Question:
ive been on suppressive therapy val 500mg a day(2 or 3 times i forgot to take it). doesnt help at all even though my symptoms are very mild and hardly noticeable most of the time. but they are there and that ruins my sex life so i want to try something else..anyone tried famvir? do u know the difference between the two? cost?
im considering going to the doc to see about getting a prescription for it

also, does it take a while for valtrex to start working? i figure if it hasnt done anything for me after almost three months, than i am just wasting my money and should switch

Answer:
I have been put on a plan for Vatrex and outbreaks by a specialist in Infectious Diseases...and so far it has worked for me. This doctor told me that we can become immune to supressive therapy, and we should wait until later in life, is possible to take it on a daily basis. His explanation is that the virus gets used to the daily dose of Valtrex, and may become stronger to overcome the daily 500 mg dose. On his advice, I stopped taking daily supressive therapy and follow this guide: when I sense an OB coming on, I take 3000mg for 7-10 days, and then take 500mg for 1 month afterwards. Valtrex is hard on our kidneys so DRINK LOTS OF WATER WHEN TAKING IT!!!

I have had severe OBs in the past, and so far I have not had an OB in 5 monthes since I did the routine he suggested. I also started taking Lysine 500mg per day [ a meal supplement; for those in Canada you may have to order from BC or NL]. A healthy lifestyle goes a long way with this virus also. Anyone that has input, please post on this. I have avoided nuts and oatmeal, which can almost guarentee and OB for me.

Let me know what your doctor days on this.

Take care

Answer:
I take Valtrex too and I don't think it works for me either. I have been on it for the last 4 months and I can't seem to keep the out breaks away! I am going to talk to my doctor about getting on something else. I am trying to remember to take Lysine everyday now though. I am hoping it will help some.

Answer:
When you suppress the virus it makes it so your immune system doesn't have to work very hard. Once the virus adapts to the drugs, your immune system is back at square one, without the level of antibodies it needs to destroy the active virus. Taking those drugs only drives the virus deeper into your body and makes it more difficult to eventually heal from the invaders.

I suggest reading through these forums and taking the advice of the people who have maybe 1 outbreak a year, and mild at that. I am one of those people, but I have been aggressive in approaching it from a holistic standpoint. Mind, body, and spirit. Feed your mind healthy thoughts, feed your body healthy foods, and get help from God. Try some of the alternative methods, take lysine, use hydrogen peroxide, do some research.

Answer:
Thanks for the reply beleive. I am taking Lysine, and doing the hydrogen peroxide thing. Just for about the past week though. Hopefully it kicks in soon. I pray about this everynight. I am starting to wonder if maybe something else is wrong with me. I just started my period today so I am sure myob will be bad again this week. I am just really getting discouraged. :(

Answer:
I totally agree in that these drugs further diminish your immune systems ability to fight the virus. The pharmaceutical industry is making billions in keeping people sick and dependent on their "medicine". Read through the forum and use the things people have found to be working. Lysine, Vitamins, Creams, HBOT etc. Good Luck!