Positives

• A patient on a 450mg-twice-daily Valcyte plus 1g Valtrex protocol said her headaches and eye issues cleared up after 4 weeks on Valtrex and 2 weeks on Valcyte, with dizziness improving 70% and fatigue improving 30% Phoenix Rising.
  
  
• After nearly three months on the same Valtrex + Valcyte combination, the same patient reported “amazing bursts of energy I have never had for years” and returned to the gym five times a week with renewed social engagement Phoenix Rising.
• A patient said after 4-5 months on Valcyte he was “pretty much my old self now” and even needed valacyclovir less frequently afterward; HSV1 had been driving his migraines and debilitating fatigue Phoenix Rising.
  
  

Negatives

• One patient reported “there was no effect on my ME symptoms while on Valcyte,” despite an 85% drop in her monocytes during the first 12 weeks of treatment Phoenix Rising.
  
  

Hurdles & Side Effects

• One patient cautioned that “many don’t feel well until they stopped Valcyte and then noticed the improvement it gave,” warning that the drug can lower white cell counts and stress the liver and kidneys Phoenix Rising.
  
  
• Clinicians familiar with Valcyte for ME/CFS use a “start low, go slow” approach because high initial dosing produces flu-like symptoms patients sometimes mistake for treatment failure Phoenix Rising.