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Suggest Treatment For Severe Indigestion While On Acyclovir

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Posted on Tue, 14 Mar 2017
Question: I have been taking valcyclovir for 5 years since it was prescribed. Now suddenly the pharmacy decides they can get acyclovir at no charge and insurance will cover it. I have had a lot of problems with generic drugs in the past. Valycyclovir works really well and infection at times is gone overnight. I only take 1 or a half a pill a day to save money until the infection is cleared up. I was told by the nurse of my OBGYN that acyclovir is 5 times a day for 10 days. It sounds to me like it takes longer to clear up the infection. I don't know what the side affects are, and if I even want to try it just because it is paid for. Valycyclovir had worked good enough for the last 5 years.

What is your advice on the acyclovir? I have also had sudden indigestion problems to deal with after my digestion was all good until January 2017. I don't need any drug to antagonize the indigestion any further. I tried Align and I had awful stomach pain from it and had to take an indigestion relief pill ater that. Once I ate better foods and more fruits and vegetables and less breads my indigestion cleared up, and this current problem just started. I have seen a doctor regarding that problem as well and he is working on getting that problem cleared up with medication. I just don't want a another drug to upset the indigestion further, and acyclovir might do that. What is your advice? Thank you. a. messmore
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Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (17 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Information

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Valcyclovir and acyclovir are not the same medication. Acyclovir is not the generic of valcyclovir. Valcyclovir is itself a generic (for Valtrex).

So - they are both generics. They are two different antiviral medications.

Both work well, but how each works and is tolerated by a person can vary slightly.

I took acyclovir for shingles (which is also a herpes virus) and I have a very sensitive stomach. It did not bother my stomach at all. I chewed it (tastes like chalk) so that I wasn't swallowing a large pill that would have any chance of upsetting the stomach due to it's size. But the medication itself is generally not irritating on the digestive tract.

The rate at which the two medications help with a herpetic outbreak is similar.

So, it just depends on whether money is an issue, and whether taking a medicine 5 times a day would be an issue.

Both are good, and I don't think the acyclovir will be a problem on the stomach. (It's ok to chop it up, too.)

I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.



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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :1991

Answered : 3134 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Severe Indigestion While On Acyclovir

Brief Answer: Information Detailed Answer: Hello, Valcyclovir and acyclovir are not the same medication. Acyclovir is not the generic of valcyclovir. Valcyclovir is itself a generic (for Valtrex). So - they are both generics. They are two different antiviral medications. Both work well, but how each works and is tolerated by a person can vary slightly. I took acyclovir for shingles (which is also a herpes virus) and I have a very sensitive stomach. It did not bother my stomach at all. I chewed it (tastes like chalk) so that I wasn't swallowing a large pill that would have any chance of upsetting the stomach due to it's size. But the medication itself is generally not irritating on the digestive tract. The rate at which the two medications help with a herpetic outbreak is similar. So, it just depends on whether money is an issue, and whether taking a medicine 5 times a day would be an issue. Both are good, and I don't think the acyclovir will be a problem on the stomach. (It's ok to chop it up, too.) I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.