Suppresive Therapy, Doses???

[neoflat]

I caught HSV2 one year and 5 months ago. Have been suffering outbreaks each 3 months during the first year, however to my surprise... have been now 5 months outbreak free (leading a really healthy lifestyle). My doctor prescribed me for my outbreaks famvir, 125 mg twice a day during 5 days.

I have a girlfriend and we have talked about this and both of us would like to make sex without condoms. We have sex each 2/3 weeks. I wouldnt like to take suppresive therapy daily, if we are having sex each 2 / 3 weeks (wich is very little).

Taking this in mind what would be considered an effective suppresive therapy? What doses would I have to have?

Thankyou.

[gracefromHHP]

famvir is 250mg 2x/day. if your insurance doesn't make it cheap, switch to acyclovir. if you are going to take a pill 2x/day for your herpes, might as well take the most affordable ( usually acyclovir is under $20/month for suppressive therapy even without insurance ).  

no there are not serious side effects. have you ever read the herpes handbook? if not, google it - it comes right up and it's free!

grace

[neoflat]

Also, are there any serious sideeffects from these antiviral medications?

[neoflat]

Thanks for your answer Grace.

The doses I was prescribred was for an outbreak. (famvir, 125mg, 5 days : 1-0-1)

What doses would I have to have for a daily suppresive therapy?

Thankyou.

[gracefromHHP]

seeing each other every 2-3 weeks is enough reason to take daily suppressive therapy. Otherwise you'll be taking it almost that much anyways in order for it to be effective so just take it everyday and stay in the habit of doing so. It takes 5 days to start being effective in protecting a partner and if you aren't remembering to take it, it won't work to reduce ob's so that you have less interruptions to your sex life as well as to reduce the risk of transmission to a partner.

You can use acyclovir, valtrex or famvir for suppressive therapy. whichever one is cheapest and easiest for you to take with your insurance ( or lack thereof ).

grace

[neoflat]

Is it possible to make a cycle of "suppresive doses" like one week or 2 before having sex...and then interrupt it and repeat it again one or 2 weeks before having sex again.