Acyclovir for Herpes Simplex, Suppression User Reviews

• Itg...
• February 26, 2016

"I have been taking acyclovir 800mg every day for about 13 years and I never have outbreaks. I would suggest to everyone to take acyclovir as suppressive therapy rather than waiting to feel the tingle and then treating the virus. I forget it even exists as I never have outbreaks or suffer from any symptoms. If I don't take it, after about 1 week I will start to feel the tingle. Anyways, this medicine has helped me live symptom-free for many years. I highly suggest anyone suffering to take it as suppressive therapy. It's so much better never even having to deal with that first tingle! And to everyone experiencing an outbreak for the first time, rest assured the first time is the worst. It does get better and easier to manage. I feel for you!"

• Won...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 27, 2019

"I ended up misdiagnosed on several occasions with what felt like a UTI and or thrush. After five days of agony and burning fever, I knew something was wrong. I had one sore which experts misdiagnosed as a cyst. Finally, a GP confirmed my worst fears. An STD in my thirties. I can still count my encounters on one hand, but anyone that has sex risks taking the virus and I was just unlucky. I was lucky my partner, who was a week into our relationship, was so supportive. I take acyclovir as a preventative medication to avoid more breakouts and it works a treat. I get the odd itch but no symptoms. I sometimes feel tired with it and alcohol, I have to be careful with. Otherwise, I really recommend it for self-esteem, getting back on your feet, and with the whole acceptance aspect. One in six of us have it. This makes it manageable. A vaccine or cure would be better still... But out of all the illnesses and diseases, this isn't the worst one.. Count the blessings x"

• Apr...
• November 13, 2014

"I love this medication, it has almost completely stopped all outbreaks. I was having them about six to eight times a year, mostly brought on by stress or my period. Now, taking acyclovir, I'm outbreak free with no side effects noticed."

• HAP...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 10, 2019

"First outbreak of HSV2 at 18, then I had no symptoms at all for 8 years! Then got back-to-back outbreaks at 26 years old for 3 months. Started taking aciclovir 400 mg twice a day as suppressive therapy and have had no symptoms since, for three months. Side effects minimal. My advice is just try it because it has saved me :) x"

• Jos...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 23, 2016

"I was diagnosed with genital herpes 30 years ago. My ex-husband gave it to me knowing he had it. He was having active sores but didn't tell me. I found out after my doctor did a test years later. At the time, the only thing available was an ointment. It helped, but I was having outbreaks about every 6 weeks and miserable. I was not sexually active during my outbreaks and only had one partner who knew. He did not get it. Generic acyclovir pills became available at a price I could afford, I started taking 400 mg twice a day. I've been on it for 8 years and have not had one outbreak. It's been great, and I don't have side effects. I have MS, which is an autoimmune disease. It may be why I had such severe outbreaks. I'm not ever going to stop taking it."

• Anonymous
• January 25, 2009

Acyclovir "400 mg twice a day will stop an outbreak. The itching will usually stop within 12 hours after the first dose. I have not had to take it for more than two days. I have not experienced side effects from this medication."

• Ang...
• August 5, 2008

"Since using acyclovir for the last year/year and a half, my breakouts have decreased more than half, especially during stressful times. The last 6 months, I've been breakout-free. I give this medicine a 9 out of 10 because it's not a cure but a prevention. When they find a cure for this horrible disease, I'll rate it a 10."

• Non...
• August 8, 2008

Acyclovir "If you take just one pill when you begin to feel a tingle, you won't actually get a cold sore/fever blister. It's seriously amazing! I wish I had known about this sooner. I will get a cold sore if I travel a lot or if I have any minor trauma on or around my nose/mouth. One pill when I feel it coming on stops them from forming, but you have to catch it before the blister develops. Keep taking the pill until the tingling goes away. I've never had to take more than 1 pill per occurrence."

• Win...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 14, 2020

"I don't know how I got infected with genital herpes - I was with someone who didn't have it, so I can only assume it had laid dormant for a number of years when someone else had given it to me. The first outbreak was 10 years ago, but was just an itchy spot in my pubic area close to my panty line. The second outbreak came a month or so later and was just a couple of blisters. When I was diagnosed, my whole world collapsed. I was in therapy for 2 years, it really hit me hard. I've taken acyclovir twice a day since then. I haven't had an outbreak, but some days I still get the tingling and ache around my pubic area. On those days, I get very low and upset. I may try a different drug."

• Anonymous
• February 28, 2012

"As long as I am taking it, it works wonderfully. However, if I can't afford to get a refill, within ten days I have a flare-up. That just tells me that a) I am right to be on suppression therapy, and b) the medicine works."

• GG ...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 5, 2016

"I'm 32 years old, and I first got outbreaks when I was about 13 or so. I would get them maybe once every year or so on my lip. They started getting more frequent, and I ended up getting outbreaks around my nostril too. Over the last few years, they got very frequent, about every other month. I've tried lysine ointments, home remedies, nutritional supplements, Abreva, but none prevent outbreaks. Then in Dec 2015, I had a horrible outbreak. The size of a quarter! I had enough. I read up on treatments, and my doctor prescribed the Acyclovir suppressive therapy. I only take one 400 mg tablet a day. It's August, and I haven't had an outbreak since Dec! It's cheap, about $8 and change. I have no side effects at all. I am so happy I found this!"

• Ros...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2019

"I wasn't told by my sexual partner that they had herpes. I got very ill and was having reproductive problems at the time. I had a few blister-type spots, and I went to the doctor, got acyclovir, and it went away within 2 days. It's been over a month or 2 now, and it hasn't come back. But he went and continued infecting unsuspecting women. I'm 21."

• Cyn...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 22, 2020

"I had itching for 3 months before my first HSV-2 lesion appeared. It was very mild, but I had the fever, swollen lymph nodes, and intense burning. I took Acyclovir for 5 days, which reduced my symptoms quickly. I am now on 400 mg twice daily for suppression, however, I still get the odd itch here and there."

• K T...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 25, 2018

"My first outbreak was horrific. I could not walk for a week, the pain was so unbearable. I laid in bed the whole time with cold packs between my legs and dreaded when having to use the bathroom because the pain was excruciating. I started this medication 4 days after I was infected and had symptoms. It did help, and I have been on it for a couple of months now with no side effects. My doctor wants me to be on it for 2 years for suppressive therapy and then try to get off of it. She did inform me, however, that if I had several outbreaks, she had no problem putting me back on it. She assured me it was safe long-term. There have been times I have forgotten to take my meds, and within a few days I have some symptoms, but then I start back up again, and in a few days, I am feeling better. This medicine truly allows me to forget that I have HSV-2, other than when I take my meds. It’s been a miracle for me."

• kay...
• January 5, 2016

"I was diagnosed almost 2 and a half years ago and have been taking daily suppression since. This medicine works like a charm. I haven't had any full-on outbreaks since taking it, and sometimes I would even forget to take it for a few days with no issue. There have been a couple of instances where I felt one coming on, but that only ever happened during the 'few days I didn't take it.' When that happened, I would just double up on the dosage until I didn't feel it anymore. The only reason I give it a 9 is because you have to take it twice daily, whereas for Valacyclovir, you only need it once daily. However, Valacyclovir is a lot more expensive, and taking acyclovir twice daily will do the same thing. Just have to remember to take them!"

• zol...
• May 7, 2012

"I was having fever blisters come up about every 6 weeks. I started taking valacyclovir, and it would really help speed up the healing process, but I was still getting them about every 6 weeks. The V.A. started me on acyclovir, and my outbreaks have been tremendously lessened. When there is an outbreak, I usually only need to take it for 2 days."

• Tex...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 16, 2014

"I was exposed 25 years ago. When I notice a change in my vaginal secretions, sorry for being graphic, I begin taking the medication, which stops any zoster from forming after only 2 days' worth of meds. Costco has the best price in my area, and no membership is required to use the pharmacy."

• Seq...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 1, 2017

"I have found that acyclovir works better for me when I take pine cone extract. I believe this extract works as an adjuvant, increases the potency of this antiviral drug. I have been using this combination for several years and have had only two outbreaks in 3 years, opposed to 3-4 a year when only using acyclovir 400 mg daily. This makes me believe that the extract is working. Research suggests that certain compounds found in pine cone extract increase specific dendritic immune cells."

• Ems...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2019

"I was diagnosed with HSV-2 six months ago. The guy I was seeing had told me before we slept together, and we always used condoms, but it was still transmitted. The first outbreak was grim and lasted for about a month, huge blisters on my thighs rendered me unable to walk. I stopped dating for a long time because I couldn't seem to control the outbreaks, and it seemed I was getting them back-to-back every week (although they never came out as full sores, just slight itching and discomfort). I started taking suppressive acyclovir (2 x 400 mg per day) after 4 months, and so far the 'outbreaks' have just been itchy with no visible sores. Though I do still get them frequently despite leading a healthy, for the most part, stress-free lifestyle. I will continue to take suppressive acyclovir for the foreseeable future to see if my body can eventually adjust to the virus."

• Cre...
• May 26, 2015

"I was exposed to herpes simplex 1 genitally one year ago. My first outbreak was minor and only lasted a week with no medication and disappeared with no medication. One year later, I have a horrible outbreak, very painful, and the doctor prescribed acyclovir 400 mg 3 times a day. The medicine worked quickly and stopped itching after 1 day, sores healed after about 3-4 days. After I stopped taking the medication, I had sex, which must have irritated the area because I got another outbreak about one week later. I started taking acyclovir again, except this time I experienced unusual tiredness and nausea. I noticed that if my heart rate went up, I became short of breath and felt like fainting. I only took the drug for this outbreak for about 3-4 days."

• Dol...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 14, 2013

"My face has developed more cystic adult acne that takes longer to heal. My eye whites have a yellowish tint. I notice I bruise easily and minor injuries take a long time to heal. I have lost weight (the good part). I feel fatigued frequently and lack energy."

• Gar...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 8, 2023

"Acyclovir is a godsend-twice a day and the little bugger never shows up. Don’t stress so much about it. There are people today who’ve been diagnosed with far worse things other than what is effectively a cold sore on your privates. It won’t stop you from doing anything, and as for sex, if you make it a rule to just tell anyone, ‘by the way, I have the herpes virus,’ you’ll usually find it changes nothing, and often they’ll tell you they have it too. Be safe, everyone."

• lar...
• August 14, 2010

Acyclovir "I have had a cold sore outbreak 1-2 times a year for the last 15 years, usually during summer months (lower lip). I had previously tried medicated lip applicators with little success. A friend suggested Zovirax. I use it now at the first sign of tingling or hardness in the lip. When I catch it early, the severity of the outbreak has been greatly diminished. I only use it for 2 days, and the sore has usually healed in about 10 days to 2 weeks."

• Dar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 2, 2023

"I take 400 mg twice a day of this medication, and it cleared me up in less than 3 days. It’s important to drink plenty of water right when you take this. I only had side effects in the first two doses, which for me was being agitated and sleepy, but it was mild. I haven’t felt that way since my first two doses. I’m happy with the results."

• pin...
• March 25, 2018

"I've had fever blisters since I was a child. When I was a teenager, I got fever blisters a lot. As I got older, usually just in the summer. About 4 years ago, I was getting them every other month. Dr. put me on 400 mg twice daily. Have not had any in the last year and a half. What a difference it's made in my life!"