I am not on an Anti-Viral, but maybe soon as my vertigo seems to be becoming more frequent. I am supposed to be on Prednisone, but I have resisted I know many in here have said the dossage should be 3000 mg. In Dr. Gacek's study he does not recommend 3000 mg, unless I miss read (possible). This is what I saw: Discontinue all previous medical treatments; ensure that patients are cleared for normal renal and liver function; use acyclovir tabs 800 mg t.i.d. for 3 weeks and reexamine. If there is significant relief of vertigo, decrease to 800 mg b.i.d. for 3 weeks, then to 800 mg daily as a maintenance dose. If valacyclovir is selected (in those who fail to respond to acyclovir), use 1 g t.i.d. for 3 weeks with taper to b.i.d. for a further 3 weeks and then 1 g daily as a mainte- nance dose. The starting dose of acyclovir was given for a longer period (3 weeks) than that used for zoster because it was felt necessary to cross the blood-brain barrier to reach ganglion and satellite cells with virus. Most patients experienced relief from vertigo in the first 2 weeks but some required a longer period. The gradual lowering dose was then used to find the lowest level maintenance dose for a given patient. Most were controlled on a single dose daily but occasionally a patient required an adjustment to 1,200 mg of acyclovir or 1,500 mg of valacyclovir. Where did the 3000 come from?
You missed this line: If valacyclovir is selected (in those who fail to respond to acyclovir), use 1 g t.i.d. for 3 weeks with taper to b.i.d. for a further 3 weeks and then 1 g daily as a mainte- nance dose.
And if you can get it, get valacyclovir. It's more effective. And take it at max dose for 6 months before giving up. A lot of folks here only got relief after several months of 3000 mg. Lastly, sift through the threads here and make sure you get a generic brand that works. Some of them have failed people. The blue pills seem to have more support here than the white ones. Mine is CIPLA. The pharmacist will usually help you order the right one if you need it. Shop around for another pharmacist if they are d-bags about it. Bottom line: This is your life. Fight for it. I personally would have no problems lying to a doctor to get anti-virals for shingles, genital herpes, or whatever. And i'll nag the pharmacist until i get the brand i want.
imback: valacyclovir is selected (in those who fail to respond to acyclovir), use 1 g t.i.d. for 3 weeks with taper to b.i.d. for a further 3 weeks and then 1 g daily 1 g t.i.d means 1 gram 3 times a day. 1 gram =1000 mg 1000 mg 3 times a day= 300 mg or 1 gram b.i.d means 2 times a day 2x1000 mg (1 gram)=2000 mg or 2 grams and so one
Thank you for.the information. I guess what I am asking is, everyone is on ant-virals because of Dr. Gasek but he doesn't recommend that high a dose. I guess it was trial.and error.
I'm confused with your statement. Dr Gacek recommends 3000 mg of Valtrex or its generic a day or 2400 mg of acyclovir a day.
Yes, he does. Read my previous post again. Or your initial post. 3000 mg per day is exactly what he recommends.
Dr. Gacek has written to me that he puts his patients on Valacyclovir because he has better success with it. That is implied in this phrase that you copied: "If valacyclovir is selected (in those who fail to respond to acyclovir)..." It is 3000 mg per day. As Vicki outlined for you 1g t.i.d mean 1 gram 3 times per day, and that equals 3000 mg.
His protocol is 1000mg 3 times per day for the first 3 weeks, then 2x....then maintenance is 1x day. I was actually approved to stay at the "load" dose for an extra 3 weeks before I started tapering down. I had experienced some initial improvement but thought it could get better...and with the additional 3 weeks it did. I now am on 1x day - every now and then I need to take an extra if I start to feel "off".