VALTREX Reviews (VALACYCLOVIR HYDROCHLORIDE)

Average Rating: 3.2 (635 Ratings)

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 ANTIVIRALS

 Type: Rx Drug

  

VALTREX  (VALACYCLOVIR HYDROCHLORIDE):  Valacyclovir is used to treat infections caused by certain types of viruses. In children, it is used to treat cold sores around the mouth (caused by herpes simplex) and chickenpox (caused by varicella zoster). In adults, it is used to treat shingles (caused by herpes zoster) and cold sores around the mouth. Valacyclovir is also used to treat outbreaks of genital herpes. In people with frequent outbreaks, this medication is used to reduce the number of future episodes. Valacyclovir is an antiviral drug. It stops the growth of certain viruses. However, it is not a cure for these infections. The viruses that cause these infections continue to live in the body even between outbreaks. Valacyclovir decreases the severity and length of these outbreaks. It helps the sores heal faster, keeps new sores from forming, and decreases pain/itching. This medication may also help reduce how long pain remains after the sores heal.   FDA Approval Date: 1995-06-23 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

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Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR VALTREXCOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 5  Genital Herpes None. Aside from the initial outbreak, I had just one other one three months later. Both times I took Valtrex episodically and both outbreaks were fairly mild. I then developed a relationship with someone and decided to use it daily to reduce the risk of transmission. That was 8 months ago and we're still together and I haven't had an outbreak since. F 21 8 months
7/8/2009
 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  
6/30/2009
 4  genital herpes Valtrex works for me--reduces if not stops the outbreakes. I try to do everything Homopathically but somnetime the virus--particularly in summer heat get aggressive so I take the daily dose of Valtrex for about 6 months to calm it down. BEST REMEDY FOR OUTBREAKS that I have found VERY SUCCESSFUL in stopping if not quickly healing is to spray the area of the sore or thingling with DMSO (70% DMSO & aloe vera)just before an outbreak and during. I have been amazed that the sores just disappear! Good luck fellow sufferers! F 56
6/29/2009
 3  chronic fatigue syndrome very severe depression, acne, hair loss This drug has really helped with my fatigue and body aches. It's also making me very depressed and I'm afraid of what might happen if I continue with this drug. F 28 30 days
6/16/2009
 3  herpes Extreme fatigue, fogginess When I have an outbreak I take 1 gram, twice a day, for 3 days. It relieves the symptoms of an outbreak almost immediately. However, I'm otherwise non-functional because of total exhaustion and brain fog. For 8 years I took it every day; I did not have fatigue or fogginess when I took it daily. The symptoms of exhaustion occurred only after I switched to the as-needed dosage. F 39 10 years
6/14/2009
 5  a form of herpes on my neck none i don't take it regularly. i only take it when i have a break out. i have a form of herpes on my neck that makes me have little bumps, kinda like shingles, all over my neck. it causes me great pain, and although ABREVA helps somewhat, it takes a long time to work... when i take valtrex, within 2 days, i'm all cleared up and feeling great again M 27 10 years
6/8/2009
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 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
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 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  HSV 1 & 2 This is only my second full week on this medication so I have to keep on eye on things. Nevertheless, so far... Week 1: Within the first 3 days I had: fatigue, headaches, my eyes were red and painful, had a mild sore throat, overall feeling of dehydration. Also, for about a day, I felt tingling in every area that I had ever had an ob. Week 2: The symptoms from Week 1 are gone with the exception on the dehydrated feeling. (the prescription information does state that drinking extra fluids is recommended) I'm usually very sensitive to medication, so I think I'm doing pretty well so far. From what I've read here, things could be a lot worse I've had HSV1 affecting my lips for about 21 yrs. After a VERY bad ob about 12 years ago, after an extended period in the sun, my lip ob’s have diminished greatly and have been very few and far between. 4 years ago, I was diagnosed with HSV2 genital herpes. I had a horribly painful initial ob that lasted 3 weeks! After that, my ob’s have been tolerable, until a year and a half ago, when my ob's dramatically increased to about once a month, which prompted me to consider and finally ask for a prescription. Stress, my period, and being overly tired all trigger my ob’s. I've also noticed that when I have a lot of sugar or just don't drink enough water, I'll have an ob. Now, I'm on 500mg once a day for suppression of my GH. When I started the medicine, I had an 8-day-old outbreak that cleared up after the second dose. Not sure if it was the meds or if it cleared on its own, but I'm hoping that I won't have anymore ob's and from what I've read here, my system won't come to depend on the meds. Yesterday, I was rushing out for work and forgot to take a pill. I could swear I felt tingles off and on all day. Maybe, it was all in my head, but I took the missed dose right when I got home and all seems to be okay. I know that there are no studies beyond 1 year, but the thought of having a pain-free, outbreak-free, normal life again and the possibility of reducing my chances to passing this on to someone else, for me, far outweighs any of the side effects I’ve exper F 34 2 weeks
5/24/2009
 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
 4  HSV-1 (spreaded to genital region) fatigue, dizziness, sleepiness I have been taking Valtrex on and off since I was 16 yrs. old. I caught the HSV-1 herpes through oral sex, so it is now on my genital region unfortuantely. I take 500 mg. It does work for me, but it causes me to be extremely sleepy. It does take about three to five days for the symptoms to go away for me with Valtrex. I pray they find a cure for this awful virus soon! I'm wondering if they are already working on a cure or if they even already have one and they just haven't put it out yet because of the money. Did anyone else on here happen to contract herpes the same way I did? I need to know if there is a group of people with herpes that I could communicate with. It's very difficult knowing you have this and that you can pass it on to a loved one. That breaks my heart. Thankyou to anyone who reads this. It is appreciated dearly! F 24 7 years
5/9/2009
 1  Genital Herpes headache, mood changes, deppression, appetite changes, joint pain, racing heart beat, loss of concentration, hallucinations. I have had herpes a year and have been taking vatrex for just as long. i still have had outbreaks and it has only caused me more problems. My headaches are very severe. Valtrex affects my concentration so much its hard for me to work. i hate it. F 17 1 years
5/4/2009
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 3  HSV 2 Grogginess (Groggy), some hair loss, loss of sexual appetite, extreme pain in knees/inflammation I only noticed the symptoms when I started suppressive therapy. At first, I only took as needed, or the 3 day prescription/dose. I still get outbreaks, even during suppressive therapy. Very frustrating. I think I'm going to stop taking the medication because my knee pain is too much now. Bending my knees, which is very often, is painful. I did physical therapy for 2 months, but I'm going to stop taking medication to see how my knees improve. Someone out there has to come up with a medication that can help us! F 33 9 years
5/1/2009
 5  Genital Herpes Photosensitivity from sun exposure: results are (day 1) small red blotches on areas of skin that was exposed to sun and then day 2 are small pustules. I've been taking Valtrex for about 6 years, 2 years of it on suppressive therapy. Since I've been on suppressive therapy I have not had an outbreak. The only side effect I've had is the photosensitivity. I'm not much of a sun bather, but I've noticed over the years that when I get the tiniest bit of sun this pimply red rash occurs and it takes several weeks for it to go away. I just want to know if anyone else has this problem. F 25 6 years
4/26/2009
 4  coldsores frequent dizziness, sleepiness, depression, brain-fog Does anyone else still feels the side effects for weeks after taking the Valtrex? I took 2 grams about 2 weeks ago and I'm still randomly feeling dizzy. F 25 1 days
4/22/2009
 4  hsv Currently I take 1 gm daily for suppressive. I upped the dosage about 6 months ago from 500 mg daily. I'm very paranoid about an outbreak and also take lysine daily. Recently I ordered somehting on-line called Herpaflor which has Lysine and some other herbal supplements in it. I'm hoping it is ok to use both. I do feel like my stomach gets upset and have occassional headaches. I also have a lysine lip balm because there is a spot on my upper lip that could turn into an OB. To me anything is better than an OB. I am a bit nervous now because I noticed my fingernails seem to have horizontal ridges on them and I just had blood work done. My dr. said I seem to have low potassium. Does anyone if any of these medications affect potassium. Also does anyone seem to feel like their glands under arms sometimes throb. I also seem to notice that the bottom of my back and top of my next seem sore. I'm wondering if that is HSV related or medication related. Thoughts anyone? F 37 2 years
4/3/2009
 4  HSV II nausea and diarrhea This is the third time I have tried Valtrex. I went on it for about two months when I was first diagnosed, but stopped because I was having GI side-effects. During the time I was on it I had one outbreak. I tried again a year later, and went off after a week because of the same side effects. I tried taking famcyclovir for about a year, but was still having 8-10 outbreaks a year. I went on valtrex for the third time about 1 year ago, and this time have not experienced noticeable side effects. I had two minor outbreaks in the first few months of taking the drug, but now have not had an outbreak in 9 months! This is by far the longest I have been outbreak-free since I contracted herpes 5 years ago. F 27 1 years
3/25/2009
 5  Genital HSV 2 none I suffered through frequent episodes (10 or more per year) for 35 years and finally tried the Valtrex 1000 mg/day does to suppress the outbreaks. Since my first two pills I have not had an outbreak, and that was just over a year ago. I tried many, many remedies over the years, including changing my diet, hypnosis, exercise but the only thing that has worked well is valtrex. I too was concerned about side effects, but am pleased to see that some users have been free of outbreaks for up to 11 years on the same dosage I am on. Expensive, yes, but certainly better than the alternative. I have been happily married for 20 plus years and have a great daughter, and not having to worry about when the next outbreak is has made my life better. By the way, there is now a generic clone of valtrex on the market which is less expensive and is just as effective. M 59 14 months
3/23/2009
 5  GH I COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT THIS MEDICINE AND AS FAR AS I KNOW I HAVE HAD NO SIDE EFFECTS!!! BEEN TAKING IT EVERY DAY FOR ALMOST 11 YEARS NOW........ F 44 10 years
3/22/2009

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