I've had enough of these generic brands and their differences. I can't get Walgreens to consistently find the generic brand I need, so my doctor is switching me to name brand Valtrex. I'll report back in a week on how it goes. I'm looking forward to feeling great again.
I'm taking 1 gram per day, like i always did. I was fine for a year, and then Walgreens decided to mess with my generics. They won't give me what i want. My doctor is supportive and is scripting brand name Valtrex. I expect to be back to normal after a week. I'll probably do 3 g per day for a week.
Glad your dr is supportive. Fortunately for me my local Costco (so far) orders in the manufacturer I want for generic. I look forward to hearing your update in a week that you are feeling good again.
I see my OTO on May 2nd. Right now I'm on Acyclovir and I've had a relapse even continuing the antiviral. I'm going to ask her for Valtrex or Valcyclovir. Not sure which one is best but she will tell me.
Bumblebea, Valtrex is the brand name and Valacyclovir is the generic. There are several generic companies that make Valacyclovir (Northstar, Ranbaxy, Cadista, and Mylan, are some of them). They all have the same active ingredient, and in all likelihood your doctor will think they will all work the same. People here seem to get different results from the different generic brands. No one knows why really, but we are seeing a lot of those stories, which just seems to make something that is already confusing more confusing. My understanding is that Dr. Gacek has found that people tend to do even better on Valacyclovir/Valtrex than they do on Acyclovir. That was the case for me, and I hope it is for you, too. One nice thing is you don't have to take as many pills per day.
So Valtrex can be replaced by the generic Valcyclovir but that's made by different manufacturers. Does anyone know which of those manufacturers is the best and which to avoid? How do you tell your pharmacist which you want or does the Dr have to write the generic on the script? This is a very interesting topic. I'm so glad I'm doing all of this before I see my OTO. Vicki knows a lot about this. Maybe she'll help.
I know that a lot of people do well with Northstar. A lot don't do well with Mylan. I have done better with Ranbaxy than Cadista. Santa did better with Cadista than Mylan. I don't think the pharmacy's rules about specifying generic brands are consistent. At my pharmacy different people told me different things on different calls. If your doctor prescribes Valacyclovir, I would see which brand the pharmacist has. If you want to try a different one, then I'd ask how to do it. Good wishes! I wish this didn't have to be so complicated.
It's complicated but with so much information and so much support here we know a hell of a lot more and that's always an advantage.
I have been using Valaciclovir -generic Vaclovir from Alphafarm in Australia a Mylan company for a 4 months now but still have 2 -3 full on vertigo attacks a month and have asked pharmacy to order the Valtrex brand for me, this is made by aspen medical. These are white with GXCF1 on the pill. Hoping for less vertigo attacks with the Valtex brand, have been on full dose 3000mg a day and waiting to go a month with no attacks before dropping down to next level, should they be white or blue as some users have noted. I believe there are made in Australia and not overseas. I'm also on JOH for 6 months and SERC 16mg x 3 a day. I feel some help with JOH and SERC is reducing instances of attacks
Just got the meds this morning. They were out and had to order them. I'm going to max dose for 3 weeks and see if that hammers the virus back down.
For me Northstar works well; Mylan manufacturer didn't work at all. The hard part is that not all pharmacies will work with you on which manufacturer they fill with since "all generic is the same". I would think that if your pharmacy seems to be not cooperative you may be able to get your dr to write the prescription as Valtrex or XX manufacturer only. Would believe that could work. I am fortunate in that my local Costco agrees to order in from my preferred manufacturer; the mail order thru my insurance would not cooperate.
Make sure that you let JOH know that you are another failure for his records. Apparently that makes you one of a rather select band of brothers and sisters.......
Lets hope that the JOH for me is not a failure and may need some more time to kick in, as some users of Anti Virals have been on for 6 months before they had results. Hopefully the Valrex will be a better brand and start working. The JOH is low cost and i'll keep using it for a little longer We are all searching for that miracle to rid us of these life changing vertigo attacks and want something that will give us all a better quality of life. If there's no success with these treatments then I may not have a viral Meniere's, ENT has also given me oral Predisone to try, hopefully this will give some relief
Gary, i would not quit anti-virals until you've tried at least two different generics. If i had first tried this last generic, then it would have failed me. I guess i was lucky to get a good one at first. I woke up feeling better this morning. Don't know if it's placebo or the new brand name Valtrex. Hoping it's the latter already kicking in! Bad news for anyone without insurance. The retail on Valtrex is $1354 per month... omg.
Wow. I think I'll ask for the Valcyclovir then.mi have express scripts and I know that would be expensive. Can't push my finances with hubs out of work from surgery.
Check with your insurance to see if they'll cover it. My doctor wrote "medically necessary" on the script.
For the generic version, the cash cost I was paying before my insurance kicked in was just under $60/mo. So there is an option even if insurance is tight. Would try to get dr to write for a couple of the manufacturers that have proven more successful. Hopefully not Mylan.
I would like to take an antiviral for my good ear but my ent will not prescribe it so I am going to ask my GP. He has said he would before. I am not sure of the best one for menieres though. Anybsiggestions would be helpful?
Scott Tom I agree will stay on AV's for at least 6 months, ENT seems OK, does not feel they are a benefit but sees no issues with me using them I was on Vaclovir generic by Mylan for 4months and cost $34.00 for a box of 42 a weeks supply on full dose, just started Valtrex full dose 3000mg a day and only a bit dearer at $42.00 box of 42 for a weeks supply. Still trying to get health insurance to cover, and if I had shingles the govt would assist with cost and be a lot cheaper. Cant see how they can charge you that amount for a month supply in the USA. I should not complain about the cost in Australia