Suppression Therapy

Question

Is it better to take continuous, smaller doses of anti-virals on a daily basis, vs. just taking the antiviral drugs DURING outbreaks? How successful are antivirals at suppression of coldsores as opposed to say genital herpes?

This discussion is related to Treatment Options.

gracefromHHP · Accepted Answer

no your body won't build up resistance to the antivirals. No worries there!

  I know if I was getting obvious cold sores  that often, I'd be taking my acyclovir or valtrex every single day to help reduce them. Who has time to wonder if every little tingle or itch on the lips is but another cold sore starting?

wear sunscreen on your lips when outside too!!

gracefromHHP · Answer

so your partner had obvious genital symptoms, they did no lesion cultures but just a blood test that was hsv1+?

if you have hsv1 orally, you are incredibly unlikely to contract hsv1 genitally later on. Just avoid sex anytime your partner has genital symptoms to err on the side of caution.

AA38AA · Answer

Sorry to be a pain, yet again...

So a quick background: I have oral HSV1, and my partner has genital HSV1.  (Confirmed via blood-test)

I've had oral HSV1 since I was a teenager, but I was wondering, is it possible to contract genital HSV1 and have it both orally and genitally simultaneously?

I found a hard "lump" on my scrotum today, which kind of made me wonder.  I do shave the area, and the area around it is still hairless, so my first thought is ingrown hair.  I've had them before and I usually can find the hair, and the problem subsides.  I could not find a hair in this one.  It did not look like a blister, but when I tried to find a hair, it bled after some considerable pressure.  It was hard, and my partner does not attribute hard sores to her genital HSV1 condition.  Just wondered your thoughts.

Thanks!!

AA38AA · Answer

Thank you SO much for your advice!

AA38AA · Answer

That's the hard part, I seem to get them every 2-3 months.  I've tried to prevent them by taking antivirals prior to times I usually get them, and it seems once I stop the antivirals that they show up.  I know its been said in a previous post that stopping the antivirals won't make them show up, but could this be my case?  If I just take them on a daily basis, will by body build up resistance to the drug?  And as you said, there's no way it will reduce the number of outbreaks??

THANKS!!

gracefromHHP · Answer

you tried to add to your previous post on the experts forum and it was too long after it was originally posted to do so so it was bumped over to here.

we don't have any studies that I can recall on daily suppressive therapy reducing the number of cold sore recurrences. Many folks do use it to successfully reduce the number of obvious cold sores.

totally up to you how you want to treat your oral herpes. Also keep in mind that if you know when you get a cold you are going to get a cold sore, ok to start a round of antivirals when you get your cold to try to ward one off. Same as if you know every summer after a week at the beach you know you will come home with a cold sore, take antivirals for your vacation to ward one off :)

keep asking questions!

grace