Is Valtrex used once a week effective?

Question

I'm Costa Rican and I've had genital herpes for 5 years, and I have been having outbreaks once a month at least, always when I have my period. My doctor prescribed Valtrex once a day, but since it is insainly expensive and I can not afford it, he changed it for Aciclovir every 8 hours for 7 days, and then after that Valtrex once a week...this is my second week, ...can it work once a week?

Answer 1

I guess what he is treating you for is maintenance /preventative doses if it works out OK then its successful if not then you will have to increase times taken.
You didn't say what strength as that also will have some bearing.
Your outbreaks will let you know if OK ♥

Answer 2

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Answer 3

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Answer 4

Yes, Valtrex can be used once a week. It doesn't need to be taken daily.

A lot of people don't take the medication daily (including me). I ONLY take acyclovir when I am having an outbreak. It's too expensive and makes me nauseous to take it every single day.

Also, Valtrex only HELPS prevent outbreaks and the spread of the virus. It's not 100% guarantee that you will not get an outbreak or you won't spread the virus. You can still get an outbreak while taking the medication and you can still pass the virus while taking the medication.

Good luck!

Answer 5

I have had genital herpes for 8 years and took valtrex once daily for a year or so and it worked really well. Then I started taking it every other day then skipping to twice a week and it still worked very well. Now I rarely even take it at all unless I feel like I am gonna get an outbreak and it's been working well for me that way too. Other people I know and talk to have tried the same thing and it works well for them aswell so I hope it also works well for you. I guess the only way to know is to try it. I also took acyclovir and didn't feel like it worked as well as valtrex did for me and other people I know say the same. It sucks that valtrex is so expensive. I know here in the U.S. without insurance it is rediculas but it is cheaper in Canada and some people buy their meds online from Canada and have them delivered to the U.S., I am not sure what they go for in Costa Rica but it's worth a try to go look at Canadian prices http://www.canadadrugprices.com/druglist/valtrex.asp.

Answer 6

Valtrex becomes acyclovir once metabolized by the liver so they work exactly the same. Valtrex has a higher bioavailability however. Neither do much of anything at typical dosage without the viral kinase that phosphorylate acyclovir leading to the eventual active drug acyclo-guanosine triphosphate via human kinase. If you do not have actively replicating virus, acyclovir is simply excreted in waste.


To answer your question though, it works when you have replicating virus and thats not likely to be on a set calandar schedule.

Im curious to know why anyone would thumb my answer down. A quick google of how these particular nucleoside analogs work will provide you with the knowledge (and hopefully the understanding) of how they work. ...of course then you will feel stupid for thinking my answer was somehow incorrect.

Answer 7

The internet offers mixed reviews on many of the dozens of cold sore medications on the market today, ranging from statements like "my cold sore was gone in two hours" to "this stuff made it worse!" Some cold sore medications obviously have a better track record than others, but it can be difficult to find the perfect remedy for that annoying and embarrassing cold sore. The biggest factor that will contribute to the effectiveness of your chosen cold sore remedy is noting the stage at which the cold sore has developed when the first treatment is applied to the site. Any cold sore sufferer knows that the best way to treat a cold sore is to nip it in the bud as soon as possible. Once blisters begin to form, you may be out of luck if you are not using the right cold sore medication.
http://www.lalorpharmacy.com

http://www.jvspharmacy.com

http://www.barpillz.com
Zovirax (Aciclovir):

Let me just say that I absolutely love Zovirax and I regret all the years I suffered with cold sores, spending hours researching home remedies and over-the-counter products, when a simple call to the doctor for a prescription was the answer. It is truly a life-saver when it comes to cold sores. Whether it is applied at the first signs of a cold sore or even after bumps and blisters have begun to form, it will zap my cold sore in 24-48 hours. In addition, it does not "dry out" the cold sores which many medications do; shrinking the blisters, but leaving a very hard scab that cracks and bleeds. Zovirax also has something in it to relieve pain and itching. In most cases, if Zovirax is applied during the tingling stage the cold sore does not develop (like Abreva). If it is applied after blisters have formed, it shrinks the blisters overnight and relieves all the redness and irritation surrounding the sore. I have never had a cold sore for more than three days when using Zovirax. The one down-side to using this medication is the cost. A 5 gram tube of Zovirax retails at about $120.00 and is subject to a higher co-pay with insurance because there is no generic equivalent available yet.

Answer 8

¡Ánimo! Para curar el herpes, lo primero que tienes que hacer es no tocártelo mucho, no vaya a ser que se te infecte y se te queden las marcas del herpes, o te hagas daño en la zona. Aunque moleste o aunque te entren ganas, déjatelo en paz.
Luego, si te quieres curar el herpes y hacerlo bien, lo mejor es que acudas a remedios naturales. El herpes ha existido desde mucho antes que la medicina y no son pocos los remedios para el herpes que existen.
Te dejo aquí un enlace de uno muy bueno, para que le eches un vistazo.
¡Un saludo!
http://protocoloherpes.youtips.info

Answer 9

Pleas tell me you tell your partners, I wonder if it was worth it......