She says that the ulcerations would be deeper than what I'm indicating with a more obvious crust.  I'm confused because what I read on the web suggests that the vesicles can be very small and the ulcers subtle without clear crusts. People talk about "paper cut lesions" and I do have areas where the skin has thinned glistening lines.  My doc says that now that I know that I have the diagnosis, I am hypervigilant about the symptoms and may be letting my mind run wild.  I'm still open to that possibility, but would like to know other people's experience with this illness.  How typical or atypical are their actual ulcers.

[WilfredB]

She thought it might be abrasion from self examination and that I was letting my mind run away with me (see below)

[gracefromHHP]

so what "something else" did she feel was going on?

grace

[WilfredB]

Thanks.  I went in to see my provider today.  She said that what I was identifying as outbreaks were something else.  I think that she thought that the changes that I was seeing were to small and "subtle" to be herpes sores.  She thought some of this was coming from my excessive search for ulcers and anxiety.  She also gave me a kit to swab future lesions if I think that they are herpetic.

[gracefromHHP]

you need to go and be seen and get a better work up done if you aren't having relief at this point.

grace

[WilfredB]

Can you tell me how long it took for the Valtrex to make a difference.  I'm still having outbreak after outbreak.

[WilfredB]

THanks, that was the kind of experience I was curious about.  I'm having trouble making sense out of all I've been through lately, but it seems that after having asymptomatic herpes for many years (and not knowing it) I'm now having four months of almost constant outbreaks.  My doc put me on 1,000 mg of Valtrex two weeks ago and I'm hoping to get some relief.  This is intolerable.  I'm having almost constant burining, itching and pain

[gracefromHHP]

well I used to have 20 ob's a year. Suppressive therapy took that down to 3 or 4 initially. Now off suppressive therapy I get 14 ob's a year. on suppressive therapy I get 1 or 2 a year on average.

grace

[WilfredB]

Thanks for the input.  I'm particularly interested in how succesful the meds seem to be at supressing episodes with daily therapy.
WB

[gracefromHHP]

I read thru one of your old posts and know you tested + for hsv1 however that doesn't mean that everything in the oral area, is due to hsv1. definitely follow up on this with your provider and/or ENT specialist for further evaluation to find out what all could be going on. You won't have oral herpes ob's for 6 months straight without relief in between.

grace

[gracefromHHP]

no, you don't get less results over time from taking valtrex.

Odds are that mouth sores inside your mouth as you've described smiley aren't even due to herpes. You can try to get them pcr swabbed within 48 hours of their appearance the next time you have them. Odds are that they are canker sores or something non-herpes going on.

grace

[Smiley939]

i used valtrex about 7 years ago. after childbirth, i had a mouth full of sores for at least 6 months straight. doctor prescribed valtrex (without testing me for herpes...i had no idea it was herpes until same doctor tested me last month). my sores were gone within a few short days. HOWEVER, this relief only lasted about a month, then they returned. i simply treated them myself as i had done since childhood, and within a year, the sores decreased. i began valtrex again last month, taking 1000mg as symptoms appear. i cant tell that it is effective at all. nothing changes when i take it. when discussing this issue with my doctor, he said many of his patients see quick relief at first, but after taking valtrex on a regular basis, it appears to be no longer visibly effective.

if you learn of anything new, please post it. i'm curious also.

[gracefromHHP]

daily suppressive therapy with valtrex reduces shedding by 80-90% and ob's by about 70% on average.  

if you are still having symptoms after about 2 weeks on daily valtrex, see a dermatologist for a further evaluation of your symptoms.

grace