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Valtrex efficacy on uninfected partner
This site has been great to help get my head around Herpes. Appreciate everyone's great questions and answers.
Fairly common situation here: Broke up with girlfriend when I moved away for work, we both found other partners, one of hers gave her herpes (argh!). Now we've decided to get back together and take the necessary preventative measures so I do not contract it if we can avoid it. She takes Valtrex daily and we plan on using condoms for the short term until we're sure this relationship will go the distance. Neither of us are too excited about using condoms, so I am seeking other ways of minimizing risk.
I've been doing a bit of research on how Valtrex works and after reading about what the drug does, I wonder if it would offer any preventative benefits if the uninfected person (me) took it as well. Granted, I am a complete layperson (ignoramus) in this field, but based on the way the drug works, it seems like it would offer some level of protection.
As I understand it, you take valtrex, your body breaks it down and pumps it into your healthy cells. It does nothing until you contract HSV. When HSV enters those cells and tries to replicate, the drug kicks in and denies the virus the opportunity by killing the cell. My thought would be that if I had this stuff in my cells, even if I did contract the virus from my lady, I would be offered an additional degree of protection, refusing the virus to replicate, possibly denying it the ability to go into latency.
I also read that some evidence suggests that the sooner one starts taking the antivirals after the initial infection, the less severe the outbreaks that come as a result of contracting the virus. If that is true, and I already had the drugs in my body, it seems like that would also assuage the symptoms and corresponding OBs even if I do contract it.
From searching the internet, it appears I'm not the first to come up with this idea, but it also appears that there has never been a study done on this, nor an informed explanation on why it doesn't work.
Would appreciate an expert's opinion on the matter if one has the time.
Fairly common situation here: Broke up with girlfriend when I moved away for work, we both found other partners, one of hers gave her herpes (argh!). Now we've decided to get back together and take the necessary preventative measures so I do not contract it if we can avoid it. She takes Valtrex daily and we plan on using condoms for the short term until we're sure this relationship will go the distance. Neither of us are too excited about using condoms, so I am seeking other ways of minimizing risk.
I've been doing a bit of research on how Valtrex works and after reading about what the drug does, I wonder if it would offer any preventative benefits if the uninfected person (me) took it as well. Granted, I am a complete layperson (ignoramus) in this field, but based on the way the drug works, it seems like it would offer some level of protection.
As I understand it, you take valtrex, your body breaks it down and pumps it into your healthy cells. It does nothing until you contract HSV. When HSV enters those cells and tries to replicate, the drug kicks in and denies the virus the opportunity by killing the cell. My thought would be that if I had this stuff in my cells, even if I did contract the virus from my lady, I would be offered an additional degree of protection, refusing the virus to replicate, possibly denying it the ability to go into latency.
I also read that some evidence suggests that the sooner one starts taking the antivirals after the initial infection, the less severe the outbreaks that come as a result of contracting the virus. If that is true, and I already had the drugs in my body, it seems like that would also assuage the symptoms and corresponding OBs even if I do contract it.
From searching the internet, it appears I'm not the first to come up with this idea, but it also appears that there has never been a study done on this, nor an informed explanation on why it doesn't work.
Would appreciate an expert's opinion on the matter if one has the time.
Did you receive more information about this option? My doctor admitted that there have been no studies and there is no way to know if that works, but she agrees it is worth a try. Would love a follow-up on your experience!
you paid to ask this on the expert forum. wait for your reply there and get your money's worth.
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Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
