Day four and Valtrex

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Joe - 21 Jan 2004 18:13 GMT

So...I got the unsurprising news that I indeed have genital
HSV. Unfortunately, they did not test whether it was HSV1 or
HSV2, citing that it was a non-standard extra analysis that
couldn't be immediately done. I'll follow up on this detail with
my regular physician (I basically squeezed myself into a busy
dermatologist's appointment book).

I'd greatly appreciate some feedback on the doctor's comments.
First, he prescribed Valtrex and *ardently* recommended that I
only take it just prior to or just after an outbreak. He is of
the opinion that it doesn't do all that much good between outbreaks,
and rebound effects can be strong if one takes it regularly and
then fails to at some point. This is probably due to his general
opinion that, during a non-outbreak period, it is very unlikely that
one passes HSV on to a sexual partner. He says that the virus is
so below a "critical mass" during these periods that it's extremely
unlikely passing it on. Nonetheless, he wisely recommended condoms
to be sure. He wasn't being cavalier about HSV...it was simply his
opinion that between-outbreak periods are very low risk, lower risk
than some of the numbers I've seen here and elsewhere regarding
asymptomatic shedding and so forth.

Although my first noticeable lesions were about 50 hours before I got
hold of the Valtrex, and it's not really clear how beneficial it is
this long after an OB, I decided to take it this round because I needed
the psychological restorative that I was doing *something*, because
just waiting and watching has been excruciating.

The doc recommended I take two pills (some big blue horse pills...I forget
the dosage in each) 12 hours apart (for a total of 4) during any outbreak
incident, and that I do this just ONCE during each OB. His opinion is
that to take any more than that is just useless. He stated that the Valtrex
should begin to help zapping out the HSV in a couple of days, and after
the disappearance of the sores one is reasonably safe enough to have sex
again (with a condom). Truth be told, he even went so far to say that
condomless sex is pretty safe well after the outbreak. I will not practice
condomless sex for quite a while, at least until I have a feel for my
own tendency toward an outbreak. He said that a telltale sign is a sort of
tingly feeling in one's body that is akin to striking your funnybone.

I'd especially like to hear your comments on his recommended dosage of
Valtrex. Have some others out here had a doctor that recommended the
same thing (Valtrex only during OBs, and just one day's worth of dosage
per OB)?

Has anyone out there taken Valtrex regularly for long spells and noticed
no outbreaks, but then noticed outbreaks once they were OFF the Valtrex?

Much thanks,
J

Reply to this Message

Angela - 21 Jan 2004 20:45 GMT

My comments below . . .

> So...I got the unsurprising news that I indeed have genital
> HSV. Unfortunately, they did not test whether it was HSV1 or
> HSV2, citing that it was a non-standard extra analysis that
> couldn't be immediately done.

That doesn't make any sense at all . . . all they had to do was instruct
the lab to have it typed.

> I'd greatly appreciate some feedback on the doctor's comments.
> First, he prescribed Valtrex and *ardently* recommended that I
> only take it just prior to or just after an outbreak. He is of
> the opinion that it doesn't do all that much good between outbreaks,
> and rebound effects can be strong if one takes it regularly and
> then fails to at some point.

What he said doesn't make any sense at all . . . there is nothing wrong with
taking herpes antiviral medication (such as Valtrex) before, during, or
after a flare up. In fact, there is nothing wrong with taking it every
single day for suppression.

> This is probably due to his general
> opinion that, during a non-outbreak period, it is very unlikely that
> one passes HSV on to a sexual partner.

Again . . . he doesn't know what he's talking about . . . many people have
herpes and don't know it because they don't get any signs or symptoms. It's
still possible to pass herpes even if there is no flare up present. It's
through asymptomatic shedding. Check out this article and let me know what
you think: http://www.ashastd.org/news/111201.html.

> He says that the virus is
> so below a "critical mass" during these periods that it's extremely
> unlikely passing it on. Nonetheless, he wisely recommended condoms
> to be sure.

That sounds like a contradiction to me . . . don't you think?
First he says that it's highly unlikely and then he says just to be sure . .
. use a condom?
That doesn't make sense to me at all.

> The doc recommended I take two pills (some big blue horse pills...I forget
> the dosage in each) 12 hours apart (for a total of 4) during any outbreak
> incident, and that I do this just ONCE during each OB. His opinion is
> that to take any more than that is just useless.

Well . . . you can read about the recommended dosage for Valtrex on the GSK
web site or you can check out the *medications* section on this page:
http://www.yoshi2me.com/page4.html. It's unfortunate that you have a doctor
that is basing his ideas on his own opinion instead of going by the facts.

> He stated that the Valtrex
> should begin to help zapping out the HSV in a couple of days, and after
> the disappearance of the sores one is reasonably safe enough to have sex
> again (with a condom).

Well . . . condoms are great and everything but they do not protect 100%.
You can still pass herpes to another person while using a condom because a
condom doesn't cover the entire genital area. Herpes is spread through skin
to skin contact when the virus is present and the circumstances are just
right. I have known several people over the years that have contracted
herpes while wearing a condom.

> Truth be told, he even went so far to say that
> condomless sex is pretty safe well after the outbreak.

Sex without a condom is up to the participants.

> I will not practice
> condomless sex for quite a while, at least until I have a feel for my
> own tendency toward an outbreak. He said that a telltale sign is a sort of
> tingly feeling in one's body that is akin to striking your funnybone.

Well . . . that was nice of him to say that but did he mention that not
everybody experiences the same signs or symptoms?

> I'd especially like to hear your comments on his recommended dosage of
> Valtrex. Have some others out here had a doctor that recommended the
> same thing (Valtrex only during OBs, and just one day's worth of dosage
> per OB)?

He's full of crap in my opinion for the simple fact that he is not basing
his instruction on solid facts.
It's 500 mg p/day of Valtrex for suppression and 500 mg twice daily for
active outbreaks until the outbreak is gone.
Some people need more than 500 mg daily for suppression. Everybody is
different.

> Has anyone out there taken Valtrex regularly for long spells and noticed
> no outbreaks, but then noticed outbreaks once they were OFF the Valtrex?

I was on suppression for two years taking 500 mg of Valtrex daily. I had
great success and didn't suffer with any flare ups. When I stopped
suppression I did not get flare ups. In fact . . . it was nine months before
a got a small flare up. You can read my herpes biography here:
http://www.yoshi2me.com/page13.html.

Angela
www.yoshi2me.com

Reply to this Message

LK - 22 Jan 2004 17:29 GMT

>So...I got the unsurprising news that I indeed have genital
>HSV. Unfortunately, they did not test whether it was HSV1 or
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>than some of the numbers I've seen here and elsewhere regarding
>asymptomatic shedding and so forth.

Sorry, but this individual doesn't know the score. the most recently
I read January 2004 recommends daily suppressive therapy reduce
genital herpes transmission by 48% based on a study by the University
of Washington.

There is so much information out there that it is a challenge for a
physician to keep up within their own field. I advocate Planned
Parenthood or government sponsored public health clinics in the USA
because they are better informed on STDs than other kinds of doctors.

the info you were given was contradictory and rather than this
physician saying he doesn't have a lot experience with STD--a
dermatologist--he gave opinion not based on scientific evidence.

>Although my first noticeable lesions were about 50 hours before I got
>hold of the Valtrex, and it's not really clear how beneficial it is
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>own tendency toward an outbreak. He said that a telltale sign is a sort of
>tingly feeling in one's body that is akin to striking your funnybone.

_My_ symptoms of an upcoming outbreak it itching sensation. 90% of my
outbreaks are on my rump which is part of why it so long for an
accurate diagnosis (10 years). My main treatment is keeping the area
dry and using a cold pack to stop the itch.

There is no indication from the aforementioned study that long-term
use of Valtrex, etc. increases resistance to the drug. The
suppression factor is considered quite important for use in Africa
because genital herpes makes on more vulnerable to HIV and if already
HIV+ then genital herpes can make one more vulnerable to other HIV
connected diseases. (I'll look it up the specifics for a follow-up
post.)

I'm on 500mg a day for suppression therapy, solely for the purpose of
protecting a partner because my outbreaks are minor annoyances and
nothing more. --18 years of this and is like a baseball game called
on account of rain. You play another day.

LK

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Joe - 23 Jan 2004 19:11 GMT

LK - thank you very much for your response. My thanks goes out to
all the others here who have also been so gracious in taking time out
to lend me their viewpoints.

Without your input I would've truly been in the dark about a couple
of matters, especially about Valtrex, as well as about the distinguishing
features between HSV1 and HSV2. It has been *invaluable*.

I have more to say about my VERY SHODDY doctors in another post.

Best,
J

LK <fountainmdome3@yahoo.com> wrote in message

> Sorry, but this individual doesn't know the score. the most recently
> I read January 2004 recommends daily suppressive therapy reduce
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> physician saying he doesn't have a lot experience with STD--a
> dermatologist--he gave opinion not based on scientific evidence.

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