Question:
I decided this past weekend to quit taking antiviral medications. I've been taking them daily since January. It seemed like lately I had a constant headache and as if I was always on the verge of an ob that wouldn't actually materialize. Pretty frustrating.

I took my last dose on Saturday or Sunday and I was really worried that I'd wake up on Monday with an ob but it is now Thursday and so far I am doing fine. I actually feel great.

I am still taking my vitamin supplements and watching my diet and I went to the gym this morning in an effort to maintain that all important immune system.

Answer:
Hi Caliope,

Since january, you are tough. I couldn't stand it for a week and I tried valtrex last spring. Headhaches and a kind of diziness was too much for me. I hope you the best now. Me I tried BHT this summer. I had more obs with it hehe! This fall, I am on Dynamiclear and it helps fight obs quiet well. I don't trust yet it can plan a role in reducing reccurrences but I have nothing to loose continuing it since obs dry up in a matter of 3 hours with that on average.

Keep up the immune system!

Syagrius

Answer:
Good for you, Caliope. I think in the long run, your body will thank you for it. I've never tried to hide what I think of any medicine that has all those horrible potential side affects. Over the long term, how can that possibly be good for you? I'm betting you do just fine without them. Kudos!

Answer:
I hope things continue to go well without antivirals. I've considered taking them to get my initials under control, but i'm not sure i could put up with it either. I don't like being constantly medicated! I hope it works out!!!!

Answer:
So funny you mention the "perpetual state of an outbreak" feeling.

I too, have the SAME "side effect" from taking antivirals. While I never have a full on outbreak, I always have the prodommal sensation...the tingling....slight achiness in the vulva...but never any sores. To me...I would rather just have the outbreak, get some topical crap on it, clear it up in a matter of days, THEN not deal with it until the next outbreak.

Another creepy side effect I get from the antivirals is my lips start to tingle, get weird raised bumps on them....and in the case of recently, I end up with a MONSTER COLDSORE!!

I was on the road, didn't want to deal with an outbreak, so I took so Acyclovir, which I have done in the past, and then I started get the weird, tingly itchy feeling in my lips, followed by the bumps, but this time, I got a HUGE coldsore, worse than before. I totally blame the antivirals. SO.....I stopped takign them, and am going to let my body do its thing.

So...I wish you the best Caliope. you might get an outbreak, you might not, soon after quitting. I guess, just be tough (I know you are!) and ride it out. Take your vitamins, and eat well. I have used that choraphor (now called dynamiclear or something like that) and it helps to clear up the genital outbreaks in a quick fashion, so...maybe look into that as well.

But I wish you all the best...just stay strong! ;-)

Answer:
Hi All!!
I haven't been in here in a long while. I have just gone over some of the writings and stories that have been posted and just want you all to know that I am in the same boat. I have g-herp. and I quit taking my antiviral months ago because I got tired of taking vitamins and an antiviral twice a day and thought just about taking the vitamins everyday besides a generic estrogen.(because I have been going thru menopause) I have not had any outbreaks for about 3 months or so and hopefully will not get anymore!!
I saw it posted that the longer you live with herpes the less the outbreaks occur through the years, I have been living with this for about 6 or 7yrs. Hopefully very soon I will be outbreak free for good and I have also prayed about this and asked GOD to heal my mind, body and spirit and heal my body of this dreadful disease, I believe he can heal, he will heal, GOD can work miracles in anyone's life. I believe one day he will heal my body even if it does not heal it's self.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!! Have Faith!!!

Answer:
I've never taken antivirals, but I was taking Neem leaf capsules everyday to help my immune system along. I think they did a good job helping to control ob's and lessen symptoms, but I think I'm over the hump now, so I stopped taking them about a month ago. I have to say, I've been doing just fine without them, as far as symptoms go. Guess my body finally caught up.

When my mother died about 5 years ago, she was taking at least 15 prescription meds a day for various things. She didn't even know anymore what they were all for, but she trusted her doctor and refused to question him whenever he prescribed another pill. I doubt that even HE knew what all she was taking anymore. Yet, the more medicine she took, the worse she felt. No one will ever convince me that pumping all that crap into her system every day didn't contribute to her decline and eventual death. So when someone says prescription to me, it makes me cringe.

Sometimes it's necesary to take medication for a condition, but if your body can deal with it on its own, I say, let it. Our bodies, given the opportunity, are amazing machines. Congrats to all of you who are putting down the pill bottles and giving it a go without meds. I hope you never have to go back on them.

Answer:
This has made me go back to my original feelings about medication. I REALLY don't want to take it. And the idea of taking it when I don't have an outbreak and my body is noraml and healthy is totally alien to me.

But I've had 23 outbreaks this year - yes I've kept a record but then I'm a tad obsessional and like lists:D.

Maybe I should take supplements instead. I bought some - lysine, vit c and something that's supposed to boost the immne system. But I stopped taking them:rolleyes:.

I'll see what the consultant says next week and then decide.

It wouldn't even cross my mind to take meds, but I've met someone and I really need for these friggin outbreaks to stop:evil: The outbreaks themselves aren't really that bad - I mean from a physical point of view.

Answer:
Sometimes taking antivirals can help stop a "landslide".

I never had ob's until January of this year. Or so rarely in 10 years that I could count them on one hand. Then they were like non-stop for a while and the antivirals stopped them. Then I thought hey maybe antivirals are a good thing if they really reduce the chances of spreading to my non-hsv partner.

Sometime around May I started getting weird symptoms even with the antiviral meds that sent me back to the dr a couple of times. I still don't know exactly what was happening but then I'd have the symptoms for weeks on end but no real ob. This didn't seem like an improvement.

I take the vitamin supplements so why not try them without the antivirals mixed in and see if my immune system knows better how to deal with this.

I guess we'll get a chance to see. I am no worse and it's now been nearly a week without them. My headaches are less and I like that.