To take Valtrex or not to take Valtrex.. This is my question.

[Emil65]

I'm sure this is well worn territory on this forum but does Valtrex help speed up the healing process? Can anyone tell me their experiences with taking Valtrex (or similar drugs) Vs. not taking them and allowing their bodies to do the work? Was the healing time the same? I have had outbreaks while I was on Valtrex and when I was not taking it... Any help here would be much appreciated.

So far I've received mixed reviews from people on Valtrex. I recently was diagnosed with HVS-2 and am still trying to figure out how to deal with it both on the medication side and how to think about living with the virus. Any help is much appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

[ihaveittoo]

Hello @Emil65,

 

Antivirals can help speed healing and when taken suppresively can help prevent outbreaks alltogether. I always had very good results with acyclovir. My outbreaks healed fast and the 3 months I took it suppresively I had no outbreaks at all. I was prescribed famvir for an outbreak about 20 years ago and I did not find it effective at all. There have been others on this forum who have experienced the opposite. Talk to your doctor about possibly switching to famvir. It can be trial and error when trying to find the best treatment options for herpes.

[WCSDancer2010]

Like everything else "Herpes", every person's experience is different but antivirals *can* help shorten or even reduce OB"s. That's the whole point of taking them. OB's are just shedding on steroids.... ie, so much shedding that it causes the body to try to fight it off in ways that result in blisters/inflamed areas that break open.

 

There's tons of non-pharmaceutical ways to deal with H as well. Everyone finds what works for them but these links may help you to get some ideas of other ways to support your immune system. :)

 

I suggest you keep a journal of what you are eating, activities, stressors, etc ... see if you can see a pattern for what makes it worse. I often say that Herpes is like a "first responder" to the health of your body ... although in the first few months, it's often just that your body needs time to figure out how to get it under control.

 

Second - attack it from the outside ... I'm going to put a bunch of links but generally Epsom Salts baths (drop a double handful of the salts between your legs so its concentrated there), followed by thorough drying (even using a hair drier to get it really dry), maybe going commando, and using Bactine (which helps to kill the virus AND numb it thanks to the lidocaine in it) ... or my favorite, Ammonium Alum ... but there's LOTS of suggestions in the links. I find if you attack it from the outside, the inside can do it's job better :)

 

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/6024/dealing-with-outbreaks#latest includes links below

http://supporttruthanddialog.com/easy-simple-self-help-tips-for-relief-from-herpes-outbreaks/

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/4810/bactine-for-oral-and-even-genital-herpes

https://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/7595/bactine-wipes-and-some-motivational-quotes

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-treatment/#more-2122

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1802/going-the-natural-route

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1624/herpes-medication-genital-hsv-1-how-to-keep-herpes-outbreaks-clean-dry#Item_22 My discussion amonium Alum)

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1496/bathroom-time-

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-treatment/

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-medication/

 

http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2010/genital-ulcers.htm#hsv

 

Links to some of the items suggested in the links

http://amzn.to/1CHUzZE Link to Alum

http://tinyurl.com/Aloecream

http://amzn.to/1F10r3V Fractionated Coconut Oil

http://bit.ly/zincsoap Zinc Soap with coconut oil

http://bit.ly/Zinccream

http://bit.ly/Calendula_Salve

http://tinyurl.com/bactine

http://amzn.to/1oUDY2n Chaga Mushroom

http://tinyurl.com/Oragelsgldose

http://tinyurl.com/DMSO4HSV

 

[hippyherpy]

I noticed for the first time in health store that they were selling lysine cream for cold sores.

 

In my mind I was like "how is so un-stigmatized to have "cold sores" cream out with all the other stuff like sunscreen, but they wouldn't dare put "herpes cream"" on rack.

 

That stuff is herpes cream!

 

They should get rid of the phrase " cold sores " and call it what it is: herpes.

[Roro7]

I'm also having a hard time deciding what to do. Having a second outbreak within the month of the first, and I don't tolerate alcyclovir which apparently is rare. I'm taking lysine to see if that helps, and I'm going to try propolis ointment which is also supposed to be helpful. I'd rather not get outbreaks at all and take a preventative dose personally. I have very physical hobbies and this is getting in the way with them. Another thing is apparently you get less outbreaks with hsv1 than hsv2, so that could be a deciding factor for you if you know which one you have.

[3Ts]

Spirulina!!! I'm not kidding. I've been on it for years including all through my second pregnancy and rarely have an outbreak. It's blue green algae. It works. My first pregnancy I had constant outbreaks. Then I discovered spirulina by accident.

[Emil65]

I also have physical habits and yeah this is getting in the way! It sucks. I can take Valtrex but I would rather not as it is expensive and not great for you to take long term. I'm on my second outbreak in about a month and searching for ways to get them under control without drugs.

[Roro7]

I'm on my second outbreak in a month too. It sucks. 3Ts did you take valtrex at all during your pregnancy? I'm wondering because usually here in Canada they require you to be on it for the last month in order to have a vaginal birth.