Does valcyclovir (valtrex) or acyclovir slow herpetic dementia onset?

[livn_learnn]

Does any one know if antivirals reduce/control suicidal/depression thoughts - and keep dementia at bay?  Antivirals seem to help the push the physical lesions into remission but do they work on the internal brain symptoms?

[atypical2015]

Just to be clear, "herpetic dementia" is not a confirmed scientific fact, just a hypothesis and some scientists and doctors are quite sceptical. There is more study to be done whether there is any connection at all. Certainly, there is no evidence that acyclovir prevents dementia, though some more study in that area might still be coming.

What the studies do show for a fact is that even mild exercise seems to completely erase any possible association between HSV and dementia. So while the connection between HSV and and dementia is currently just a hypothesis, the association between exercise as a preventive against dementia is not!

Take acyclovir if you have HSV if you want. But definitely get exercise anyhow!

[atypical2015]

And just another small fact to add. It's the very common HSV1 that people get orally that is the virus some scientists are studying in this regard. If it's true, HSV2 is much better to get than HSV1!!!

[livn_learnn]

Exercise is a great idea!  If it was a cure all, then athletes wouldn't be getting sick.

Doctors don't give out antivirals for all herpesviridae... it's only recently given for stomatitis, on a one time Rx.... or I could figure out the anwer myself.  

Like CDC website has said, clinicians are under-prescribing antivirals.

[livn_learnn]

Are there any long term herpes antiviral users out here on this website?

[PurpleLove731]

I'm not sure how long you mean when you ask about long term.  I'm taking the medication because I'm going on another medication Lemtrada.  I believe everyone on Lemtrada takes it at least 2-5 years.