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 | | | | |||
| 2 | Occular, Hand outbreak | Joing pain, dizziness, tachycardia, nausea | Have had herpes on my left hand for 20 years. Initially I had very frequent outbreaks, then subsided - had first outbreak in 8 years, a year and a half ago. Valtrex suppressed immediately. 6 months later had (apparent) occular herpes outbreak, went on Valtrex 1G 3 x daily, 7 days, a week later had hand outbreak, followed by another occular outbreak, back on Valtrex 1Gm 3x for about 10 days more, begain having joint pain, nausea, tachycardia - all of which cleared up eventually. Experiencing a hand outbreak now, tried acyclover @ 200mg, joint pain began. Not sure what to do. FYI, not immune compromised - just, apparently, one of those things. Suspect extended, high dosage of drug caused these effects. | M | 58 | 2 weeks | 3/17/2007 | 2 | genital herpes | None of the normal side effects I hear about. But since i've been taking Valtrax, have noticed what seems to be some sort of rash in my genital area. Im not sure if its a rash or a mild out break that has not yet improved. I have only been taking Valtrax for two weeks and this rash started almost immediatly after I began. | F | 27 | 2 weeks | 4/20/2007 | 2 | HSV 1 | Severe migraines, accelerated heart rate, flu like symptoms, tired. | I took Valtrex for cold sores and it didn't really do much to decrease the duration of the cold sore or the spread (probably because the dosage I was given was preventative and not for actual treatment (thanks docs)) anyways, the side effects were pretty intense. Heart rate was accelerated, constant migraines, flu like symptoms (very mild though) and lots of sleeping because I was abnormally tired. I don't know if I would take it again. I'm sure it works well for some people but I'm a strong believer that unless you're running, there's no way you should feel your heart beat like that. | F | 25 | 2 weeks 500 MG 2X W | 1/13/2011 | 2 | Herpes | Trouble sleeping, loose stool, sharp pains in my legs... I Just recently contracted to Herpes Virus and this medicine doesnt do anything good for me... | F | 19 | 2 weeks | 5/11/2009 | 1 | herpes | dizziness, vomiting sometimes | To have herpes virus to be suppressed.> Try Pau D'Arco - fluid xtract1:1 (anti inflammatory) Aloe vera xtract(anti inflammatory)-but,hard to get this. Magnesium(calm your nerves down) | M | 2 weeks | 12/4/2008 | 3 | HSV 2 Meningitis | Extreme fatigue, extreme lack of appetite and nausea....food does not taste the same. No diarrhea (thanks God), mild dizziness. | I've had HSV2 for many years with almost no OB in the last 5 yrs. Now all of a sudden I've had 5 episodes of hsv meningitis in one year...the last 4 episodes have been only two months apart. Initially I am treated with IV acyclovir x 14 days then started on oral valtrex. I am now up to 3000mg/day to see if this will keep me from having another episode. I truly feel horrible. | M | 50 | 3 weeks 1000 3X D | 5/31/2010 | 3 | cold sores..very bad all over mouth | dizziness,very tired ..and i recenlty saw someone that had a very bad nightmare and last night so did i ..it was the most terrifying nightmare i ever slept through..fatigue i noticed ..other then this valtrex is working | F | 17 | 3 weeks | 8/7/2008 | 2 | Genital Herpes | Exhaustion, bloating, dry skin, general feeling of malaise, diarrhea, and after 3 weeks, still the stinging tingling symptom of herpes outbreak, though blister is gone. Not happy. It has helped me before, but this time, it is not. I went from a short dose, did not work, went to a 500 2x a day, did not work, went to 1000 2x a day, and I feel horrible. | F | 39 | 3 weeks | 6/3/2008 | 5 | Shingles Suppression | First week I had lower abdominal cramping but that could be due to another reason. | Love this drug. Have been suffering for years with a few pesky sores that were first diagnosed as Herpes and then Shingles and now back tp Herpes, blood tests pending. Getting the sores every 2/3 weeks. Last 4 weeks I have been sore free and feel great. Even my lower back and leg pain have gone. So Happy :) | F | 30 | 4 weeks 500mg 2X D | 5/16/2011 | 4 | Genital herpes | So far so good i feel a minor headache and back pain but my doctor said it's normal and that my body will get used to the medicine and the pain should go away, I'm more calm emotionally knowing I'm taking medications | F | 33 | 4 weeks 500 MG | 4/4/2012 | 4 | herpes | Diarrhea. Not sure if these symtoms are from valtrex or herpes: very tired, get sick easily and harder to recover | I had my intial outbreak a 3 weeks ago. Thought it was urine infection but then I saw the sores and the pain got worse. Valtrex has help tremendously...sores went away in 3 days. However I accidently skip 2 pills so I had another mild ob. Taking more valtrex to fix that. I hope I don't have to take it daily. However I get stress easily which is the main cause of ob. | F | 26 | 4 weeks | 1/26/2007 | 2 | herpes outbreaks | After taking valtrex for a few weeks i got tingling in my arms when i would wake up in the morning. I had a metallic taste in my mouth that drove me crazy, i started to get jittery. Then the aggitation set in. If I got mad, I got insanly mad. I felt like I couldnt control myself. It was scary. I stopped taking it and then restarted after another breakout to see if the aggitation was from the pill and it was. It came back after a few weeks of taking it again. | F | 32 | 4 weeks | 11/2/2006 | 3 | genital herpes | The first month of taking daily valtrex i had wierd tingling feelings in my hands and feet and had problems sleeping. Since, then those feelings have decreased, but i still get them sometimes. When i got my first period while taking Valtrex, it was the worst period of my life, with bad cramps and loose stool. Since then i have gotten very bad stomach cramps, i am going to try breaking the 500 mg pills in half to see if that hepls with the stomach ache. | Since taking the meds i have only had the beginings of one OB and when i took 2 500 mg per day, the symtoms of the OB were gone in 48 hours with no full OB occuring. | F | 24 | 6 weeks | 1/20/2009 | 2 | suprressive therapy | Cleared up my outbreak....but caused severe depression, listlessness, wierd dreams, insomnia, and reflux. I'm stopping it immediately. | F | 36 | 6 weeks 1000mg | 8/4/2012 | 4 | HSV 2 | vivid dreams, headache for first 2 days. nausea (although i am prone to this). | F | 35 | 1 months | 5/25/2008 | 3 | GH | My urine has a strong odor, severe stomach cramps, headaches. | I was just recently diagnosed with herpes and I was prescribed Valtrex. I take it episodically, and it works to clear the blisters but i still have other symtoms and I have a LOT more outbreaks than everyone else seems to have reported. (I was diagnosed a little over a month ago and I have had THREE outbreaks, not severe but still painful.) Does anyone else have this same problem? Please email because I don't know anyone else with GH to talk to about this. Thanks. | F | 18 | 1 months | 1/6/2009 | 2 | g h/ shingles | since taking daily I am tired to the point of exhaustion, calling in sick for work because I cannot stay awake.. | this medication was prescribed because of serious outbreaks, after thryoid cancer, lupus sle and now mitral valve prolapse heart prob.. I have a body that just simply crashes.. I only recently found out the sores were herpes, genital and also on my back if I were in hosp.. yet I am aware i have had these rashes for about 30 years or more.. I had serious chicken pox as a child and at 15 had shingles so bad it covered half my body.. when I had an outbreak and then my husband got it I checked again.. and yep.. g h and shingles.. the pain on my skin is horrendous. and is constant.. yet the outbreaks were infrequent until I got cancer, for the second time now the outbreaks are never ending.. but my main concern is am I tired because of this medication?. I am literally falling asleep.. I am an active person, even with complications of lupus and thyroid cancer.. yet since starting this treatment one month ago daily I am a wreck.. I am not going to work I am angry, I have a headache constantl | F | 54 | 1 months | 8/29/2008 | 5 | Herpes Whitlow on right hand | I feel just plain "yucky" all the time. So much more tired than usual, bad floaters & strange pain in head at times. My stomach has had a gnawing feeling...like hunger but am a bit sick to my stomach quite a bit. Have a spacey, not real feeling, too! Just so tired. | It is WONDERFUL for outbreaks! I suffered with this since I was 17 & caught it in Beautician's School! Went to so many DR. & they had no idea what was wrong. It works so well for outbreaks & now taking daily. BUT, am going to go off it! Can't take the bad feelings! | F | 59 | 2 months | 8/16/2008 | 5 | Gential Herpes | Sleepy, tired and minor skin rashes that comes and goes..... | I didn't have any symtoms that comes alone with the herpes none what so ever, before I found out that I had it, a yeast infection that kept coming back and that when I was told that I have Herpes i was stunned and I just accepted and i take my medication everyday VALTREX and it works excellent but if i never had any symtoms of Herpes its ended the coming in going of the yeast infestion and i go back for an follow-up to make sure that VALTREX working for me. Even when I found out that I have the Herpes my boyfriend tested Negative which is a good thing and now we just practice Safety first....let me know if I am the only one that isn't getting skin rashes that appear and dissapear.... | F | 40 | 2 months 500mg 1X D | 2/6/2010 | 5 | genital herpes | a few, but only noticeable if i take it during the day or don't get enough sleep. | i had two breakouts right after the other when i was first diagnosed. horrible. used valtrex to treat those and had immediate relief until i stopped taking it. i worried about having more ob's; it felt like it would NEVER go away. my doc recommended i take 500 mg per day for suppression. i usually take it before i go to sleep. i am very tired in the mornings, especially if i don't get at least 8 hours of sleep. i feel very depressed and light headed if i take it during the day. but no side effects other than that. i am a generally healthy and active person though. so expensive but i found a program that helps pay for it. i highly recommend it. no outbreaks since. | F | 21 | 2 months | 5/16/2006 | 5 | herpes | i got stomach aches and headaches | i took almost every other antiviral drug for my herpes and nothing seemed to help it go away for longer than a week and now since i have been taking valtrex i havent had a single outbreak. | F | 2 months | 5/29/2005 | 4 | Genital Herpes | Depression, which I never get, feeling lethargic. I think it is making me sensitive or irritated during sex. | The side effects seemed to lessen after while, but after reading peoples experiences I realize that I am more lethargic than while not taking it. I didn't have alot of breakouts to begin with, and they have subsided completely, but I think I am going quit taking it. I have been feeling sensitive and not enjoying sex as much and I think it is because of the Valtrex. I also do not have as much energy, and I work out and try to eat right. Sometimes I feel like I could sit all day. | F | 48 | 2 months 500 1X D | 3/7/2013 | 4 | Epstein-Barr Virus | No side effects. | Helped clear up the epstein-barr tongue lesions. As per the actual disease I don't know if it helped or not. | M | 28 | 2 months | 9/12/2006 | 4 | Genital Herpes | None | Valtrex is working pretty good. I don't have outbreaks but 3 times a year though but chose to take it everyday anyways. So far so good. | F | 26 | 2 months 500 1X D | 9/14/2010 | 3 | Chronic Epstein Barr Virus | Nausea, fatigue, no appetite, insomnia. Feeling depressed and overwhelmed. Sun sensitivity, weakness and intolerance to noise and heat. | I was told to take for 2 months to supress EBV. The first two weeks I felt worse. Now entering the 3rd week and I have some energy but still have no appetite and nausea. Too early to tell if it is working to suppress my numbers. The side effects are worse than the fatigue and headaches. | F | 35 | 2 months 500 1X D | 7/5/2011 | 3 | genital herpes | Dizziness, nauseau, headaches | I have not had an outbreak since taking Valtrex. I have experienced the side effects mentioned above every day since taking this medication. | F | 30 | 2 months | 5/16/2007 | 3 | HSV 2 | After 2 months of suppressive therapy I have started to notice memory loss, blurred vision, and a very itchy rash that started on my back, arms and chest. | I was diagnosed with HSV 2 12 years ago, I have only had a few outbreaks over the last 12 years, and have taken Valtrex to treat the outbreaks as they occurred. Started suppressive theray for a very mild outbreak 2 months ago, since I have had another outbreak and all the symptoms I mentioned. I will no longer use for suppressive therapy and will talk to my doctor about other medications or only taking when I feel an outbreak coming on. | 2 months | 3/25/2008 | 2 | I had oral and genital ulcerations | brief acne, but it eventually subsided. | I have suffered with oral ulcerations since I was an infant. Within the past three years I have experienced genital ulcerations. I have never had sex, so I knew it wasnt Herpes II, so my doctor assumed it was Herpes I and prescribed me Valtrex. It did not work, so we biopsied an oral ulcer and a genital ulcer that I had and they both were completely negative for any herpes whatsover. It turns out that I have Behcet's Disease which is an autoimmune defficiency where you have too much inflammation in your body which can be expressed through ulcers in the mouth and on the genitals. If you suffer from genital ulcers, be sure to have them TEST for herpes, because there are other disease with ulcerations as a symptom. | F | 21 | 2 months | 4/9/2008 | 2 | Herpes 2 | Extreme leg stiffness and joint pain. | I mentioned the onset of joint pain, which i've never had, to my doctor and she brushed it off telling me this is not a side affect of Valtrex. Took the medication a 2nd time and the same side effect. So for me, I stopped taking this medication as I only suffer perhaps 2 outbreaks annually. | F | 37 | 2 months | 8/9/2009 | 2 | suppresion therapy for genital herp | Just very tired and feeling blah. But it has increased my outbreaks. I have had herpes for almost 13 years and I break out every month so after suffering so long I decided to try Valtrex, the doctor said it would stop the outbreaks. Not only has it not stopped the outbreaks it has increased them. I have been in constant breakouts since I started taking this medicine two months ago. I do not know what to do. I can't have a sex life and these breakouts are painful and so frequent that it takes over my life. I have tried Lysine and all of those herbal treatments with no results. I need something that will work. How can I have a relationship when I am constantly breaking out, it just sucks ALOT. AFter 13 years of going through this misery and physical pain I just want the break outs to stop! | F | 32 | 2 months 500mg 1X D | 11/17/2010 | 1 | genital herpes | fatigue;nausea.. often. | No more Valtrex...ur lever & kidney could be damaged after years taking it. My last outbreak was 2 years ago since I started taking Triple Berry Complex from herbalife company,and another 2 different herpes supplement for gental herpes. | M | 40 | 2 months | 4/8/2007 | 5 | Herpes 2 | No side effects. I have not had any Ob's since using this medicine. Only thing i have noticed is when i drink alcohol it makes me way more drunk then what i really am. | F | 22 | 3 months 500 MG | 1/16/2012 | 5 | Just diagnosed with hsv2 | None so far I got hsv2 from my husband I knew he had it but we used condoms. One day we had a fight and make up sex was hot and heavy we didn't use the condoms properly we put it on half way through the sex. I'm not sure if I ever had an outbreak I got bump now that's been there over two weeks it don't hurt and it hasn't changed I just been watching it. Any way I left my husband 2 1/2 months ago got a check up cuz I'm in a new relationship and they told me I'm positive for hsv2 been taking it since that day no problems yet . I also take lysine vitamins a b c d and e daily and a stool softer that's natural senna cuz I heard you can get GI issues so far so good. | F | 34 | 3 months 500mg | 7/24/2012 | 5 | genital herpes | A little dizziness and nausea when I first started taking it. | I've had genital herpes for 3 months and have been on the drug ever since. I normally take 500mg once a day but since I have no insurance I have had short times where I didn't take it. During those times I had one outbreak and i get the tingling sensations. While I'm on the drug I don't feel anything and have no outbreaks. I am scared of what the long term side effects are but I care more about not spreading it to my partner and it has been proven that valtrex can help that. | F | 21 | 3 months | 11/23/2007 | 5 | I got diagnosed with genital herpes | I havent had any side effects | Maybe Im a special case but I went in a routine physical and got a blood test and I tested positive. Ive never had a single outbreak. But my doctor thought it would be wise to be on suppressive therapy | F | 26 | 3 months | 5/29/2009 | 4 | Genital Herpes | Because I'm taking other medications and had some changes at the time I started Valtrex, I can't be certain there are any side effects that I can attribute to Valtrex. | After dealing with Genital Herpes for over 30 years with outbreaks several times a month in the last few years (related to stress)I am very pleased with suppressive therapy of Valtrex (1000 mg. 1x/day) I have not had a single outbreak since starting. | F | 60 | 3 months | 6/21/2008 | 4 | vulvodynia | Just tired the first few days but no others. | I've taken Valtrex for several months because I was having severe pain during sex. After Interferon Shots, multiple creams, etc, he put me on Valtrex, thinking it could be a viral lesion that is causing the pain. When having sex a few weeks after taking it I noticed no pain. I still get pain, occasionly, but I feel like this medicine has helped greatly. | F | 24 | 3 months | 1/1/2009 | 4 | Genital Herpes | None | Valtrex has been great. I was having an outbreak each month before starting Valtrex but have had none since. I personally did alot of research on Herpes once I found out I was positive and made my own preventative cocktail. In addition to Valtrex, I take 2000mg of Lysine and 1500mg of Kre-Alkalyn Creatine daily. Since starting this cocktail...no symptoms and no outbreaks. I highly recommend this! | M | 36 | 3 months 500mg 1X D | 7/19/2011 | 4 | HSV2 | Headaches, weight gain, constipation, increased depression | Took VALTREX for 3 months and did not have a single outbreak, so clearly this drug works for what it is intended. However, the side effects I have experienced have been great, and therefore, I am stopping the medication to see if I get some relief. SERIOUS headaches and constipation. Weight gain (20 pounds in 3 months, despite diet and exercise) and an increase in depression. | F | 41 | 3 months 500mg/day 1X D | 8/30/2010 | 4 | Herpes around spread into in my eye | I guess my body is getting used to it, having less side effects in general | F | 24 | 3 months 1 GM 1X D | 4/21/2010 History | 4 | Shingles involving facial nerve/eye | Originally I took this drug for 10 days (1 Gm. 3x/day). The shingles were brought under control (but I also used a pain patch and amitryptiline). I had extensive involvement of my L eye and after 2 1/2 mos was referred to an opthalmic specialist who found extensive active shingles in the eye (iritis). Now I've been on Valtrex for almost 3 months (1 Gm. 3x/day) and have now developed debilitating nausea, diarrhea. I've stopped taking the drug. It did help my vision but maybe longterm is causing problems. | F | 62 | 3 months | 10/14/2006 | 3 | HSV2 | Agitation, confusion, blurred vision. I went from a seemingly nice person to one more hostile in nature. I have only had one outbreak as far as I know. The drug is taken to avoid transmission. | After taking 500mg x 2 I stopped for five days. My mental state returned to normal. I then took one pill to see how much affect it had.....and noticed that I was becoming confrontive again. | F | 37 | 3 months | 6/22/2006 | 2 | GH | Near constant roaming prickly feeling throughout genital area. Constipation, trouble sleeping/dreams, lack of apatite/wt. loss, vaginal discharge/dryness, backache. Sores (not a BO) that come and go, like paper cuts that may bleed - feels like my nerves are exposed. I've been off of Valtrex since 6/08. Few Bo until after a yr being off of it. I used it occasionally since '08 for BO. The last BO I treated w/ it I ended up once again w/ prickles that would not go away (read comments). This drug worked for me before w/ no real side effects besides back ache - I don't know what to think now...Scary, what else is there? I hope valtrex settles my virus down soon as my prickles responded to it before. No BO since I started suppressive therapy 3 mos. ago. | Was diagnosed in '91. BO perhaps every 3 or 4 months in the same location every time. My OBGYN suggested Zovirax in '95. After 6 wks. I had a burning sensation where I always broke out - I thought it was a yeast infec. since I was treated for a UTI while on the drug. Two wks. later I discontinued the Zovirax due to constant prickling throughout my genitals that lasted for years! My BO became so frequent that my Dr. put me on Valtrex in 4/04. This seemed to put my BO to rest and after a yr. and a half or so of being on Valtrex my yrs. of prickling finally went away!! Has any one else had constant roaming prickles? | F | 49 | 3 months 500 2X D | 4/19/2010 | 1 | Valacyclovir | fatigue, WEIGHT GAIN, dizziness, anger, sore eyes & joints, lack of motivation, high blood pressure, headaches, acne,loss of memory..and probably a few more side effects i cant remember! | I had minimal outbreaks (once a year) but wanted to add extra protection to my partner. This drug i thought was a breakthrough. However i started increasing my workouts to 6x week and changed my eating habits( stopped drinking too)... and couldnt figure out why i was not loosing weight! I gained 10lbs in 3 months. I was also very foggy and light headed. Then I started getting night sweats and headaches and finally had my high blood pressure checked. It was thru the roof!It didnt correlate to my lifestyle. So i came on this sight and did some research and found a bunch of side effects that MANY other people were having that were not listed. SO i am stopping this drug immediately and will deal with my OB in a natural way with, lysine, oil of oregano,etc. I welcome any comments or feedback on this. Has anyone else gained weight or gotten High BP and stopped the drug and noticed a difference?good luck and trust how you feel! | F | 39 | 3 months 500mg 1X D | 3/10/2011 | 1 | Persistant Viral Infection | I felt horrible the entire time I was on this medication. I was on a generic version of the drug "Ranbaxy valacyclovir" 500mg. Seems to be the only generic stores stock around here. | Felt sick when I was on the drug. I have been off the drug for several months now and I still feel quite ill. Caused muscle pains, GI problems that got worse and worse (felt like I was trying to digest a rock), messed up my sleep very badly! Surprised no one else seems to be mentioning Insomnia from this drug as a common side effect. But the terrible stomach pain is the most pronouned side effect. FYI: There is an antiviral drug called Famvir, also generic, which you may want to inquire about if you can't take valtrex, it is also supposed to work for similar conditions. Sadly, Famvir made me sick also! Any new antivirals coming on the market that don't have such horrible side effects? When the "cure" is worse than the disease.......what to do? Also, even though they are both generic both valtrex and famvir are very very expensive! Hundreds or thousands a month! | F | 31 | 3 months 500 3X D | 4/12/2012 | 1 | HSV2 | Felt like someone punched me in the back. Pain in back when urinating. Black stool and foggy memory. Still had OB on Valtrex. | This is by far the worst antiviral pill. I highly advise everyone to go to earthclinic.com I found many natural rememdies, one called Neem (neem leaf from India) that is toxic to herpes and I have not had an OB or any signs of one thus far. Will go for blood test in a few months to re-check status. I suspect more class actions will be brought against the makers of this drug and the entire ignorant AMA/practitioners who don't know squat about this virus and how to rid the body of it completely. | F | 35 | 3 months | 12/30/2006 | 1 | HSV-2 | None | I don't see the point in taking Valtrex but maybe I'm a special case. I was diagnosed with genital herpes right before my 21st bithday and I had 3 terrible outbreaks... all while taking Valtrex. They lasted about 3 weeks each. After the last one I stopped taking Valtrex and since then I've had extremely minor outbreaks lasting a day or 2. So what's the point of taking it? It doesn't keep me from passing the virus to someone else, and it doesn't treat outbreaks so really to me its useless. I might just be a conspiracy theorist but I feel like with all the technology and research, there has to be a no BS CURE that can treat the virus. It really upsets me that drug manufacturers and doctors push this drug on ppl affected by this virus, and it only makes ppl sick and makes the ppl who make it rich. I bet if everyone stopped taking valtrex, and made these ppl lose all their money, they would find a cure real fast. | M | 21 | 3 months | 3/14/2009 | 5 | HSV II | tingling, swelling, itching and pain of both hands. lips had tingling and tugging type sensations. Shivering sensations in my legs and arms. decreased dose from 500mg to 250mg with the hope to stop or decrease dose related side effects. didn't work. | Will have to give up the Valtrex, which totally stopped any outbreaks and return to acyclovir. The side effects were a great bother and concern. Also felt anxious. I did feel cured and safe from the HSVII, but the side effects were of greater concern. | F | 54 | 4 months | 5/9/2008 | 5 | Cold sores on lips | Brief, sharp pains just above hip, maybe once every two days. | Is a wonder drug. I work with the public and had constant outbreaks on my lower lip, sometimes up to 5 cold sores at once. First tried a one-time rx, then another massive outbreak a week later. Rx for 1000mg/day has left me outbreak-free for months. It is about $10/day, thank goodness for my health plan! I so have a slight concern about a recurring pain, am going for blood tests next week to see if there is a correlation. If you have info about kidney/liver troubles that may arise due to valtrex, please drop me a note! | M | 27 | 4 months | 3/20/2008 | 5 | genital herpes | sometimes headache | Zovirax did not help me much...Valtrex has worked amazingly for me so far! Thank God for it. | F | 20 | 4 months | 11/7/2007 | 5 | Cold Sores on Lips | I realized just recently that when i drink excessively, I completely black out, and can't remember what happened. No other side effects. | Works well for my cold sores! | M | 25 | 4 months | 4/4/2007 | 4 | Outbreaks on buttocks | A lot of red spots and zits on both bottock cheeks...Still outbreaks, but smaller in size, earlier the infected areas could be an inch and a half, several places on my butt, but now it is usually one, the size of a 10-cent coin. Embarrassing with all the ugly red spots. | No other side effects | F | 45 | 4 months | 11/27/2005 | 4 | genital herpes | After 4 months of suppressive therapy I have started to notice memory loss, metallic taste in mouth and explosive diarrhea. Also, I’m seeing a great deal of hair loss. | I am not positive that my hair loss is due to Valtrex, but only recently since starting the drug I have noticed significant loss on the right side of my hair line. I have thick hair and rarely would I find hair on the bathroom floor, now I have to clean it up daily. I take one pill @500mg per day and have not experienced an Ob in four months. | F | 54 | 4 months | 4/1/2008 | 4 | EBV | Dizziness, back aches, dry eyes, depression, and consipation. | I was diagnoised with EBV in July of 08. This medication has really helped out with my fatigue...but has also created some ruff side effects. I had been taking 3g a day for about a month and then went down to 2g a day for another month and now Im just taking 1g a day. I did here from a friend that the Valtrex can depleate the Iron in your body. Maybe thats why everyone is feeling fatigued? All in all this medication has worked really well for my EBV, but the side effects can really be ruff. | M | 4 months | 5/31/2009 | 3 | HSV-1 genital herpes | migraines,fever,nausea,diarrhoea,dizziness,vision a bit foggy, joint pain, period pain | I'm confused. I'm not sure whether what I'm feeling is symptoms of the medication, or whether it's the virus of herpes causing these things in me. I was diagnosed with herpes 4 months ago, and have been taking the medication as a suppressent since then. The migranes are full on, sharp and heavy, and cause me to be home. The rest of the time I've got a medium kind of headache constantly. I've become alot more tired also. I get the tingiling alot of the time, but this doesn't end in an outbreak. I've only had the sores once, but I get tingiling in the genital area, and also around my body, mostly in my legs and in my back quite often. My period pain has increased, I've never had such strong cramps. I'm sceptical about this medication, and intend on searching for natural ways in which to suppress the herpes. I'm keen to hear from anyone that knows anything about natural remedies, or experiences or anything!email me. | F | 23 | 4 months | 2/4/2008 | 3 | Stomach pain and bloating. Taking the generic by Ranbaxy. But I also had these side effects with the brand name. | How is Ranbaxy generic valtrex compared to the other generics out there? As effective? Less? Is it working for others who have been on it long term? Is there anything that helps with the constant stomach bloating and sick feeling? Seems like most people get this side effect. | F | 32 | 4 months 1X D | 3/9/2012 | 1 | genital herpes | diarrhea, extreme hair loss (around half of my hair has fallen out), extreme fatigue | It did not stop my outbreaks - I still get them every week. I had to stop the medicine to try and stop the hair loss. | F | 46 | 4 months | 6/15/2006 | 1 | genital herpes | i switched from acyclovir to valtrex because i was experiencing frequent outbreaks of genital herpes while on the acyclovir. i have been taking acyclovir for 15 years and rarely (maybe once per year) would have an outbreak. on 400 mg. valtrex, i still continued to have the outbreaks. i started out with half a pill per day to suppress the herpes, then my doctor upped the dose to 1 pill per day -- still i kept having outbreaks. i developed a rash from head to toe last week and can not figure out why. i'm trying to find out if others on acyclovir or valtrex are experiencing rashes. | F | 38 | 4 months | 9/30/2005 | 1 | Epstein-Barr | Severe muscle aches & all over stiffness. I seriously feel like I've been hit by a truck!! Occasional sharp pains shoot thru my legs & I feel anxious and restless. Going to stop taking this as I cannot function like this!! | I noticed a few other comments on muscle fatigue, but nothing as severe as it has affected me. This is the only medication that I am taking, so has to be the Valtrex causing the syptoms. | F | 47 | 4 months | 2/24/2009 | 5 | HSV-1 | Acne, mood swings, fatigue | The medication took care of the pain and cleared up my first outbreak within a couple of days. I now take it for suppression and have not had another outbreak. I have noticed that my skin (which was formerly very clear, never any acne) now has acne breakouts every few weeks. I also have much less energy than I used to. | F | 24 | 5 months | 1/31/2007 |