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
 
 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
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 4  cold sores Bloating, fatigue, but also have noticed that I don't tend to get colds very often, or if I do, they don't last very long (is there a cure for the common cold in this drug?!!) I have been taking a daily 500mg preventative dose for about two years now and it really works well, but I want to wean off it since I am concerned about unknown effects over time. I've noticed that if I miss a dose, I get an outbreak almost immediately - I don't like the feeling of having become dependent. I'm cutting down to 250mg then plan to move to Lemon Balm and other natural options. F 48 2 years
5/27/2008
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 3  Pregnancy to avoid an outbreak Itchiness in my left hand and up my arm. Pins and needles feelings in different area, mostly legs and arms. Slight metalic taste in mouth, and made me not want to eat anything. Could not sleep as well, because I got night jitters. When I did sleep I had weird dreams, and felt more out of it. Had no sensation to drink water, until really thirsty. Not sure if it worked. Taking it twice a day for a total of 500mg. Only liked taking it anight though, really was hard in the morning. M 32 15 days
5/27/2008
 3  HSV2 Hurts a bit to sit! ;) Also hands and feet tingle and feel swollen. Pain in hands and feet associated with that tingling (like tiny litte pins)/swollen feeling in hands/feet. Mildly painful to walk or stand and reduced desire to excercise due to the low level pain in so many areas including the groin area. This is my 10th day and the side effects started a few days ago. M 43 10 days
5/26/2008
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 4  HSV 2 vivid dreams, headache for first 2 days. nausea (although i am prone to this). F 35 1 months
5/25/2008
 1  hsv I Taking to prevent break out during pregnancy-only had 2 outbreaks over 15 year period---nausea intensifed already had hyperemesis,dizziness,headache,cold symptoms, unbearable itching, disorientation Absolutley hate this drug and don't feel it is useful for me or even necessary M 37 3 days
5/25/2008
 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
 4  HSV 2 Some dizziness, and luckily the rare side effect of diarrhea (which in my case involved even incontinence, yuck). But the latter side effect only occurs for the first day I start taking the medicine because of an outbreak, not during any of the other subsequent days I take the medicine. It does seem to dispel some of the itchiness that comes with herpes, which is really the only bothersome thing I have with it, other than the very small bumps that are fortunately not on my genitals but around my anus.. (I guess that's fortunately) M 22 7 months
5/8/2008
 5  yes constipation.. im trying to find out if it has caused me to have high cholesterol as a young single girl it has a real shock when i got genital herpes.. at first i just treated the symptoms but then i go out breaks so i went on daily doasges.. it was a life saver in terms of getting rod of the out breaks but afer a year and a half realised it was causing me to be severely constipated so much that i couldnt have sex for the pain. it got so bad that my supportive boyfriend told me to go off the meds.. i havent had an out break since but i will take it twice a day if i do get symptoms... F 22 2 years
5/3/2008
 3  Genital Herpes I've been experiencing; frequent debilitating headaches, blurred vision, stomach upset, soft stools (not really diarrhea), very dry skin, easily dehydrated, fatigue (i'm exhausted halfway through the day). I'm not on anything other than Valtrex, vitamins, and birth control (which I've never had an issue with in the 10 years since I started taking it). I've been on once daily Valtrex (500mg at night before bed) for 5 months now. I was fine when I started taking it, but a few months later things were getting progressively worse. I'm thinking of asking my doctor if it's really worth all this. F 24 5 months
4/29/2008
 5  GH Ocassional mild head ache. No additional side effects I was diagnosed with GH four years ago and took Valtrex 500mg twice daily for 5 days during the outbreak. I would have a break out about every three months. I started taking 500mg daily a year ago and haven't had an outbreak since. I would highly recommend this drug M 38 3 years
4/26/2008
 4  Shingles Nausea, dizziness, slight disorientation, light persistent headache. This is my first experience with Shingles. The outbreak was fast and furious on my neck and face, had to go into hiding. Valtrex seems to have stopped the spread almost immediately. The side effects, for me, are bothersome, but the Shingles seem to be even more of bother, so I will continue the course (7 days, 3 times a day of the 1gram). F 49 3 days
4/26/2008
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 3  hsv 2 started taking valtrex yesterday. 1000mg 2x a day. experienced headache ... like a sharp pain in my head ... came here and found that lots of people complain of a headache as well M 2 days
4/23/2008
 5  genital herpes Absolutely none I have had genital herpes for about 30 years and always came down with a breakout whenever I used to travel and other stressful times. I tried St. Johns wort for about a year on advice from my naturopath but it did not help in any way. About a year ago I decided to try Valtrex which my regular doctor had prescribed earlier but I had initially resisted. It is fantastic. I only take it 3 x a day for 3 days as soon as I feel an outbreak coming on. It stops it right in its track every time. I also actually took a trip this winter and did not have any outbreak, a welcome change to my travel adventures. I would recommend it in the dosage I take but would not want to have to use it daily or weekly as a suppression. It has made my life much better, especially the lack of frequent pain and discomfort in the panty zone. I used to have about an outbreak a month but that has also lessened, but then my stressload in life has also improved which i am sure contributed to my outbreaks. F 51 1.5 years
4/21/2008
 4  Genital Herpes 2 I feel really tired. I take it before bed to keep from feeling dizzy. Headaches more often now. I look like I've aged five years in one month. I look like the crypt woman. Very rough,dry, facial skin and more wrinkles than I've ever seen! Body skin is itchy too. I'm not vain but I don't want to look way older than I really am. I am very worried about long term effects. I agree with the other lady. I think the drug companies could cure this today but they're making too much money off of your daily suppressive therapy! Valtrex made my outbreak go away. I am now on 1000 mg of suppressive drug therapy every day. Haven't had another outbreak since. So, in that aspect, the drug works. I take Valtrex to keep my fiance' from getting genital herpes. We also use a condom every time, which we hate to do, but no choice I guess. If it wern't for fear of giving it to my fiance' I'd probably stop taking it (unless I got more outbreaks). F 48 35 days
4/18/2008
 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
 5  GH The benefits far out weigh the side effects. Vision problems (had Lasik surgery twice and I think I need it again), headaces (now that I no longer drink diet sodas they've gotten a little better. Must be some type of reaction with the nutrasweet), some joint pains and injuries I take 500mil (half a one gram pill) 2 to 3 times weekly and it's kept me breakout free for 10 years. I keep in good physical condition but am prone to injuries in my joints since starting treatment. M 43 12 days
4/8/2008
 3  Herpes virus Possible increase in frequency of migraines, dizziness especially when rising, possible irritability (unsure if the drug is the cause or something else), fatigue I am unsure if some of the side effects are because of the drug or due to something else. I do know that the crashing fatigue, dizziness, and migraine frequency coincide with my beginning daily valtrex for suppressive therapy. Doctors have assured me that Valtrex has nothing to do with the increase in frequency of migraines, but I remain uncertain... the only test will be to stop the drug and see what happens. The upside is that it has been highly effective in reducing the number of outbreaks. I went from having them so infrequently that I barely remembered I had the disease to having them about once a month after having children. On valtrex, I rarely have outbreaks. I am unsure if the side effects are worth it or not, if that is what they are. My husband thinks they are, but then, he doesn't have to live with them! F 34 3 years
4/4/2008
 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
 3  shingles on my 2nd day of valtrex and i have not been able to sleep one wink... hope that goes away. drinking tons of water, and peeing often... total loss of appetite, some nausea, ears ring when i try to sleep... heart rate up a bit, but might be a little anxiety from thinking about having this crazy shingles thing... dry cough, but i had a cold prior, so thats prob it. fatigue but cant sleep... i think the valtrex stopped the spreading of the shingles, and i am hoping they dry up soon and leave... not a big fan of my first shingles experience. I didnt experience much pain yet, but the fact i am semi-quarentined to my couch is a big depressing... will post again when things improve, hopefully M 30 2 days
3/30/2008
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