Valacyclovir for Herpes Simplex, Suppression User Reviews (Page 5)

• Sha...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 22, 2023

Valacyclovir "I have been living with herpes for almost 15 years, which I contracted from my boyfriend who cheated on me when I was 20. I hardly ever have an outbreak, maybe once every two years. Whenever I do have an outbreak, I take 1g twice a day for three days, and it clears up. Recently, I discovered a website called DrB on Google, which has been a lifesaver for me. I can now get my prescription online for simple things like herpes, thanks to the pandemic. I no longer have to go for a doctor's visit and feel embarrassed. There were times in the past when I didn't medicate because I was too ashamed to visit the doctor. I hope this information helps you. The medication I take helps to speed up the recovery process, and if taken as soon as you feel the tingling, it can even prevent an outbreak from occurring. I highly recommend it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 1, 2016

Valacyclovir "I am 44. Had a 1st outbreak (genital) after having a UTI. It was a minor outbreak. Sm patch of raw skin and looked like one lesion. It never spread or got worse. I had never had any sort of outbreak, ever oral or genital. So, I don't know if I already had it or my partner of 1.5 years triggered an outbreak or whether it was dormant all this time and getting sick brought it out. I got blood and cult done for HSV 1 and 2 - 3 weeks later, but the patch was about 90% healed already without meds but was still prescribed (the generic Valtrex) 1000 mg, 2x a day for 5 days. I've been off the meds for 2 days now. I need to see if I get another outbreak before just taking meds daily. I had no side effects as I drank water like crazy as it said to do. I'm hoping for the best."

• Bad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 21, 2014

"I was diagnosed with herpes simplex virus back in November 2013. My first OB happened a few days ago. Only one blister around my genital area. My doctor prescribed valacyclovir 500 mg, 1 tablet twice daily for 5 days, and acyclovir 7 times daily for 7 days. As soon as I started taking the medicines, the blister decreased in size, and there is little to no pain. I'm going to see my doctor again this Friday so he can prescribe a suppression regimen. Lifesaver medicine with the possibility of suppressing the spread of the virus. Little to no side effects, mostly dizzy and tired. Worth it."

• SSa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 28, 2019

"I'm in my 60s. I started taking valacyclovir for herpes suppression 2 years ago. My HSV2 is particularly tenacious. I wanted to give my body a break from this medicine, but when I stopped taking my 500 mg a day, I had an outbreak within 5 days. Sometimes I feel the prodrome, and I have to take 1000 mg twice a day for a day or so. My outbreaks are on my legs. It works well, but I have to take a lot of medicine, and I worry that it’s bad for my liver and kidneys, so I drink lots of water with it. I hope my body doesn’t develop a tolerance to it and stop working."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 4, 2018

"This has been a wonder drug for me! I acquired this affliction as a teenager, I am now 50. I would get a swollen lymph node in my neck, so I go to my ear, nose, and throat doc, and he tells me to not be alarmed, but I have the virus stored in my neck. He prescribed Valtrex around 15 years ago. I take 500 mg at bedtime to avoid feeling the side effects. Thank you to the investors of this drug! You have saved me from years of pain!!"

• new...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 8, 2024

Valacyclovir "I have been taking Valtrex 1 gram on and off for the last 5 years. It is the best, especially since I get cold sores from having bridges and flossing. If I feel an outbreak coming on, within 24 hours it's suppressed or gone. I take it every day (and yes, outbreaks can still happen but they're nowhere near as bad as without Valtrex). I haven't noticed any side effects while taking this medication. Benefits are not having huge open sores on your lips or face."

• jem...
• April 4, 2012

"I'd gotten my first cold sore in 2004, and my lip had gotten really huge. I would get maybe one cold sore each year after that, and then at least three a year for the last three years. Between the months of May 2011 to January 2012, I gotten about five to six cold sores total, and I'd noticed that they were all due to an onset of stress. I spoke with my doctor in February 2012, and she prescribed Valtrex 500 mg to be taken once a day, daily, but I gotten the generic Valacyclovir for insurance purposes. I don't take it daily for suppression as prescribed, but I do take it immediately when my lip feels tingly and again the following day, and I won't get any sore(s). I've had a few stressful situations since getting the prescription, but no outbreaks. So far, so good!"

• hal...
• April 9, 2015

"Well, yesterday I found out I had genital herpes from oral sex. My boyfriend had a cold sore that I honestly thought didn't matter and I thought it was healed. I noticed symptoms such as itching and burning, but I shook it off and thought it was a yeast infection. Then the next day, swelling happened and I was so sore I couldn't sleep. My gyno prescribed me Valacyclovir, and so far it has been working a little bit, it still burns to go to the bathroom, but it's only the first day. It's providing relief, though. None of you should feel alone because you definitely aren't. Just remember to stay positive and keep your head up. It sucks, but you can do it! Also, remember that one little mistake can hurt you real bad."

• Bor...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 22, 2017

"I've suffered with severe cold sores all my life. When I was a kid, they robbed me of all confidence and severely influenced the choices I made in life. In my mid-20s, I realized that if I avoided UV and certain foods (tomatoes, citrus, chocolate), I could reduce the number of outbreaks, but I still suffered horribly on a monthly basis. Then I had to have eye surgery, and I was prescribed Valtrex to get rid of a cold sore I had at the time. The surgery didn't work out, but I would have gone through the whole painful process again just to find out about this drug. For the past 4 years, if I experience any tingle, I take around 10 pills over 36 hours, and the outbreak halts in its tracks. Almost no visible problems. Absolutely life-changing!"

• ska...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 21, 2016

"Had to stop taking this medicine after 2 pills. Severe side effects included abdominal bloating, gas, nausea, and pain. Also had increased tinnitus and headache. Almost went to 'Urgent Care,' but symptoms decreased very slowly after 2 days."

• Lei...
• February 16, 2017

"I've suffered from cold sores since I was a baby. I remember having three at once in middle school and a huge one my senior year. In my 20s, I started to get them five or more times per year. The pain was unbearable sometimes as they flared up and wept. I finally asked my doctor if there was something I could do. She gave me a 90-day script for Valtrex, and it's been amazing. If I catch it in the tingle stage, it barely forms. One time, I missed the tingle, and a blister started to form. It was puffy the next day, and then it was flat and not puffy the next day! Never broke and wept, but just gradually went away. I recommend this a million times over."

• Anonymous
• July 14, 2016

"Dark chocolate triggers it horribly, as well as peanut butter. Taking one 500 mg a day will suppress it and prevent outbreaks, but if you get a bad case due to a low immune system or something you ate with high arginine, then I've had to take 2 pills at 500 mg, 3 times a day to get this to work fast and alleviate painful symptoms within a week. I'm wondering if I would have to take less with more mg or with a brand rather than a generic."

• Ash...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 13, 2021

Valacyclovir "It does work without a doubt, but made me pretty sick in the process. It made me extremely dizzy and nauseous, and I just had to quit taking it. I felt so out of it for days and unbalanced. Yes, I would use it again if the sores popped back up, but wouldn’t take the whole course."

• Tic...
• October 11, 2015

"Have been taking generic Valtrex manufactured by Mylan 500 mg tablets. Started out 2 a day for 10 days. Have had 3 refills for OB, and it has done absolutely nothing except make the flare-up worse. Got off them completely and actually began to see healing. Have been doing some reading regarding this manufactured, and many responses indicate the same thing. Understand the generic manufactured by Teva is the closest to the original Valtrex. I will remember that next time."

• Gir...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 30, 2022

Valacyclovir "I am 21 now, I got diagnosed with herpes when I was 17 (got cheated on). I carry the HSV-1 strain, but my outbreaks are vaginal. My first outbreak I’ll never forget, I could barely walk, and it was horrible. I started suppressive therapy a few months later at 500 mg daily when I started having outbreaks more frequently. Which actually worked for a while… for a few years actually. I had very little outbreaks, if any. About a year ago, I began noticing more frequent outbreaks after having that nice break :( and so my doctor began prescribing me 1 g daily. It definitely helped for a while, but then I was back to having frequent outbreaks, and when I saw her about a month ago, she told me the virus should have been suppressed by now with the dosage I’ve been taking, and I really shouldn’t be having any outbreaks… nothing is working for me, and so she recommended I see an infectious disease specialist because she suspects resistance and doesn’t really know how else to help me."

• The...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 28, 2016

"This generic form does not work at all, may be better not using this drug. Brand name Valtrex will clear up the herpes virus infection used for genital herpes suppression, but the generic does not. I used the brand name before and had to increase the dosage one year. I cannot help but think the manufacturer has cut some corners in an effort to lower the price for patients. Still, insurance will not cover the price for a brand name, and it's very expensive. I wish the generic worked as well as the brand name for suppression therapy."

• Jad...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 29, 2019

"Valtrex is awesome, however, the generic is almost like taking a placebo. I have to take a whole bunch of it for it to do anything. I really don’t think our country cares if a generic is as good as the real deal, as long as it saves the insurance money. I’ve also had reactions like stomach pain, rashes, some weird blood count issues, and dizziness. This drug, even if I take 1g, has so many fillers in it, it barely does its job. I’ve noticed that its price is coming down, that should say something. I also have herpes 5, and it seems like the real Valtrex helps with some of the discomfort, but IDK, the antivirals for that cost about $3500 and quickly ruin your liver function. Anyway, this drug should have to stand up to the standards of the brand, there shouldn’t be a difference!"

• mem...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2022

"I contacted HSV-2 years ago and had used the brand Aurobindo Pharma for suppression without issue. I went off of it when I was no longer sexually active. I started back on valacyclovir on 2/22/22, 1 gram a day. I take it in the evening because it can cause drowsiness. The new prescription is by Camber Pharmaceuticals. After taking it for a few days, I was awakened by strong heart palpitations. I took my pulse with a pulse oximeter and had pretty severe tachycardia, up to 126 bpm. This happened two nights in a row. I reduced it to half a pill or 500 mg, and it was better. I reported to my pharmacist, physician, and the drug company. It was very difficult to hear and understand their customer service. I would not have related it except there is a report on here that there have been other post-marketing reports of tachycardia when taking this drug. The drug helps, but I also take 1 gram of L-Lysine a day and avoid high arginine foods, especially soy."

• Noo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 18, 2017

"I've been taking the 500 mg for 4 years straight now without one outbreak. So grateful to have found something that works. Before this, I would get outbreaks once every 2 months, it was the worst. I would recommend this daily to anyone who has this problem."

• Ade...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 1, 2016

"So here I am, an old gal in her 50s, married and monogamous for many years, and suddenly I develop genital herpes. It was absolutely excruciating! Turns out it was Type 1, which is often thought of as oral herpes but can cause genital outbreaks too. Apparently, I got it from my husband. Although he hasn't had a cold sore in 10 years, he was apparently shedding the virus anyway. Some medication he was taking temporarily caused ED, so we practiced lots of alternative types of intimacy for a while, and... you get the picture. I was in terrible pain and feeling very sorry for myself when my doctor told me valacyclovir could help. Although I wasn't very hopeful, the pain decreased substantially in just a couple of hours. I was so grateful!"

• Zan...
• January 7, 2016

Valacyclovir "I found out I had herpes simplex type 2 last year and never had a breakout until I got pregnant. My first breakout started about a week ago, and my OB just prescribed me Valtrex yesterday! I've started my dose, and I'm praying it works because this is horrible!"

• Con...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 19, 2021

"Well, I don’t know when I contracted it, but I got my diagnosis while in nursing school. I got a lesion on my clitoris, and my doctor took a sample, and sure enough, it was HSV 2. I was sooooo upset, sad. I was always the careful person, but I guess not. I was having outbreaks for years, but didn’t know it was an outbreak because it was always by my anus. So I thought it was my hemorrhoids acting up. I now know I had it for years. I do take Valacyclovir and lysine as soon as I start having that tingle. By the next day, I can feel it subsiding. I take another dose the next day, and I’m good. That pain is something I don’t want to go through. It lasts for 7 days, and using the bathroom is so difficult. I can’t tell last I had an actual outbreak since I’ve been combining it with lysine. Miracle worker, those two."

• Cut...
• June 1, 2017

"Been taking daily for over 4 years, living a normal life. Had one bad outbreak in fall 2012 and then little sensations/paranoid, so requested to go on daily suppression and for my boyfriend - he doesn't have, and check with my doctor every year. Totally safe to continue."

• Bus...
• July 20, 2019

"Just got a breakout overnight. Woke up, a bubble blister formed, and took my second round of 2 grams of Valtrex generic, twice daily. The blister broke within 20 minutes of taking the next dose of 2 grams of Valtrex. So glad I had a bottle, I always do on hand. This drug is amazing! I felt a tingle earlier in the week, and I took two and took two 12 hours later-nothing-and then, all of a sudden, 3 days later, I woke up to a bubble. So I started another 2 grams this morning, but it's already busted open and beginning to heal, and this Valtrex I'm taking currently is drying it up. The stuff is amazing, but you have to catch it right, and that will depend on how bad it gets or doesn't get."

• Phr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 19, 2022

Valacyclovir "First time I used after 2 days of HSV third outbreak, I got swollen lymph nodes in my groin. Then outbreaks became very frequent that came a few days after finishing the course of treatment, e.g., 1 gm/day for 5 days. I tried during prodrome, which made the prodromal stage even worse and as long as a week, as I got multiple-location sharp pain in my groin area, this pain lasted for days and impacted my lifestyle. When I tried as suppressive therapy, I got very painful urination for subsequent months. After finishing 6 months of suppressive therapy, the outbreak came in 2 days as painful as the primary, extended suppressive therapy for another 6 months, and the outbreak came after 3 months. This drug is completely useless for me and local lidocaine is more effective for treatment along with rest."