Taking Valtrex while ttcing

[USAmma]

You can answer this privately if you want. I know it's sensitive. I
have oral herpes and a couple months ago got a prescription for
Valtrex. My last outbreak covered the entire side of my nose, and was painful and kept me in hiding for a week. Don't want that to happen again.

I had the start of another outbreak this morning so went to the
pharmacy and got the prescription filled. As I was swallowing the
huge horsepill I read the side of the bottle and it said "If you are
considering becoming pregnant while taking this medicine speak to your doctor first." I was like, oh great, I could be pg right now
and doing horrible things to the potential baby.

I called the pharmacy back and told them we were ttcing and I might be pg, and they said it was fine, that label was for genital herpes. But it's the same medicine so why should it matter if it's genial or oral??? I went to the website and they said that there were no reported abnormalities known, but their case study was small. So now I'm wondering if I've done something horrible. My doctor's office is closed through the weekend.

Does anyone here take Valtrex and is ttcing or got pg
while taking it?

Thanks!
Darshani

[*~*SewHappyNow*~*]

I am a pharmacist and after reviewing information on Valtrex I am not toally sure why that sticker was placed on your prescription vial.

Here is information paraphrased from the professional leaflet from Glaxo:

-was not shown to impair feritility or reproduction in rats given 6 times the normal human dose.

-Is a pregnancy catergory B: Which means it shows no increase in birth defects in studies on lab animals and no known increases in birth defects in human fetuses, even though there are no controlled, adequate human studies during pregnancy.

Specifically in Valtrex's case:

-it does not show any increase in birth defects in controlled studies on animals (rats and rabbits) when given amounts that approximate 7-10 times the amount that would cross the human placenta. There are no known increases in human birth defects that are statistically different than the general population in 749 pregnancies with known first trimetser exposure to Valtrex. Although, this small registry is not adequate to evaluate for less common defects to permit reliable conclusion of safety in pregnant women. Should be used only in pregnant women when the potential benefit justifies potential risk to the fetus.



Why they put that sticker on there I am not totally sure. If the pharmacist you spoke to said it involved ttc and genital herpes perhaps they were referring to the fact that genital herpes can be spread even when not expriencing a active breakout of lesions and Valtrex is to be considered in no way a cure for herpes. I am just not sure what this pharmacist was trying to get at. I cannot find information specifically on that issue of genital herpes vs other uses of Valtrex that justify use of that sticker or warning.


Hope this information has been of some use to you. Try not to worry, it seems there is not much potential for any risk to your possible pregnancy.

If I come across any significant information I will let you know.

[Laura7169]

i understand why you want to hide...

I have had problems with cold sores for years now, mistaking them for impetigo until most recently when I went to the dermatologist, determined to put a stop to the ugly redness on and below my nose . He told me that it was a cold sore and not impetigo and prescribed Valtrex. He asked me if I was pregnant or trying to get pregnant and I explained that I was trying. He immediately said that I should not take it. I explained to him that I had my period at the time and asked him what the half-life of the pills was. He said that the half-life is 3-4 days. I didn't ask him why it would be dangerous to take the pills when TTC, because I was, at the moment, trying to figure out if it would be safe for me at that time. I took the big blue horse pills and it sure helped. Now, though, when I fear I'm about to have another cold sore, I have opted to take L-Lysine tablets. I don't know that they are very much safer because they also have herbs in them like goldenseal, which is not to be taken during pregnancy, but there is not much of it in the tablets. I feel a bit safer taking the L-Lysine, and it works very well. You may be able to find the tablets that are ONLY L-Lysine without the extra herbs. I take 3 per day (all in the morning) for several days.

[USAmma]

Thanks for the info. I hate my HMO. I called both my GP and Ob and both were gone for the holidays. So I called the HMO's nurse line and they were gone and the operator told me to call ER. Can you imagine me calling ER for something like that?? So I called the pharmacy back and spoke to a different person who looked up the info in a book and said basically what Lea said. I trust that it's okay. My mouth was hurting and my sore was getting bigger so I took another tablet as directed 12 hours later. I think I only have to take 2 for oral outbreak according to my doctor.

I guess some things I just have to trust in the Divine. I took Singulair through pg with Abi and she was okay. It was a choice between not getting her the air she and I both needed, or taking the risk of a problem from new meds. I was actually one of the case studies for the medicine. My ob/gyn sent in a report every month to the drug company on my condition and the outcome of the birth.

What a time to get a coldsore! I'll call my ob/gyn on Monday and talk to him but I think it's okay. I still wonder why they put that label on it though?

Darshani

[USAmma]

Lea I think you would have been amused by the label on my Diflucan prescription a couple months ago. It said to be sure to finish all of the medication. It was one pill! lol!

Darshani
whose body is showing the stress of the last few months

[*~*SewHappyNow*~*]

Hahaha yea that sticker always prints with those and I have to make sure I do not mindlessly place it on the package when people are only getting one pill...so silly.


My other personal favorite is the automatic sticker that prints with BC pills, "do not take if you are trying to become pregnant"

umm ok, maybe not everyone is as informed, but I'm thinking this is probably common knowledge is you're actually taking this prescription...sheesh!

[*~*SewHappyNow*~*]

btw I will try and see if I find any other info for you, but I won't be back at work until monday and you'll have spoken to your doc by then anyways. Let me know if he tells you anything of interest about ttc/pregnancy and Valtrex.

Hope those cold sores clear up quick for you.

[Laura7169]

Would either or both of you Lea and Darshani, please post what you ultimately find out about the Valtrex and TTC. I'm curious now to know how safe it really is, according to a Dr. I have a whole bottle of the pills, but haven't dared to take them.
Thanks.

[USAmma]

Hope those cold sores clear up quick for you.

Thanks! I woke up this morning and the lesion is shrinking and not painful anymore. Wow! Normally I have to endure a week of pain.

Darshani

[USAmma]

I wanted to add some additional info shared from a mom who has genital herpes and is on my birth club. Her ob/gyn actually was going to prescribe a preventative dose of Valtrex towards the end of her pregnancy for the safety of a baby against a possible outbreak. As it turned out she had an emergency c-section before her due date, but her telling me that made me feel a lot better about taking it while ttcing and pregnant.

I really like the stuff, I tell you! The lesion is almost gone and it started to break out just over 48 hours ago.

Darshani