The XMRV Discovery Series
With the discovery of a retrovirus, called XMRV, that's apparently linked to a vast majority of fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) cases, researchers are looking into drugs that could help suppress the virus.
Probably the most famous of all retroviruses is HIV, which causes AIDS. Retroviruses insert their own DNA into your cells, and they're especially hard to get rid of. The scientists who discovered the XMRV link in FMS and ME/CFS are planning to look first at HIV medications in their search for XMRV treatments. They're currently talking to the National Institutes of Health about getting started with tests.
A lot of anti-retrovirals are on the market for HIV, including:
- Atripla (efavirenz, emtricitabine, tenofovir)
- Combivir (lamivudine, 3TC; zidovudine, ZDV)
- Emtriva (emtricitabine)
- Epivir (lamivudine, 3TC)
- Epzicom (abacavir; lamivudine, 3TC)
- Hivid (zalcitabine, ddC)
- Retrovir (zidovudine, ZDV)
- Trizivir (abacavir; lamivudine, 3TC; zidovudine, ZDV)
- Truvada (emtricitabine; tenofovir)
- Videx (didanosine, ddI)
- Viread (tenofovir, PMPA)
- Zerit (stavudine, d4T)
- Ziagen (abacavir)
Of course, every drug has its possible side effects. Some of the ones associated with these types of drugs can include flu-like symptoms (ah, the irony!), gastrointestinal problems, insomnia, dizziness, psychological effects, and the list goes on and on. However, the long list of available drugs -- each with somewhat different effects and side effects -- could help you find one that will work for you.
Remember that this research is preliminary -- I put this information together for educational purposes only, and not so you can take the list to your doctor and ask for one of the drugs.
Also See: The XMRV Discovery Series
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before we get peoples hopes up realize that the listed meds are expensive and who’s prescribing them? Are any studies in the works on anti-virals in CFS and fibro patients.
Good question. Presumably there must be people with HIV who independently have CFS too. Perhaps they have some experience of the drugs and whether they influence CFS symptoms?
Oh Come On, now Someone is going to say We have AIDS!?
We have enough to worry about!
Has anyone tried having their doctor us antiviral meds like Acyclovir, Famvir, or Valtrex?
May not be the same track as HIV drugs but neither is FMS/CFS, but they are used for antiviral…and less expensive.
If you tried it, do you notice any difference?
by accident i was prescribed anti-viral famvir pre and post cataract surgery because i have a postherpetic neuropathy on fifth cranial nerve. it made me feel so much better i am still taking it. haven’t reported yet to dr. waiting a bit. thinking better, knees, hips good.
so, they have found an apparent link between fibromyalgia and a retrovirus. Hopefully, the young victims of this debilitating illness will benifit from the future research. From my experience, it is the high profile illness’es that get the bulk of the research money. Am I wrong?
We have to just listen and wait. They have told us what they know SO FAR. It will take a decade or more to get really conclusive information and treatment to us. Meanwhile, you can be sure they are testing and testing and testing.
The woman who started the Whittemore Institute has a daughter with CFS and she’s been quite ill with it. So she’ll have the same concerns we do. The head of the research team as well as the cancer researchers and the university involved in all this research are going to cover all bases as they say.
We can’t be sure of anything at this point. We just have to be grateful that FINALLY there’s a whole Institute committed to this horrible disease from which more people are sick than many other diseases that get much more research with the CDC and are much more respected.
I’ve been sick for 25 years and this is just so exciting.
To keep up-to-date on your own, go to the Institute at http://www.wpinstitute.org .
i have a post-herpetic neuralgia from shingles/trigeminal nerve. the initial episode was 20 yrs ago and i have been suffering from cfs and fibromyalgia though i ignore it. last summer i had a cataract surg and it waas disaster. did not think to relate trigeminal/shingles, etc. triggered full-blown episode and i was down for months. this time, the dr. treated me with 7 days worth of famvir before the cataract surg and 7 days after. it made my knees and hips feel so much better that i believe the antiviral approach to my situation bears looking into. that’s why i am answering your post. now i am on acyclovir because of $$ and it is working fine. so do you suppose one could do this for the rest of life? i am 67 and haven’t talked to the dr. about it yet. he thinks i read too much.
Ih ave used valtrex for 8 years, along with cortef the last 2 years, with also testing for delayed food allergies. I have eliminated all symptoms, sometimes i need to increase valtre to 3 times per day. within 9 weeks of valtrax, my brain came back and pain lessened. i also use wellburtin xl brand name. I have herniation on total spine, torn rotatores,and bad knee so i thinki i am ddoring pretty well. I receive trigger points injections of lidocaine and dexmathysone for the pain trigger points when they pop up, still have trouble sleeping.
My doctor say that Valtrex is not effective against XMRV. My son improved after Transfer Factor 4 Life.