Last week I tried to go to 1,000 mg of valacyclovir. Monday through Thursday I took just the one pill in the morning. Monday through Wednesday I was doing well. Then Thursday afternoon I experienced a flush of heat in my body and my brain felt like it was going to go into vertigo. Still, Friday I started off with just 1 pill. By 11:00 I felt like I was going to be in trouble. I raced (carefully drove) home to take another pill. I took two. Within and hour I was good, again. I just can't take less than two (2,000) mg per day. Friday night, Saturday and Sunday were great!
I agree with Scott. Even Dr G says everyone needs to find their own maintenance dose. Just make sure to have your kidneys and liver values checked periodically, that should be done for anyone on an AV no matter what dose.
I would have stayed on two per day, But it's my damn vanity that keeps telling me to try to cut valacyclovir out all together. It's my hair. It's really thinning out on top. AAAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!! OK, so, maybe it's hereditary. Maybe, because I'm almost 62. I've never seen pictures of either grandfather, maybe they were bald. I did see a picture of my biological dad and he had hair at 82. Anyway, it's 2,000 mg per day for me.
Santa, how long have you been taking 2000? How long did you take 3000mg? Was the progress on 3000 very very slow?
After 20 days on 3000mg Valacyclovir I have no improvement in tinnitus or hearing (like I usually do in remission) , the only improvement is that I haven't been dizzy often, just 1 time about 10 days ago. Any comments?
Santa. Is your profile picture really you? Do you really have a big beard? Does the valacyclovir thin your beard? I've been bearded for a long time and don't want my beard to be any thinner, and I am taking acyclovir. Though I would continue to take it even if it did make my beard thinner. Vertigo sucks. lol
santa try vit b complex or just biotin. I have been using that and its stopped my hair from thinning. I will post a pic of my hair now on my thread showing my thinning hair. (I did get a haircut but you can see how thick my bangs are again. Also Santa try 1500 mg and see if that does the trick for you if you want to decrease a bit. Dwayne, not being dizzy/vertigo is a huge improvement! The rest might take longer, don't get discouraged.
Like Vicki said, maybe try tapering to the 1500 vs 2000. Another thought is to cut the 1000 in 1/2 and then take the 500 mg 3x day and see how that works. Maybe your body is just metabolizing it quickly?
Dwaynehoover-- I took 3,000 mg for three months before I stopped having vertigo. Continued taking 3,000 for four more months and then started to try and taper off. Tapering off didn't work for me, then. Went back to 3,000. Then I noticed hair thinning and tried to go to 1,000. Didn't work ( dizzies, not vertigo.) Went to 2,000 mg and was fine. But, my hair looked like it was still thinning. So, last week I tried 1,000 mg. Didn't work. (So close to having vertigo.) I am back on 2,000 and feeling good. Also- My hearing fluctuates from poor to fair. Sometimes it even seems good. I have tinnitus all the time but, I can ignore it. I haven't had brain fog or vertigo since February. I use to have lots of weird noises in ear and couldn't stand loud noises. The brainfog, weird noises went away after three months on valacyclovir. Vitolony - yes, profile is really me- santaclaustallahassee.com I don't think the valacyclovir is making it thinner. Although it's never been as thick as I wish. Vicki- thank you for the advice on vitamins. I do take a multiple, but I am going to hit the Vit. B's. There is some biotin in the multiple. Nic- Some day I will try your suggestion. Right now I'm too scared. I still have a full bottle of acyclovir (90 tabs of 800 mg.) Any ideas or experience on mixing valacyclovir and acyclovir?