Generic Valtrex Less Effective?

[Maggie2007]

Hi all,

Do you find the generic version of Valtrex less effective?

I was diagnosed with genital herpes about ten years. I would take 250 mg of Valtrex (name brand) for a couple of days when I felt an outbreak coming on and it was very effective (although with side effects…stomach upset and sometimes a headache if I didn't drink enough water while taking it).

I was given a generic form (Roxane Labs) about four months and honestly wondered if they gave me the wrong medication because I didn't get the usual results even after taking 500 mg or 750 mg per day. Recently I felt an outbreak coming on, so I took the Roxane Labs pills for a day or two and didn't notice improvement, then my outbreak became horrible. I took 1g (1000mg) of pills from the Ranbaxy Lab twice a day for two days. Slight improvement, but still pretty darn bad.

I thought there was some sort to rule that generic has to be within 10% of potency (something like that) of the name brand. But I really think there is something about the generic that isn't as effective. This outbreak is almost as bad as my first outbreak ten years ago and I took some generic pills when I felt it coming on. Very strange.

Anyone have this experience?

[KAMYN]

Generic valacyclovir and brand name Valtrex are not the exact same formula. The generic is not nealry as effective. I took the brand name valtrex by GlaxoSmithKline for 9 yrs with ZERO outbreaks. My insurance changed last year and they will no longer pay for the brand name. In the 9 months I've been taking the same dose of the generic valacyclovir, I've had several outbreaks. I've tried 3 different generic manufacturers without success. Its very frustrating that my insurance company won't pay for the drug I need to manage my condition. They are currently paying 335$ a month for a generic medication that has little to no effect on managing my symptoms. I've filed an appeal with my insurance company and have been denied. I'm seriously considering paying the 4500$ a year cost out of pocket to keep my HSV2 under control. I'm a married woman, my husband doesn't have the virus and we want to keep it that way. I hate the fact that the generic manufacturers claim it has the same effectiveness bc it doesn't. Many people have the same experience with the generic, it just simply doesnt work as well as the brand name Valtrex.

[HowardH]

If your symptoms are now improving with Diflucan, and since they didn't respond to Valtrex, a yeast infection is the best bet. Let us know what your gyn says.

[Maggie2007]

Hi gracefromHHP,

Yes, they tested me for yeast, BV, Trich, Chlamydia, Gonnorhea, and my urine for a UTI.

I got the results yesterday - all were negative (well, for UTI they said the bacteria was below what they'd prescribe medication for).

Yes, I was taking Valtrex (generic) at the time of the culture because initially I thought it was an outbreak.

[gracefromHHP]

gotta love places that just throw something at you and hope it works :(  did they even test you for yeast and bacterial infections vaginally?

were you still taking valtrex at the time of the culture?

following up with your regular gyn is a great idea :)

[Maggie2007]

I went to an urgent care center (I was desperate) where they tested me for a few STDs but not all of them and gave me diflucan in case it was a severe yeast infection (even though I never had one before). I plan to go to my GYN this week.

Thank you!

[HowardH]

It's not a ridiculous question at all. But no, this isn't a risk. People with HSV are immune (or at least very resistant) to new infections (anywhere on the body) with the same virus type they already have. Therefore, couples who share an infection with HSV2 (or HSV1) do not "ping pong" their infections back and forth.

Anyway, glad to hear you're in care for the current problem. Presumably the test result you're waiting for is a swab test for the virus (culture or PCR), right? Let us know the result and we'll take it from there.

[Maggie2007]

Howard H - Thanks for your reply. I went to the doc on Thursday and am waiting results. At first I thought for sure it was Herpes…but now am wondering….

This may be a ridiculous questions…do you know…so I have HSV2…could I get a worse outbreak after having sex with someone that also has HSV2? I wonder if my partner got HSV2 from me at one point…maybe he was shedding the virus and didn't know…and I got an outbreak as a result. The other day this felt just like the first time I had an outbreak (all the physical symptoms). Hoping I get the results soon.

[HowardH]

Generic valacyclovir is equally effective as the Valtrex brand. If it isn't working, it suggests that the problem isn't herpes. Probably the best approach at this point is to promptly (within a couple of days) get professionally examined to confirm the diagnosis of the current problem. I'm not necessarily doubting that you have genital herpes, just questioning this particular episode.

Alternatively, is there any possibility you have newly acquired herpes? For example, if you previously had recurrent genital herpes due to HSV2 but now have acquired a new HSV1 infection, it might explain the more severe symptoms. Also, valacyclovir is inherently less active against HSV1 than HSV2.