I reside in a developing country where PCR swab testing is unavailable, yet antivirals are easily accessible. Should I attempt taking something like valacyclovir to see if it clears up my symptoms, thereby confirming it’s herpes? This seems like a safe bet since antivirals like vala typically don’t have major side effects. Thanks for reading.
They don’t typically have many severe side effects. The primary concern is if you have underlying kidney problems, as taking antivirals daily can worsen them. If you have symptoms and testing isn’t an option but you can obtain antivirals, you could see if they help, though you should definitely check with a physician.