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Herpes medication? Acyclovir/Valtrex vs Famvir Suppression


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Happy Monday all...

 

Need some guidance from some vets if possible please on meds...diagnosed 4.5 months ago. Started acyclovir 2000mg/day and continued that for 3 weeks due to number and severity of the primary ulcers. Outbreaks continued pretty much nonstop, my Dr. upped me to 4000mg/day during outbreaks and 2800mg/day in between. He was shocked that my H was not responding. 4000/day is the shingles dose. Except I was kept on it for another 3 weeks, not 10 days. I took a MINIMUM of 1600mg/day of acyclovir until this Jan 9th. Then my Dr. and I decided Valtrex was better option, better absorbed, higher blood levels, less pills a day. It has been 6 weeks now on Valtrex...still at 2000mg/day. Normal suppressive is 1000mg/day. My outbreaks are shorter but still happening very often.

 

Do I need to stick with Valtrex longer, give my whole system a chance with it, or try Famvir? I am the rare bird who only has HSV2 but orally and genitally. The cold sores are very minor so far "fingers crossed", as I've heard that should be the case with 2 orally.

 

Thanks guys.

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Normal suppressive dosing for HSV with valacyclovir is 500mg/ day and 800mg/day with acyclovir. 2000mg/ day of Valtrex is a very high dose, and if you are still having constant outbreaks after 6 weeks, I would say it's a very real possibility that you are infected with an acyclovir-resistant strain of the virus. You won't lose anything by stopping the Valtrex and starting Famvir. If the Famvir is less effective, you can always go back to the Valtrex.

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  • 2 years later...

In May 2015, I got Shingles secondary to my RA. I was put on acyclovir 800 mg 5x a day for 10 days. I still had new spots on both sides of my body, (which isn't supposed to happen) and had to take it an additional 10 days. In Sept my hair started falling out. I have bald spots on the top and the sides. It has slowed down, but still is falling out. I do have new hair growth but it is falling out faster then it is growing. I am an RN and I saw a dermatologist re this. Although hair loss isn't SUPER common. It happens more then people know, especially with pre existing medical conditions. I think it is very dangerous for people to be giving medical advise or opinions when the do not know what they are talking about! Several web site such as THIS ONE and the NIH list hair loss as a side effect for acyclovir. Acyclovir and Valtrex are the same medication http://pillcomparer.com/valtrex-vs-zovirax.html Valtrex is the brand. Acyclovir is the generic.

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