Valaciclovir Antiviral Medication

[Capri2020]

Hi, has anyone heard of this med or taken it in the past that could share their experience please? Are there any pros and cons? They seem to have awful side effects and potentially very harmful to the body. I'm very concerned and don't want to start taking them. Thank you.

[JackyGT]

My husband has been taking Vaciclovir for several months. They were prescribed by the eye clinic to prevent Herpes Zoster virus (Shingles) returning to his eye. He suffered a really bad case of it last year. He has just stopped taking them as advised at his last eye appointment yesterday. He did not appear to suffer any particular side effects that we could specifically attribute to Vaciclovir as he also takes Amitriptyline and Pregablin for post herpatic neuralgia. He does suffers from occasional dizziness, aches and pains and has put in weight but that could easily be from other drugs. I think Vaciclovir is a commonly prescribed anti viral drug for shingles.

[Capri2020 in reply to JackyGT]

Many thanks for sharing your husband's experience 🙏 my dad had shingles and he was suffering for a while. I hope your husband is feeling much better now.

[Hidden]

I have used it twice in six months for oral herpes (I suspect it was caused by face masks as I have never had it before). I took 500 mg x2 for five days without any problems or side effects.

[Capri2020 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply I much appreciate it.

[Capri2020 in reply to Hidden]

I've had some awful cold sores since childhood and it's really knocked my confidence. The masks have caused a lot of skin problems for many people. I hope you'll never have another breakout.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

Wiki says:

Valaciclovir is a prodrug, an esterified version of aciclovir that has greater oral bioavailability (about 55%) than aciclovir.[11] It is converted by esterases to the active drug, aciclovir, and the amino acid valine via hepatic first-pass metabolism.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valac...

An interesting read here:

go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00577

I have never taken Valaciclovir but did recently take Aciclovir. Which seemed to have no obvious side effects.

[Capri2020 in reply to helvella]

Many thanks for the info Helvella, you simply rock 😉