Does Valtrex reduce Viral load during outbreak

[HowAnnoying]

Hello!

I’m curious to know if scabs are still contagious if taking valtrex
(two 500mg tablets, 3x per Day)

Current scenario:
At the onset of HSV recurring symptoms, 1000mg was taken Monday morning at 7:00am 1:00pm 8:00pm for 3 days
Symptoms were mild and small (pin sized scab)formed by the end of Tuesday.

At this point, (Wednesday) with the lesion being scabbed over AND having taken the higher doses of valtrex, would the scabs be contagious?
Does the antiviral medication reduce the amount of virus shedding in addition to the scab having formed?

[Terri Warren]

Scabs can definitely be contagious, yes! The antiviral medicine can reduce the amount of virus in a lesion, yes. But one should never had sexual contact until new skin has replaced a lesion, if that’s what you are asking

Terri

[HowAnnoying]

Oh :/ well damn that’s not good

Well, my partner and I did have sex at the (what I thought) was the end of the outbreak, and now I’m stressing about that as we didn’t use a condom.

I really thought that starting the antivirals at the first sign of symptoms (tingling) and then taking the consistent higher dose valtrex would stop viral replication and also reduce the amount of virus present.
Especially considering it was days later so there had been lots of time for the medication to work and all my typical symptoms ceased completely the way they do when the outbreak is “over”.

So, I guess I’m trying to find a way to wrap my head around this to determine whether:
1) potentially there couldve been virus present in the little scabs although the valtrex had been taken for days and at a high dose?
2) ***But was there also a possibility that I wasn’t contagious anymore because of the high dose??***
3) he’s not showing symptoms almost 20 days later so chances are he’s ok?

[Terri Warren]

1) potentially there couldve been virus present in the little scabs although the valtrex had been taken for days and at a high dose?
Yes, I would agree that the antiviral would have a very good impact on viral shedding, even with the scabs.
2) ***But was there also a possibility that I wasn’t contagious anymore because of the high dose??***
3) he’s not showing symptoms almost 20 days later so chances are he’s ok?

If he has no symptoms 20 days later, that’s a very good sign. Most people who acquire herpes show symptoms within 2 to 10 days if they are going to display symptoms. Not everyone who requires herpes shows symptoms however.

Terri

[Author]

Posts