Anyone have experience with acyclovir antiviral for long covid?

I’m desperate for answers. I hope you get some responses to this.

There are increasing numbers of case reports and some studies underway with acyclovir and valcyclovir bring symptom relief to Long Covid sufferers. I happened to take 2 doses of Valacyclovir for a cold sore a few months ago and noticed improvement in symptoms especially some clearing of the cob webs of brain fog from Long Covid that I have had for around 11/2 years with the ME/CSF subtype of symptoms. The effect partly lasted and partly declined in time. After discussing with my doctor, elected to go on shingles level treatment plan (Valacyclovir 1,000 mg 3 times a day for 7 days) and then on to a suppression dose. I am early in the suppression dose this time and have gotten substantial decline in symptoms. so far, based on experimenting for myself, the initial 7 days a the higher 3 x per day dose was the most beneficial and lower dosing as suppression was less impactful. When I bumped the suppression dose to 1000 mg about every 12 hours, symptoms improvement returned. This is an early thing for me but is the only thing that has actually had significant impact. Talk with your doctor about it. Do a search "acyclovir and Long Covid" and "Valacyclovir and Long Covid". You will find some of the literature to share with your doctor regarding those case reports and some study results. My Experience is that higher dosing and prolonged dosing are best. Some of the case reports tell similar stories. Side effects are uncommon in this long standing treatment for other viral conditions. I think it is worth a personal trial even without the locked in research available. You just need a doctor who is willing to walk along with you on trying it out.

There are increasing numbers of case reports and some studies underway with acyclovir and valcyclovir bring symptom relief to Long Covid sufferers. I happened to take 2 doses of Valacyclovir for a cold sore a few months ago and noticed improvement in symptoms especially some clearing of the cob webs of brain fog from Long Covid that I have had for around 11/2 years with the ME/CSF subtype of symptoms. The effect partly lasted and partly declined in time. After discussing with my doctor, elected to go on shingles level treatment plan (Valacyclovir 1,000 mg 3 times a day for 7 days) and then on to a suppression dose. I am early in the suppression dose this time and have gotten substantial decline in symptoms. so far, based on experimenting for myself, the initial 7 days a the higher 3 x per day dose was the most beneficial and lower dosing as suppression was less impactful. When I bumped the suppression dose to 1000 mg about every 12 hours, symptoms improvement returned. This is an early thing for me but is the only thing that has actually had significant impact. Talk with your doctor about it. Do a search "acyclovir and Long Covid" and "Valacyclovir and Long Covid". You will find some of the literature to share with your doctor regarding those case reports and some study results. My Experience is that higher dosing and prolonged dosing are best. Some of the case reports tell similar stories. Side effects are uncommon in this long standing treatment for other viral conditions. I think it is worth a personal trial even without the locked in research available. You just need a doctor who is willing to walk along with you on trying it out.

That’s great news but (1) how did you do after that month of recovery? (2) Did you continue using that med after that month? (3) If you didn’t, why not? (4) If you DID continue using it, how did you do? Did your symptoms reappear? (5) If they reappeared, how much do?

All of these questions are important in understanding whether to try using that med.

@tkinder . So glad you are seeing improvement. I would lean towards it too, except that I have had my own gradual improvement since my post upthread. Not complete recovery, but a lot. Thanks for the update and info. It may be beneficial to many who suffer.