How Long Does Valtrex Take To Be Effective?

Posted on Tue, 25 Aug 2015

Question: I have been just diagnosed with herpes but I have not had sex with my wife since December, about 2 weeks ago I was at a massage parlor and she gave me a hand job. How long goes it take for the Valtrex to start working

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Hanif (16 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Depends on disease and when you started the treatment.

Detailed Answer:
Dr. Hanif warmly Welcomes you!

Thanks for consulting at my virtual clinic. I have carefully worked through your case, and can realize your health worries. Being your physician, I will take care all of your medical concerns.

It depends on the person who is taking the valacyclovir, and how advanced the disease is when started taking medicine. If started within 72 hours of the appearance of the rash it is very effective and it is a drug that is rapidly absorbed in the body and reaches all over the body in no time. Its half life (an indication of when the drug gets cleared off of the plasma of patient) is 3 hours.

You need to sit relax and if you wanted to know when can you be cleared of the disease and be able to start a sexual relation back with your wife, it all depends on the clearance of the virus from the body. It may take some time but not defined as it all varies patient to patient depending on the viral replication and viral load in present in the body. High viral load patients take more time to clear it off of the body, low viral load patient clear it earlier.

Have a wonderful time ahead. Hope I answered all of your questions. Let me know if you have any further clinical concerns. I will be happy to get back to you shortly. If satisfied here, please give a five star rating and don't forget to close the discussion.

Regards!
DR. XXXXXXX HANIF
USA

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Muhammad Hanif (5 hours later)

could I HAVE CONTRACTED THE HERPES FROM THE HAND JOB AT THE MASSAGE PARLOR

Thank You Very Much

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Hanif (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
If she had her body secretions left over on the hand.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks and welcome with the follow up query.

If she had the disease and was in active phase, and had her vaginal or oral secretions leftover on her hands, then giving you a hand job, there are some chances for you to contract the disease.

Have a wonderful time ahead. Hope I answered all of your questions. Let me know if you have any further clinical concerns. I will be happy to get back to you shortly. If satisfied here, please give a five star rating and don't forget to close the discussion.

Regards!
DR. XXXXXXX HANIF
USA

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Muhammad Hanif (42 minutes later)

I am not sure I have herpes. I have little or no pain, I have 2 small sores at the base of my penus but it does not hurt when I touch the sores -I KNOW TO WASH HANDS THROUGHLY AFTER TOUCHING-it does not hurt to urinate, could it be something else.

thank you so much

Answered by Dr. Muhammad Hanif (14 hours later)

Brief Answer:
You need to get tested for genital Herpes.

Detailed Answer:
Welcome back. I appreciate the follow-up.

A lot of people have herpes but don't know it. It mostly is asymptomatic. With adequate testing you may get the proper diagnosis.

Advised:
*PCR Blood test. Very great test to find out the Herpes viral DNA in body.
*Cell Culture of the lesions on the base of your penis. Your physician will take the samples of cells from those lesions and will send for testing.
*If both come inconclusive, Your physician on the basis of your clinical picture of disease may test for HSV Antibodies. This is the final test for the disease detection.

Have a wonderful time ahead. Hope I answered all of your questions. Let me know if you have any further clinical concerns. I will be happy to get back to you shortly. If satisfied here, please give a five star rating and don't forget to close the discussion.

Regards!
DR. XXXXXXX HANIF
USA

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj