I have suffered for years from repeating blisters on the roof of my mouth. Finally I saw an infectious disease doctor who put me on acyclovir. This helped for a while, but the blisters started back. When I had an outbreak, I also had fever, pain in my eye and ached all over. I would be sick for 2 days. This doctor switched me to 500mg valacyclovir but told me I would have to 'take a vacation' from it every two years. I would have to stop taking it for 2 weeks. I saw her again in about a year and she scolded me for not being compliant. She said she had told me to take the vacation every year. She was sort of snotty with me and I didn't go back to her. I asked my PCP about all this and he said to keep taking it and no need to quit it every year for 2 weeks. Also, he said if I had an outbreak I should up the dose to 1,000 mg for a week. I have been trouble free except for 2 small breakthroughs which went away with the increased dose for a week.
Has anyone else been told they need to take a yearly break from this medicine... and why this is necessary? It's confusing when 2 doctors give such differing advise. I prefer to stay on it as I fear the severity of outbreaks during the 2 weeks 'vacation'.
I am new to this web site, so forgive me if this has been addressed before.
Thanks.
