herpes simplex, suppression
"I've suffered with severe cold sores all my life. When I was a kid they robbed me of all confidence and severely influenced the choices I made in life. In my mid-20s I realized that if I avoided UV and certain foods (tomatoes, citrus, chocolate) I could reduce the number of outbreaks, but I still suffered horribly on a monthly basis. Then I had to have eye surgery, and I was prescribed Valtrex to get rid of a cold sore I had at the time. The surgery didn't work out, but I would have gone through the whole painful process again just to find out about this drug. For the past 4 years, if I experience any tingle I take around 10 pills over 36 hours and the outbreak halts in its tracks. Almost no visible problems. Absolutely life changing!"