:wave: Hey Everyone -
Just wondering if anyone has taken both of these Rx's to supress ob's. Valtrex isn't doing much for me. Wondering if Acyclovir works better. Please share any thoughts - that you may have. Thanx, -Shinyornament

I would think they should be close to the same efficacy. I mean I'm not sure, but I believe Valtrex is simply valacyclovir, which is simply a better absorbed form of acyclovir. But it contains the same active ingredient.

i think your right Swept. I dont know for sure though if its use as a "suppressive" Mine was given to me "if" I have another ob. And it's suppose to speed up the healing procedure of the blisters. My understanding about Valtrex is that it's suppose to suppress. Im not 100%,

:wave: Hey Everyone -
Just wondering if anyone has taken both of these Rx's to supress ob's. Valtrex isn't doing much for me. Wondering if Acyclovir works better. Please share any thoughts - that you may have. Thanx, -Shinyornament

Acyclovir and Valtrex are the same thing (you just get to take a lower dosage of Valtrex.

You could try Famvir...it is a different formulation, and seems to work better for some people.

Special - thanks to everyone that responded.....I'm just trying to get a grip on this H-stuff. I was diagnoised a little over a year ago (gentially) and am tired of getting monthly ob's. I take valtrex @ the first sign of a tingle, but still get the ob. I didn't realize both of these meds. were related. I'll talk to my doctor about the famvir - maybe that will help more....Thanks for you-all's time and sharing your thoughts.....
Peace out - Shinyornament

I am on supressive Valtrex, and once a month I still get the outbreaks. I switched to Famvir....same thing. I changed the way I take my Valtrex and it did seem to help. I used to take one pill 2 times per day. Now I take 2 pills ( 1000 ) mg once a day at the same time. My doc said it would work better and it does. I am unfortunately one of those people who seem to have a virilent/resistant type of herpes despite good diet, and all the things I do to boost my immune. Try the Famvir and see how it works for you. Peroxide has also worked wonders today....When I do get an o/b I dab peroxide on the area about 5 times a day ( genitally ) and it is gone the next day.

ShinyOrament- If you are taking valtrex just when you start feeling a tingle, you are actually on "episodic" therapy. Suppressive therapy is when you take it (500mg) every day no matter what

Episodic did not work at all for me, but I have been on suppressive for several years now. I went from several obs a month to less than one a year. The Famavir (sp?) might be worth a try too, but I'd encourage you to check with your doc and see if one Valtrex a day is worth a shot.

Sarah ~
I tried taking Valtrex once a day and my hair started "thinning", too scared to continue. Will be seeing my ob/gyn. in Jan., contemplating the famvir.....Really, didn't want to take a pill everyday...How many milligrams/grams, do you take and do you increase, when an ob has started???? Always wondering, -ShinyOrnament

Yeah, i do worry about taking it everyday, but for me, it worked so well, it's tough to stop. My obs have practically disappeared completely. I have might have one day of being really close to an outbreak (really itching, soreness, swollen glands) once a year.

I take 500mg every day. I have been on it for almost 7 years. The only side effect I have ever had is a headache if i miss a few days by accident.

I think you mentioned the hair thinning on the board before and I remember searching and finding out that it isn't one of the "known" side effects of the drug. But that doesn't mean that different people don't react in different ways. (We are just learning how gender, age, and ethnicity affect the metabolism of drugs, it will take us many years to go further than that.)

About once every 2-3 months I take one extra dose for one day if I get really sick (flu), really stressed (traveling non-stop for three days), or really sunburned, as these are my triggers, and i might get a very brief itching or tingling even after my first dose so i take a second. BUT I get fewer and fewer instances of this year by year.

I hope you find something that works for you. I know the journey can be frustrating!

sarah. what are you on again? valtrex? did the doctor put u on that as soon as you were diagnosed? how long does it take to fewer the outbreaks

500mg a day would be the dose for valtrex, so that's what i would assume she meant. I only say that b/c it's an older post and not sure if sarah1000 posts frequently now.