Feedback on Valtrex Side Effect and Usage, page 36

About Valtrex

If you use Valtrex, please help others by adding your feedback. What would you tell your best friend about this product? Please remember that we do not give medical advice. That is for your local health care provider, who is familiar with your medical history.

Subj: Cut your pills in half?
Date: 9/12/2009
Since I’ve started Valtre about 6 months ago, I have noticed my neck breaksout like crazy..and after I work out and sweat or go in the ocean it stings. Is that something anyone else has experienced? Also I see that you say you cannot cut your pills in half but my Obgyn actually perscribed a double dosage of what I needed and advised me to cut mine in half because it would be cheeper for me to buy them and have double. Is she wrong?

RR

AskDocWeb: We are not taking sides in the controversy over pill splitting. Of course it would cut the overall cost of your medication in half but what happens if a lot of people start doing that? If everyone cut their medication in half, that would also cut the income of the manufacturer by half. What do you think the drug companies would do, continue to lose their profits or raise their prices?

Subj: Valtrex and pregnancy
Date: 9/18/2009
I was diagnosed with Genital Herpes & prescribed Valtrex – I dont get outbreaks at all but I take the medicine to avoid giving it to my husband. We are planning on trying for a baby & I wanted to know if Valtrex will lessen the chances or have a negative effect on my menstrual cycle, reproductive system, etc. – Any recommendations? Thank you.

Melissa

AskDocWeb: Valtrex has no affect on your ability to conceive. Valtrex is generally considered to be safe for women who are pregnant.

Subj: Sore subject
Date: 9/26/2009
This is a very sore subject for me…I don’t even know HOW I EVER BECAME INFECTED WITH SUCH A VIRUS, as it was at a point in my life when I wasn’t having sex or seeing anyone, at all, not once or even on occasion, for several years. That was in 1999. I dealt with really severe outbreaks for around three years. I was very much living in a stressful situation at that time. They were absolutely horrible, didn’t heal up for seemingly ever, spread to 10 or more hugely inflamed sores, and left scars on my mouth. I couldn’t handle it, and FINALLY, the GODSEND! My outbreaks have always been on my mouth, nowhere else. But they do inevitably spread out from my lips every time – I never have just one.

Valtrex, since 2004, I have taken a 1G pill once daily. I used to get an outbreak here and there, not often compared to the previous one cold sore that turned into many. My outbreaks happened so often that one outbreak would finally heal up only to have another begin several days later before I started Valtrex. I now have not had an outbreak of any sort in going on three years. Frankly, I’m afraid to get back to the old experience with them, so I don’t want to stop using the med. I used to take Lysine, 1000mg daily, but had hardly any good results with this, in regards to prevention or healing an outbreak once it occurs. The very small positive results I had could actually be termed as luck or general healing, and the outcomes were so different that there really was no pattern to base the results from.

I have gained weight, but I don’t think it’s related. I don’t think I am fertile anymore, but believe this is related to the cysts I have had on my ovaries. I also wonder about the proven longterm side effects, I have a few health problems, and would like to weed out any that I can. I can say that I have no “sore spots” as mentioned above – I don’t get anything like this. Are you sure this has something to do with the virus? Any similar experience of mine, I have thought that it was the beginning of a pimple that didn’t ever form. I know the earliest stage of a cold sore, before it even breaks the surface, seems to be very closely similar to a brand new pimple

Also, I must say, I do many other things aside from taking the Valtrex. I worship the sun, and ALWAYS wear sunscreen on my mouth. I avoid allowing acid containing foods like tomatoes from coming into contact with my skin. If for some strange reason I don’t have my Valtrex, I make certain I have some Lysine on hand to use if necessary. Also, milk is a great anti inflammatory for cold sores when washed over the skin. If you make a small inch square pad with a paper towel, soak in milk constantly while swabbing gently on the sore, this is soothing and works at least minimally, I wouldn’t bother if not.

ALSO, ONE HUGE THING – The use of steroids for any reason makes them happen like wildfire, because steroids depress the immune system, which produces less antibodies to fight infections, which allows the virus to come out full force. I am newly encountering this issue, again. I learned this in the very early stages of having cold sores, this was actually how I learned of them from the start. Once I found out, I have simply avoided steroid use for the pneumonia I kept contracting. Now, I have encountered a flare up of my asthma that is so bad it has landed me in the hospital, and I have been sick with this or pneumonia at least five times in the last year. The doctors are nearly trying to force feed me the steroids. However, the cold sores have been so bad when I used to get them, I am DEATHLY AFRAID of them, and wonder what getting them so frequently causes anyway! I won’t even chance steroid use, not even under the cover of Valtrex. If anyone has any insight into this, please let me know, or if there is an alternative to steroids with use for inflammation of the lungs and bronchial tubes. Hope my input has helped. Thanks.

Anonymous

Subj: Weird
Date: 9/26/2009
I contracted chicken pox summer 2009 at age 52. I had the chicken pox vaccine when it first came out in the 1990s. My doctor gave me Valtrex and probably because I had the vaccine in my body too, my case was fairly mild (less than 50 pox.) I am have caught this on one of two airplane flights or in two big airports I traveled through… Weird.

Barb

Subj: Herpes
Date: 9/28/2009
How long can you live with herpes?

Portia

AskDocWeb: Herpes is not a death sentence, it is a virus that you just have to learn to live with for the rest of your life or until a cure is found. With all the commotion about first bird flu and now swine flu, there is a lot of research currently being focused on finding cures for viral infections. One recent development is the discovery of a molecular key that wakes up the herpes virus from the latent state into an active infectious state. Watch for future articles about a viral protein known as VP16.

Subj: Arms breaking out
Date: 10/1/2009
I recently started taking valtrex 500mg once a day. then I stopped taking it and my arms started breaking out in these bumbs. I’m going to the doctors to see about it but what will they do and should I refill my prescription and start taking it again after a month pass or should I see what the doctors say? What will they do about the bumps on my arms they itch?

Kiki

AskDocWeb: If it is an allergic reaction then you may not be able to take more Valtrex. Allergic reactions are often treated with Benadryl (Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride). It is the standard oral antihistamine and works well for just about any cause of itching: insect bites, bee stings, poison ivy, chicken pox, and allergy.

Subj: Concerned about harm to baby
Date: 10/3/2009
I have genital herpes and I’m in my 36th week of pregnancy & I was given valtrex to take upon till I’m forty weeks by my doctor but I’m concern that it will harm my baby. Do I have anything to worry about. Thanks,

CONCERN MOTHER

AskDocWeb: Valtrex is generally considered to be safe for women who are pregnant. Your doctor would only prescribe Valtrex when the benefits outweigh the risks and Valtrex is in the FDA pregnancy category B, which means that it is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby.

Subj: 3,000 mg of vitamin C?
Date: 10/5/2009
Will taking 3,000 mg of vitamin C a day while taking valtrex cause any problems? Should you still be taking Valtrex if the Rash is scabbing and leaving pink like spots?

Michael

AskDocWeb: Most people can take up to 1000 mg of vitamin C a day safely. What the body doesn’t use is flushed out in the urine. Many people take 2,000 – 3,000 mg daily. Your body will let you know when it gets too much vitamin C, you get diarrhea. The diarrhea that results from too much vitamin C begins to occur just below the level that is considered dangerous. Because of this you may want to gradually increase the amount of vitamin C over time until you reach your daily limit. Taking more than that may result in an overdose. A minor overdose can produce any of the following symptoms.

  • Gas
  • Nausea
  • Strong smelling urine
  • Bloating
  • Mouth ulcers

Those who take more than 6,000 mg of vitamin C and those who take additional supplements along with their vitamin C face the possibility of a dangerous overdose. The major symptoms of a serious overdose include:

  • Copper deficiencies
  • Increased need for oxygen
  • Kidney stones
  • Vitamin B-12 deficiencies

Some of the long-term problems caused by a vitamin C overdose include:

  • Acute right-sided conjunctivitis
  • Diabetes
  • Hypoglycemia
  • Kidney disease

The long-term use of high doses of vitamin C may not result in immediate death but the long-term problems caused by overdosing on vitamin C may result in a shortened life span or premature death.

You should continue to take Valtrex according to your doctor’s instructions.

Subj: Itchy and heart palpitations
Date: 10/5/2009
I have been taking Valtrex just for the 2nd time for Herpes Zostra. I feel very itchy, I get heart Palpatations is this normal?

Sharon

AskDocWeb: The itch and heart palpitations are not normal but they are possible side effects of Valtrex and should be discussed with your doctor.

Subj: Tinnitis
Date: 10/6/2009
I’ve been suffering from tinitis for 3/4 year. Mostly in right ear but sometimes in left. Could this be connected to taking valtrex?

Lynn

AskDocWeb: Tinnitus is not listed as a side effect of Valtrex but there are many other drugs that can cause this. For more information read Tinnitus Causes and Treatments.

Subj: Spine pain was terrible
Date: 10/7/2009
I took Valtrex for 4 days for nose swelling they believe to be the Herpes simplex 1 virus. This medicine made me SO sick – diarrhea, nausea, insomnia… By day 4 my back began to hurt and I couldn’t take it anymore and stopped the med. The spine pain was terrible! I had nerve pain and twitching all over my body and pain in my hips and knees. 2 weeks have gone by and the effects are starting to abate, however the original problem is still there. Another doctor prescribed Zovirax oral pills and I am terrified to take it! If this is the HSV virus deeply embedded as they think, will it go away on its own? I am worried about taking the Zovirax now!

Teresa

P.S. The message I sent was supposed to be HSV2 not 1!

AskDocWeb: An outbreak may go away on it’s own but none of the HSV virus types are curable and outbreaks do return. This is something that you have to learn to live with until someone comes up with a cure. Read more feedback about Valtrex. Valtrex report – 33 – 34 – 35 – Page 36 – 37 – 38 – 39 – Last Page 64

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