suppressive therapy question

[Elise1977]

So, I've been taking generic valtrex for about three weeks now. I am taking it because while I know I am HSV2+, the significant other hasn't been tested yet. I'm not badgering him about getting tested, yet.

 

Before I tested positive, I had no idea I had herpes. I have never had an outbreak, and my IgG was over 12, so obviously not a new infection. My body has done a good job on its own of suppressing the virus. The only reason I am on suppressive therapy is to give him some peace of mind and to reduce the risk of transmission.

 

BUT - I am wondering if I am inhibiting my body's ability to fight the virus on its own? Once you have the antibodies, does taking Valtrex affect how you are able to fight it off, if for some reason I stop taking it somewhere down the line? I have googled up a storm but can't really find anything that gives conclusive evidence. If you have been on suppressive therapy and stopped, did you have more outbreaks after stopping?

[2Legit2Quit]

Being that you've clearly had an established infection and your body was doing great at suppressing it w out medsmeds, then there's nothing to worry about. It's not like your body is going to go oh well and forget how to guard against the virus, doesn't work like that. Antivirals just add some help

[Elise1977]

Ugh. I so hate taking meds. It really bothers me, but it's a concession I'm willing to make for him. I am praying they find something in the next decade that will permanently suppress this so I don't have to keep taking a pill! Thank goodness for health insurance.

[2Legit2Quit]

The closest thing to coming out that would be better than any antiviral put there today, is still in a pill form and the FDA halted them from going any further, even though it passed human studies w pit a hitch... It would just put everyone else put of business and is only 75mlgs, vs the 500mlg for valtrex. Hate the FDA... Just watching the Dallas Fight club, will piss you off. It's a true story and will show you the deep rooted corruption, even at the cost of lives, they don't care.

[hippyherpy]

What is this pill you speak of? Do you have a link?

[WCSDancer2010]

@Elise1977

 

I've taken the anti-virals for partners in the past. Sometimes it's a temporary thing until they get used to the whole idea and better educated. Sometimes it's been more permanent (ie, till we broke up...LOL) ... just remember when you come off, WEAN off ... just to help your body to make sure it's taking up any slack... sometimes dropping off cold turkey causes an OB because the "support system" is suddenly removed.

 

@hippyherpy

 

There are TONS of studies in the works ... I'll PM you the extensive list of links that I have ... but bottom line: don't hold your breath for a cure or even a better supressive. I've had this 35 yrs, seen plenty of "promising" meds come and go.

 

But to put it in perspective for everyone, Dr Lawrence Corey said this of Herpes research here:

http://www.thehelpernewsletter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=83:the-helper-talks-with-lawrence-corey-md&catid=165:ask-the-experts&Itemid=226

 

An effective vaccine for HSV remains an elusive prize. How would you assess the current state of herpes vaccine research?

 

I think you have to say it’s a sorry state, and there’s very little effort being put in it by pharmaceutical companies. The scientific risk for developing a genital herpes vaccine is very high, and most of the players currently in the game are small, under-capitalized companies. There’s no major company currently working on anything of substance here. Some of the pharmaceutical companies will say they’re doing something, but if you look at the total dollar amount being devoted to this research, and the number of scientists working in this area, there’s not much happening.There’s also no large-scale program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to do herpes vaccine research.

 

You mentioned the scientific risk pursuing an HSV vaccine is high… would you expand on that a bit? Why is there reluctance to engage in this research?

 

These are very, very expensive programs, costing upwards of $400 million and if they fail, the hit to the company’s bottom line is enormous. Look at what happened with Chiron [a company that unsuccessfully pursued HSV vaccine research in the 1990’s]: Their vaccine wasn’t successful and as a result the company lost 30-40% of its value! Wall Street isn’t very forgiving…