Do you have access to famcyclovir? If you begin treatment within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms it can stop the outbreak quickly and prevents the postherpatic neuralgia that sometimes happens in older people.

During my first outbreak the doctor said he was going to prescribe acyclovir and that the rash would spread to cover half of my body including my eyes, nose, mouth, genitals, and anus. Fun. I asked what would happen if I didn't take the acyclovir. He said, "The same thing." So the acyclovir does nothing. I asked him to prescribe famcyclovir. He said it was much more expensive than acyclovir but he would prescribe it if I wanted. It cost $200 for the treatment but the blisters didn't spread from the first small patch on my right hip and dried up within a couple of days. Why the hell would I take acyclovir if it does nothing if famcyclovir is available.

This time around the doctor just wrote me the prescription for famcyclovir. I've taken 3 doses so far and the blisters on my thigh seem reduced.