medication

[sirtilly]

I was just diagnosed today and got started on medication. It's been about a week since I started my outbreak and while it is painful I can deal with it. They got me started on acyclovir 400 3x a day. I decided to go with talking it only during outbreaks, is that a wise choice or should I take it twice a day and increase it during outbreaks? Also is this the best medication to take to avoid outbreaks or is there one with better results?

[WCSDancer2010]

@sirtilly

 

Hello and Welcome!

 

The decision to take the meds, and how, is very much up to the individual and their situation. If the OB is mild enough to not affect your work/life, then you can just take it to knock the virus down ... the trick is to get on it the minute you feel a tingle because it works a lot better that way. If you are incapacitated, then Supressive therapy is a good choice while the body learns to deal with it.

 

Acyclovir/Valtrex/ Famvir/etc are all the same drug with different delivery systems, so the Acyclovir should be good ... tho once you get it under control you should be able to cut back to 200mg 2x/day.....

 

(((HUGS)))

[sirtilly]

Thank you!

[sirtilly]

I have another question. I've been on acyclovir for a week now and today I noticed some new outbreaks coming through today. Should I be worried or does this happen occasionally?

[WCSDancer2010]

You are still in your first few weeks so you personally have NO immunity to the virus. Anti-virals are an adjunct to your immune system. So you may continue to have some OB (hopefully less intense) for awhile ... and you may well have the occasional OB here and there for the rest of your life even with the meds when your body is depleted/stressed.

 

You can take an extra pill for a day or so and that may help to knock it back down.... I only use the meds of OB's now (I'm single so I don't have to do them for anyone else) and if you catch it early enough, it can help you to get control before it gets out of hand ;)