Drug Ratings for VALTREXAverage Rating: 3.4 (468 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken from shortest to longest (with no time reported listed first) Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR VALTREX | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 3 | Shingles | Dizziness, upset stomach, diahrria, extreme exhaustion, mood swings | Began after 1 week of having active case of shingles | F | 43 | 5 days | 8/1/2009 | 2 | Shingles | Diarrhea, vague and persistent headache, dizziness, anxiety, trouble sleeping. Extreme dizziness the day after I took my last pill. Not sure what that means. | I took 3 times a day for 5 days. I guess it helped the shingles, but the side effects were almost worse. The pain got better and the rash didn't get worse, but that could just be my immune system. The rash is still there. This dizziness/vertigo got much worse today (took last dose yesterday). I don't know if it's related or not. Hopefully it goes away. | F | 31 | 5 days | 5/29/2008 | 2 | Shingles | Dizziness. Extreme vision change. Extreme Light sensitivity. Super dry, scratchy eyes. Day 4 felt like sandpaper and glass shards in my eyes. | Was prescribed Valtrex about 5 days after rash appeared on arm. Blisters were already scabbed over. May have prevented additional blisters. Stopped taking pills with 2 full days left. A week later and still having vision problems. Not sure which doctor to see about that. The derm that gave me the meds, general MD or a an eye Dr. | F | 33 | 5 days | 9/17/2008 | 1 | Shingles | I was taking Valtrex 3 times per day (1 GM Tabs). On the fourth day I awoke feeling very disoriented and fatiqued. The fifth day was worse. I made the decision to stop taking the medication and even though several days have passed I still feel out of it. My shingles were not very painful and I feel my own body would have handled them without this medication. I am so sorry I took it and worry that this disorientation will not end. | If you have a mild case of shingles, let your body take care of itself without taking this medication. Valtrex should not be taken lightly. Do your research. | F | 57 | 5 days | 9/4/2009 | 1 | Herpes HSV1 in eye | major nausea, dizzyness, bad headaches, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, dehydrated, thirsty all the time, tingling in hands, feel like puking all the time. I'm pretty sure my eye is healing fine. | Hopefully I will only have to take this for a week to cure the Herpes infection in my eye. I somehow transferred herpes from my lip to my eye about 7 years ago. This is my 4th outbreak in my eye - brought on by stress but other triggers have been : sunburn on my eye from skiing, taking out contact too fast (tearing cornea), etc. I've found that taking vicodin for the eye nerve pain and headaches helps. I am working from home as the virus is contagious. Am set to take Valtrex another 2 days for a grand total of a week only I hope! | F | 32 | 5 days | 8/15/2007 | 1 | Shingles | Itching, abdominal pain and stiff neck. | I called my Dr. when the itching and the abdominal pain started and of course he told me to start with the trusted Benadryl. He thought if I could make it through the first few days I'd get to feeling better. Day three I wake up with a headache and stiff neck. Being the rational, level headed mother of five that I am, I automatically assume I'm dieing of menigitis and my Dr. misdiagnosed me. Before dialing 911, I update my will, then read the side effects packet insert given to me by the pharmacist. Instead of 911 I called the Pharmacy which suggested I stop the medicine. I will not be taking it again. The side effects appear to be worse then the actual disease. | F | 48 | 5 days 500 mg 3X D | 7/16/2012 | 1 | Shingles | Very itchy rash began on 3rd day on Valacyclovir--generic for Valtrex. Treatment began on 7/6/12. Rash located from my shoulders, all around my trunk, to tops of my thighs. At first, I didn't realize the rash was from the Valtrex, so I took the full 5-day course. Dermatologist prescribed Pramasone, a topical ointment, for itching, but it didn't help. Itching stopped after about a week, and rash is fading, but it's been 4 weeks since the rash erupted, and my skin is still blotchy. | F | 71 | 5 days 1GM 3X D | 8/4/2012 | 1 | Hsv-1 (I think) | I've been taking it since Sunday morning, I took 2 doses Sunday, Monday, one on Tuesday and by Tues evening had red spots all over, itching everywhere. In addition to the burning with urination and ongoing pain to my genital region. This entire thing started on Friday/Saturday -1 week after having unprotected oral/vaginal sex with my boyfriend for the first time. He's had cold sores in his lifetime but none recently. I've never had a single problem ever. I went to the walk-in, they took swabs of some of the lesions and a urine sample. It's now Wednesday morning and I still don't know for sure what I have. I was also put on Doxycycline as an antibiotic which caused me to vomit. So now I can't take anything to try and rid myself of this horrible pain. And I'm getting no answers. And my doctor's office wasn't able to get me an appointment until tomorrow. I am miserable and angry and upset. What's worse is he also has spots around the base of the shaft and is on the Valtrex too. Hoping he doesn't have any allergic reactions. Ready to throw in the towel on my life. I don't know anything, I can't take anything for what we think this is, I'm in pain.... Seriously. Any ideas or help. I'm about to go and pick up Lysine and garlic supplements | F | 36 | 5 days 1 G, 2xD | 4/10/2013 | 5 | HSV I (lips) | I started taking Valtrex about 6 days ago and the only side effect that I have noticed it diarrhea but other than that nothing. I usually get them every 2-3 months and in this case I have gotten them twice this month. For some reason I have been getting them like crazy and the severity is increasing every time since the last year and a half. I got fed up and finally asked my doctor for Valtrex. I've had this for about 10 years or so and it seems like every time I go out in the sun I have OB. Sucks. | I initially wanted the Valtrex 1 a day but my doctor felt like prescribing me 1gr/2x every 12 hours. So far I still feel the tingle on my lips but they seem to be going away already. It is definitely lessened the OB. So far I would recommend it. | F | 25 | 6 days | 7/29/2008 | 4 | Shingles | Body aches, like I had been run over by a truck. | Helped heal the blisters pretty quickly (difference within a day) | F | 35 | 6 days | 10/27/2009 | 3 | Herpes | Dizzy Dehydrated Hemorrhoids Large Swelling in A__ | I had used an internal cleanse w/ cascara sagrada so not sure if Valtrex caused diarrhea but everything is swollen large in the back area after 1 day. Still on it now 7 days. Swelling starting to subside. Couldn't sit, walk, drive.. | F | 6 days | 8/22/2008 | 3 | suspected hsv 2 | Fatigue, mild muscle/joint pain, grogginess, vivid dreams, very mild abdominal discomfort, mild headaches and slight sensitivity to light and loud noises | F | 27 | 6 days 500mg 2x d | 3/13/2012 | 3 | cold sores | Fatigue after the first week. I stopped it after five days, then I started experiencing nausea, metallic taste, more extreme fatigue, altered sense of smell and increased sensitivity to unpleasant smell. | It did clear the cold core in 5 days. | F | 22 | 6 days | 5/4/2007 | 2 | shingles | very difficult to swallow. pill is too big. did not help with pain. | M | 64 | 6 days | 11/12/2002 | 1 | herpes 1 | Facial swelling, facial burning, cold sweats, bloating of face and neck, throat hurt severely, everything from the neck up felt swollen, hot, itchy, and sore! | i don't know what i am going to do. i have herpes 1 in the form of cold sores, which has showed up genitally in the form of a single sore. my doctor says that my husband and i must have tranmitted it orally, as he has gotten cold sores since we were married. i need to take it but this pill makes me SOOOOO sick and CRANKY | F | 27 | 6 days | 9/5/2006 | 5 | herpes inside the mouth | none at all..but did not take it for a long time | I have have sores in my mouth since i was 14 . the most I have had has been 19 at one time..I have actually lost weight because i really cannot eat. the pain is too much to handle. my friend from school gave me Valtrex. she has gential herpes . The moment that I took them..like for a week..They all went away..I was soo happy but worried because i knew that I could not afford to get this medicine because its so expensive but now that I read these comments from other people who have taken them for internal sores in mouth i feel like maybe they can perscribe them to me. I really love the medicine because i get no side affects and it really works. | F | 25 | 7 days | 11/26/2006 | 5 | Herpes Simples 1 | I didn't experience any side effects from the drug. | In the spring I contracted herpes simplex 1 on the genital area. The first initial outbreak was extremely painful, but after taking valtrex it subsided the pain and the sores healed. I may have another out break coming on but I will take 2 1g pills in the morning and 2 1g pills in the evening and see the outcome. | M | 31 | 7 days | 10/23/2006 | 5 | Shingles | I had no bad side effects from this medication. I had very mild depression,pain & itching due to the shingles. Barely worth mentioning. I did have sleeplessness when I first started Valtrex but went away quickly. | F | 27 | 7 days | 2/17/2006 | 5 | coldsores/oral herpes | None - completely free. | Definitly cut down the duration of the infection. I had a Primary Infection (firt time) last summer. Very painful, sores all over my chin, on my tongue. Gums terribly tender. Go to your dentist if you have oral herpes - they know much more than a G.P. and have many treatments for symtoms. Secondary outbreak was very short with the help of Valtrex | M | 33 | 7 days | 4/30/2004 | 5 | shingles | fatigue, one inch oval red mark on my upper right arm | 100% satisfied with results. shingles really hurt and this stopped the spread and resultant pain. | F | 51 | 7 days | 7/28/2007 | 5 | herpes | None | M | 21 | 7 days 100 2X D | 7/1/2011 | 5 | Shingles | No side effects. | I've been getting shingles since I was 5 or so. Once I got a little older about 12 my doctor started prescribing Valtrex to me. I started talking it only when I got shingles. I have never had a problem with it. It makes my shingles go through the process quicker and less painfully. Very pleased! | F | 18 | 7 days 1 GM 3X D | 11/2/2012 | 5 | Shingles | None | Seemed to arrest the progress of the new onset shingles within 24 hours. Pain was much less although itching remained longer. I would definitely take this again if needed. | F | 45 | 7 days | 11/10/2005 | 5 | shingles | sleepiness and lack of appetite | I have almost finished my course of valtrex, 7 days-3xday-1gm caplets. It has stopped the spread of the blisters but not the pain. I am taking Motrin to take the edge off. I have read that people have had both sleeplessnes and sleepiness as side effects. I will take either over the shingles. Good luck. | F | 54 | 7 days | 8/28/2008 | 5 | Herpes | None that I can drastically notice | Thank goodness I only have gotten outbreaks sporadically; 2 or 3 times per year is a lot for me. I have had G.H. for nine years and my last outbreak was over a year ago. I just got a prescription for Valtrex today! I tried to endure through an outbreak once and it was a nightmare! I let my pride go and went to a Dr.; was prescribed 500mg/twice per day for 7 days. My outbreaks go away after the third or fourth day and I'm back to being okay. Valtrex is a wonder drug for me. The place where I get my prescription from also has a drug program where I get 28 500mg-pills for starters and then a year's supply for free! Can't beat that at all! If you need some let me know! | F | 29 | 7 days | 2/20/2009 | 5 | shingles | After 7 days on Valtrex - 3 x per day. I was anxious to start after being diagnosed with shingles effecting the V2 nerve line. So panicked about it involving my optical nerve that would not have hesitated to take this medicine! Breakout involved my eye so that was enough of a scare for me. Also prescribed were pain meds and hydrox for itching (itching was intense for me) I took advil in place of prescript pain med and did use the hydrox for 3 days as prescribed. Afraid I would scratch my eye in sleep. Haven't quite determined if side affects were from the virus or the meds. Meaning still had swollen nodes and my inner ear was tender. Valtrex didn't make me sick to my stomach - tried both with and without food. I am usually sensitive to most meds but tried to ignore that fact. | I have a weakened immune system from thyroid cancer 15 years ago. My age is 49 & it is harder to heal without a thyroid. I was past the 72 hour mark and thought it was a cold - thought I had an inner ear infection (swollen nodes around my ear). More then likely kept @ bay possibly because I was doing several alternative remedies prior to taking the Valtrex. Had the rash for over a week before I started the meds. Personally it helped me to be disciplined and stay on a raw juice diet (carrot celery apple & parsley) also fresh orange juice the following week. If you read about helping yourself, studies show vitamin C is huge in the healing process for shingles. I didn't have much of an appetite and slept for the 1st three days trying to keep my eye closed and rest. I recommend drinking a lot of water and any extra fluids with valtrex. You are in the bathroom a lot which seemed to help me mentally thinking I was pushing everything thru. I was conscious about my diet at all costs and convinced this help me heal faster. Rash is not completely gone and I understand it is not instant gratification. So will try to be patient and continue healing. Personally I could not have lived without Valtrex. Healing time cut in 1/2 by at least a week. It was a challenge although much better then the other outcome! Hope this helps. Wishing you a fast healing process. | F | 49 | 7 days | 1/1/2010 | 4 | genital herpes | Head ache, sore throat, bad joint pain (it feels like someone took a baseball bat to my knees), itchy legs, and sore neck | It made the blisters disappear quickly. Well worth it | F | 20 | 7 days | 7/1/2009 | 4 | shingles | dry mouth first couple of days, dry cough one day,now headache going on second day(similar to migraines I used to get) and have two days left on this medicine. Might check to see if I can take an Amerge for head. | I actually called my doctor because I thought I might have been misdiagnosed. Just have small oval rash on my chest, no pain and not very pronounced blisters that are fading more than drying out. This mild case is either from this medicine or the fact that I had a severe case of HSV 1 11 years ago. | F | 57 | 7 days | 11/6/2008 | 4 | Shingles | Bad dreams fogy brain can't really think to clear at times ..it's been the third day works well but can wait to get off this stuff and return to the old me | M | 34 | 7 days 100 | 2/12/2012 | 4 | shingles (herpes zoster) | DEPRESSION after treatment ended. Almost zero side effects during treatment, except for sleeping later in the a.m. plus very slight stomach discomfort, no gas. | Was a bit apprehensive about taking Valtrex after reading the comments on this site, but took it anyway and was very pleased to have *almost* zero side effects. However, the day after my last dose, I began feeling really lousy -- bummed out, worthless, overwhelmed and too tired to deal with anything. This has been going on for 4 days. It didn't occur to me until just this morning, while I asking myself, "What in the heck is going on here?" that I remembered reading that depression is one of the rare side effects of Valtrex. Because these feelings are not at all the norm for me, and there's nothing new in my life circumstances to explain the sudden arrival of these feelings, I am strongly inclined to attribute this to Valtrex. Hope it's short-lived, because it's fairly incapacitating. On the bright side, the Valtrex stopped the newer of my 2 shingles rashes dead in its tracks, and is probably responsible for the dramatic improvement in my symptoms (awful pain & sensitivity) after just 2 days on the Valtrex. | F | 52 | 7 days 1000 mg 3X D | 6/1/2010 | 4 | Shingles | The only things I noticed were headache, bloating, and extra gas. I always ate a little something when I took it and that seemed to really help. | F | 23 | 7 days 1000 mg 3X D | 4/22/2010 | 4 | Shingles | Severe gas, bloating, and farting. Diarrhea started on the 2nd day and has lasted throughout the week on VALTRAX. Can't eat a full meal. I am nauseuos a few bites into any meal. Drinking lots of tea and water. Gas pains are by far the worst side effect! | I'm not sure if it decreased the length of my shingles. This is my first shingles outbreak. My shingles started clearing up on about day 5 of VALTREX. If you can get through the gas pain, bloating, and farting....give Valtrex a try. | F | 32 | 7 days 1 G 3X D | 3/8/2010 | 4 | shingles | very weird metallic taste in mouth, extremely dry/cracking skin, constipation, vivid dreams, low appetite, chronic headaches | 1gm pilsl hard to swallow as they are extremely large. recommended takign with food and chasing with liquids to make sure pill actually goes down esophagus. it defintiely works, but it made me feel even more sick than I was before i started takign it for large shingles outbreak on ribcage & back. | F | 36 | 7 days 1 gm 3X D | 10/21/2010 | 4 | shingles | this is my 5th day and I'm feeling depressed, blah, fatigued, (not sleepy)and I also get dizzy w/in an hour of taking the pill. Also, started getting headaches on the 4th day. I had a metallic taste the first day, but that subsided. | This is my first Shingles outbreak. Overall, I am very happy w/ Valtrex. The rash has subsided and I'm feeling 1000x better then before the diagnosis. I strongly recommend fresh aloe for the rash. It helps clear it up immediately. Many ethnic grocery stores carry the leaves. Simply cut open the leave, gently squeeze the gel/juice and spread it on the rash. It smells terrible and will stain your clothes - but it works better than any prescription ointment. | F | 41 | 7 days 3X D | 12/11/2010 | 4 | Shingles | No significant side effects | Large pill if you have trouble with them. It seemed to cut the spread of symptoms and allow existing blisters to heal, even through the continued life stresses which possibly brought on the attack. | M | 39 | 7 days | 3/30/2004 | 4 | genital herpes | no side effects at all | I was just recentlty diagnosed, and had a horrible initial breakout. I did not take Valtrex until the second breakout which took place 3 months later. It was drastically less painfull and severe, and lasted less then a week. Because I have not had herpes for long, I have not needed to take it as a surpressive treatment, yet I would consider doing so. | F | 20 | 7 days | 8/23/2005 | 4 | Shingles | Headache, nausea and diarrhea, sleeplessness. The headache was most bothersome. | The medication was started ASAP and I seem to have arrested the development. There is no pain but the itchiness is moderately annoying. All and all the side affects seemed to be an equitable trade off for saving myself the potential pain and spread of the condition. | F | 39 | 7 days | 11/30/2005 | 3 | Shingles | Nausea, dry mouth and dehydration | The medicine helped my diagnosis, however the side effects were frustrating. | F | 24 | 7 days | 3/12/2007 | 3 | Shingles | The day after I started taking it I got a very bad cold which lasted for about 4 days. Headache, body ache, stuffy and runny nose, sneezing, coughing, dizzy. | I finished my first week of the prescription but the rash didn't completely go away but the pain did subside. I asked my doctor and she told me I should take another week of it to see if the rash goes away. | M | 25 | 7 days | 10/26/2006 | 3 | herpes | I am taking the generic version by Ranbaxy. It appears to have stimulated the virus and got canker sores in my mouth. Also experiencing muscle pain but makes me sleep soundly at night. I have not had any outbreaks and feel as if the virus is in remission. | I hope it is similar to the original Valtrex which my insurance would not cover and was also extremely expensive. I have had the virus for about 40 years. | M | 57 | 7 days | 1/26/2010 | 3 | Shingles | fatigue, brain fog, depressed | My shingle symptoms are improving, but I am wiped out. I feel exhausted, not sleepy exactly, but just fatigued. I am so happy tomorrow is my last day on this med. | M | 42 | 7 days 1 gram 3X D | 5/12/2010 | 3 | Shingles | Severe headache, though I get facial shingles near the trigeminal nerve, so I am not sure if the headache is from the drug or from getting a migraine as a result of the shingles. Dizziness is also a side effect. | The good thing about the drug is it seems to prevent further blisters from errupting at the surface within a day of starting to take the drug. This is my 4th episode of facial shingles in 8 years and the side effects are the same each time. | F | 52 | 7 days | 9/11/2005 | 3 | Shingles | Body aches, FATIGUE, extreme sweating leading to dehydration (reduced urine output/ leg cramps) | I'd never had shingles and was surprised at how painful it is. I thought it was poison ivy and went to Dr. for prednisone but Dx was shingles. Who knew? After seven days, the rash dried up but still hurt. I can't be certain the side effects were from Valtrex or just from my body fighting the zoster virus. | M | 49 | 7 days 1000 3X D | 8/27/2012 | 3 | shingles | blurred vision, lethargic, tired, confused | I'm taking Valtrex for shingles and noticed a definite change in my alertness. Loss of a sense of timespan, direction...as I type this I notice I have to keep correcting my spelling. Most recently after a week, I've notice sensitivity to light and floaters in my vision. Not sure how the medication is helping but am considering to go off the medication. | F | 45 | 7 days | 7/28/2008 | 3 | shingles | constant headache, upset stomach, dizziness, vision problems, vomiting on the first 2 days | I am 24 and was prescribed Valtrex for shingles. First off, shingles is horrible, so anything they could give me to help clear it up I would have taken. Second, Valtrex seems to work pretty well at clearing up the rash/blisters, but with some noticeable side effects. The first day I took it after the 2nd pill I felt very uneasy. Sometime in the night I woke up and spent a good amount of the early morning vomiting. Same thing with the next day. After that, my body seems to have gotten used to it, but I do have somewhat of a constant headache, and every time I take a pill I feel dizzy and have blurry vision for a little while. | M | 24 | 7 days | 7/2/2008 | 3 | Bell's palsy | Since taking this medicine my legs ache, back hurts, tingling in my arms, soreness in my neck as well. I am so tired I could sleep forever. It also causes dizzness. | My back has hurt so much I am having to prop pillows behind me. I am only taking 1g 3 x's a day for a week- but felt aches and pains almost immediately. I am so glad I only have a few pills left then hopefully the tiredness and aching in my legs will go away!!!! | F | 30 | 7 days | 9/13/2008 | 3 | Shingles | After taking Valtrex for my Shingles, I noticed that it was making my arm go numb where it was previously itchy & painful. I'd rather have numbness over pain, but I hope these side-effects are not long lasting. | Quite large pills! I affectionately call them horse pills. | F | 34 | 7 days | 10/22/2009 | 3 | Shingles | Dizziness during the first couple of days. After that, I generally felt somewhat out of it. Headachy, could not sleep soundly, had trouble getting out of bed. | It cleared up the shingles after the first couple days; however, I'm not entirely sure it was worth it. Note: I took 1g 3/day for 7 days. | M | 21 | 7 days | 1/15/2010 | 2 | shingles | FIrst ever shingles attack. I"m only on dose 3, day two. I have been either angry or low mood all day. THe last few hours my moods have been allover the place. Some gas, stomach discomfort. | At this rate, I don't know if I can make it a week. | F | 34 | 7 days 1 GM 3X D | 4/15/2011 | 1 | shingles | I had a small shingles rash running from the top of my butt crack. Only about 4 blisters in a row. This is the 3rd time I've had them in this exact spot in the past 5 months. I took generic Valacyclovir for Valtrex before and everytime ended up having such joint pain I walked like a cripple when I first woke up and then it would go away and always come back at night. This time after just one pill, which I started late at night, I woke about 4 hrs later with heartburn that was off the charts, terrible joint pain in arms, chest, legs and pins and needles tingling in fingers. I have acid reflux but it wasn't bothering me when I went to bed. Also, terrible smelliing bowel movements, close to diarrhea. I had such bad pains through my chest and out the back I thought it might be a heart attack. The shingles were almost dried up anyway on their own with very slight pain and itching. | I'm not taking this pill again. | F | 57 | 7 days 500 mg 2X D | 12/11/2010 | 1 | herpes - genital | anxiety, restlessness, irritability, angry, HEADACHES, can't focus, can't remember things, and the list goes on..... | Went through 2 years of cancer treatment with a compramised immune system shich they think brought out this herpes....never had an outbreak before now so knew nothing of this.... So happy I found this site...now I now that I am not crazy! It's the drug. I was fortunate not to lose my hair during chemo and I sure am not going to lose it from this drug! I am going to stop taking ASAP and go to the lysine, b and c vitamins. I have no hereditary disposition for cancer and truly believe it is all the crap we put in our mouths! Therefore going to vitamins! Thanks to everyone who posted out here though -- I know the reason for all these weird feelings!! | F | 42 | 7 days 1 2X D | 12/16/2010 | 1 | Shingles | Continuous confusion, loss memory | I dont think it took care of my shingles as expected. Honestly I feel my immune system was doing a better job because I missed some doses. However, I am really upset because ever since I took Valtrex I always feel fatigue. I also can't remember things as well as I used to. If you felt the same after taking this drug email me at jymk83@gmail.com | M | 22 | 7 days | 11/16/2005 | 4 | herpes. | cramping in upper leg, muscle pains. | I experienced my first outbreak about a week ago. I immediately went to the doctor and he prescribed Valtrex and an ointment to relieve the pain from the open sores. My sores are now almost gone, however I do experience back pains and pain at the top of my thigh. It almost feels as though my by begins to cramp up. However I'll keep you guys posted on any other side effects. I much rather feel cramping than to feel the pain from urination or any other pain i experienced last week. | F | 24 | 8 days | 8/6/2008 | 3 | genital herpes | tired, need to take a nap during the day ... but I've only been on 500 mg for a week and I'm hoping it gets better. | I was self medicating on Famvir for about 4 years. It worked but outbreaks were about every month and it made me anxious, not knowing when the next outbreak would be and if I'd start the regimen soon enough. So I thought I'd try the suppressive therapy. After reading all the writings on this page, I'm having second thoughts about it. Don't trust drug companies, that's for sure. How long should I be on it? | F | 55 | 8 days | 6/5/2007 | 2 | Varicella from vaccine | Extreme agitation, irritability, stomach pain, confusion, extreme fatigue, food cravings, shakiness, headaches, nausea. | Some symptoms may be from the illness itself or a bladder infection I have as well. The shakiness and agitation would start very randomly. My blood pressure was normal but my pulse was 100. There's no way for me to tell if the medicine was working because I got the Chicken Pox from the vaccine, so it was not behaving in the same way as it would if I got it from someone else. I am going to stop taking the medicine, as I cannot handle the side effects. | F | 31 | 8 days 1gm 2X D | 5/19/2012 | 5 | Shingles | After taking a few days I developed headaches. Most of all it aggrivated my acid reflux even though I am on Nexium. | Definitely saw the shingles disappearing after about 4 days of use. | F | 47 | 9 days | 1/8/2010 | 4 | hsv 2 | The most bothersome side effects for me has been extreme exhaustion, irritability and chills. I have only had one slight headache and have been having weird dreams but that's pretty normal for me and can't be attributed to Valtrex. | I've only been taking this for just over a week... I am hopeful that the longer I am on it the more the symptoms will subside. | M | 35 | 9 days 500 1X D | 8/1/2010 | 4 | genital herpes | Feel really sore around upper thighs and buttocks. Very sore to sit down. Some areas of skin on legs feels like it burning. Blurred vision. Often feel cranky. The doctor I saw had no idea of side affects and didn't see anything I had as a side affect. Still, she had a full waiting room and almost kicked me out the door! | Not sure if it was the medicine or just the virus leaving of its own accord! I started taking valtrex a week after first sores appeared. | M | 36 | 9 days | 4/22/2007 | 3 | genital herpes | headache, eye strain, nausea, dizziness, and mental disconnect | My doctor told me there were NO side effects for Valtrex so, for the last week, I have assumed that I was just a little "out of it" or it was the virus since I'm having a mild outbreak. Today I finally decided to read about the drug. My symptoms sure come up repeatedly in other posts as side effects. Some say effects lessen with time... maybe I'll try to stick it out for another week. | F | 37 | 9 days | 8/1/2007 | 5 | shingles | none other than extremely dry& flakey facial skin. | F | 64 | 10 days 1 gm 3X D | 5/10/2010 |