Valtrex and transmission
Common Questions and Answers about Valtrex and transmission
valtrex
ve been taking 500mg of Valtrex every night and plan to do so for the next year to year and a half as suggested by my doctor. I have had no other outbreaks since the first one. My doctor explained to me that taking Valtrex on a regimen would help the virus become dormant. I was wondering what that meant specifically in terms of my likelihood of transmitting the virus to sexual partners with or without condoms.
I have read in various places that Valtrex is the only suppressive medication that has been proven in clinical trials to reduce transmission. I am under the impression, however, that this is simply because Valtrex is the only drug that has been tested for reduction in transmission.
My question is....since Acyclovir also suppresses the HSV-2 virus, is it likely that it will also reduce the risk of transmission? Or, is Valtrex a more effective drug and should I consider switching to that?
I guess I am wondering if it really reduces the viral shedding (What is the difference between shedding and an outbrea anyway) or transmission to an uninfected partner? What about L-Lysine and something about kelp that helps to reduce it too. I guess I am just confused since I dont know what an outbreak really is!
Sometimes I forget that I have this....
HSV-1 is less susceptible to Valtrex and related drugs, so the necessary dose is unknown and might be higher than for HSV-2. Also, asymptomatic shedding is less common with oral HSV-1 than genital HSV-2. Finally, the main strategy for protecting your partner probably should be for him or her to be tested for HSV-1. There is a 50-50 chance of a positive result, in which case s/he is not susceptible and you need take no precautions at all.
To the specific questions:
1,3) Answered above.
No she has to take it everyday. do you only see each other very infrequently like once every few months or something? It takes at least 5 days to "kick in". In the valtrex and transmission study - about 3/4's of the folks who transmitted hsv2 to their partners - weren't taking their valtrex every single day. If you factor those folks out - the risk of transmission is even lower.
1 - typically a day or so before obvious lesions and until the lesions heal. It differs from person to person.
2 - always on suppressive therapy with valtrex and avoiding sex anytime you have anything going on genitally and the odds are 98% each year that he won't contract hsv2 from you. throw in condoms with all that and it's 99% each year on average.
3- 5 days if you start it when no symptoms are present.
keep asking questions!
the 500mg daily dose is the dose for 9 or less ob's a year. it's what the herpes and reduction in transmission study used for determining the reduction in transmission to partner.
some providers do prefer the 1gm daily dose for the first 6 months to a year just because. No real research that shows that it reduces recurrences more for the majority of people nor any info that shows that it reduces transmission to a partner even more.
I am a 51 year old female with HSV-2. I have a new partner and want to protect him. He wants to have sex without a condom, but I am worried. I am one of the people that have a hard time controlling outbreaks. I have gone from being inactive sexually to active in a short time.
Second outbreak, lesions were gone with 48 hours as I got to take my valtrex when I got the tingle and used the cream. Third outbreak.....valtrex with the tingle and no lesions.
Talk to me about how severe this case is?
My new partner is HSV clear. I am so worried about infecting him. We use condoms.
Caught it from previous partner who had it for ten years and no outbreaks in the last 12 months.
If you are looking to reduce transmission to partners, the only known ways to reduce that are to use antivirals (Valtrex, acyclovir, famvir) and condoms, along with avoiding sexual activity when you have any symptoms.
If you are looking to reduce outbreaks, studies are mixed for this.
Here's a very small study that showed promise - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3115841
Here's one that showed a reduction in recurrences, but not in healing time - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.
She started on Valtrex 2 yrs ago for one year, doctor says stop and take only when an outbreak. Here, she started taking Valtrex again 9 days b/f sex when she noticed a "small skin colored bump" just above her vagina, when had a stomach flu. Bump gone 6 days prior to intercourse. I have not seen any genital symptoms. Blood test=negative at 11 days out. Concerned about exposure, since she was on her period, and whether Valtrex use was enough to mitigate risks by 50%.
There's some evidence that Valtrex works better than cutting transmission by 50%. That's the least amount of reduction you'll get.
Your partner could still contract HSV2 with you on Valtrex (especially if you have sex while you are experiencing symptoms), but the risk is really low. Like 2% a year or something.
Never heard of Valtrex causing yeast problems, but grace would know the answer to that one. I wouldn't waste my money on lysine.
It just seems so scary. You can get it when you have no signs or symptoms, slight rubbing, 90 percent of people don't know they have it etc etc. It's very frigtening to me. My partner wants to move away from condom use. I'm on Valtrex and like I said, am pretty careful and try to be aware of what's going on with me down there, but am so scared he may get it.
May I ask for a medical provider's input as to the following:
1. Oral exposure. 36 days ago, I performed oral to genital sex on on a woman with HSV2. She was not having an outbreak at the time. She was diagnosed 5.5 years ago. Question: I'm concerned about the risk for exposure. Dr. Leone says it's 99% impossible to transfer genital HSV2 to the mouth. But Dr. Handsfield does not seem to echo that same position in his posts.
I never have lesions on the shaft, does this decrease likelihood of transmission? Between out breaks (and it may just be in my head) I do have periodic itching on the scrotum, inner thigh and pubic hair area. Anyway of determining if this indicates that I am actually shedding the virus, and in an amount sufficient to transmit?
Thank you in advance!
s an irritant and irritants have been found to trigger shedding and increase transmission. The skin in the genital area is very sensitive and you are drying it out and doing more harm than good.
Daily suppressive therapy with valtrex , condoms and avoiding sex during obvious genital symptoms takes her risk down to 2-3%/year of transmission. You'll never get it down to 0.
I take it she's been tested to know her own status?
From my calculations a woman using condoms and valtrex can reduce the likelihood of transmission to about 1% if she abstains from sex during outbreaks. For men this is about 2.5%.
Hello. Just wanted to try to clear some things up for myself. I went to my provider on Fri. and she could not find any evidence of a reoccurence, yeast, or anything. Stated that my symptoms could be hormonal due to my period. Thought I saw something a few days before, but she said it could just be the normal bumps present in the gential area. Hope I'm not going to become a freak about this.
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