Anyone have experience with Abreva?

[jfranklyn]

My daughter (11) suffers from cold sores on her lips. She got one the other day, and I started letting her use Abreva for the first time. It seems to be slowing the growth of the sore (keeping it from travelling up her lip) but doesn't seem to be cutting the duration time of the healing. Although it does look much less "angry" than they usually do. Do any of you have experience with this medication? Do you feel it helps you? Is there any other meds you could recommend?

 

[chrismiss56]

Morning....

I use Abreva - while it doesn't always cut down the length of time it does help with "containing" the cold sore and making it less "ugly". I start applying it at the first sign of the cold sore which is usually a tingly feeling.

I know there are prescription meds you can apply - give your doctor a call.

Have a Magical Disney Day!!

 

[Christine]

Call your doctor for some Zovirax or Denivir ointment. They REALLY work well when used at the onset of the cold sore. I have one tube that has lasted me years. You only need a little bit, a few times a day.

 

[Green Tea]

I use it, but what really helps is the prescription for Valtrex from the dermatologist. She said to take one twice daily as soon as I felt the spot on my face start to tingle. And she was right, it never develops. The tingle stops after a pill or two. Good stuff!

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

This is simply MY experience....not to be rude to any previous posts:

1. Abreva, Denavir & Zovirax do not work. Plain and simple.
2. Valtrex is a MIRACLE drug. I used to get cold sores that would bubble and travel off my bottom lip and they would last for 8-10 days EVERY TIME. With VALTREX, my cold sore is gone with 24 hours PERIOD. I have never seen anything work this good in my entire life. I will tell you, however, that I take
1 1/2 pills at a time instead of just one that is the prescribed dosage. I CRUSH the pills since I have a hard time swallowing.

I strongly recommend calling your doctor to get this prescription. Everything else is just a big waste of money.

 

[apirateslifeforme]

Abreva has always worked well for me. Just like it says in the commercials, I put it on at the first tingle/first sign of a hard spot forming, and it never develops farther than that.

 

[Christine]

This is simply MY experience....not to be rude to any previous posts:

1. Abreva, Denavir & Zovirax do not work. Plain and simple.
2. Valtrex is a MIRACLE drug. I used to get cold sores that would bubble and travel off my bottom lip and they would last for 8-10 days EVERY TIME. With VALTREX, my cold sore is gone with 24 hours PERIOD. I have never seen anything work this good in my entire life. I will tell you, however, that I take
1 1/2 pills at a time instead of just one that is the prescribed dosage. I CRUSH the pills since I have a hard time swallowing.

I strongly recommend calling your doctor to get this prescription. Everything else is just a big waste of money.

Not taking it rudely at all, just remember we all have different experiences. Zovirax works GREAT for me. Is the sore absolutely gone in 24 hours with it? Nope. But it does totally stop it and then it is gone in a few days. I know I could get better results with a pill; however, I try to get decent results without ingesting anything. I'm pretty sensitive to meds so I prefer to use the smallest of anything possible. I think with a young child, I might try the ointment/cream route before taking anything in pill form.

It's good to know the Valtrex is so great. My friend uses the Zovirax in pill form for his cold sores and also is amazed at how much more effective the pill is over the ointment.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I think what makes the pill so different from the ointment is simply this:

The ointment does not "stay" on all day long since your mouth is always moving (smiling, talking, eating, etc). The ointment never full reaches its potential.

Some ointments are also very "runny." I can't remember which ones, but it would always frustrate me to no end that it would keep coming off my lips and onto my chin!

I also have to say that OTC medicine like Abreva are VERY expensive ($16 for a very small tube). For me, insurance picks up the tab for VALTREX so I only end up paying $10 for the co-pay.

 

[Christine]

Some ointments are also very "runny." I can't remember which ones, but it would always frustrate me to no end that it would keep coming off my lips and onto my chin!

I agree. My doc prescribed the cream one time and I hated it. I always ask for the ointment as it is much thicker and stays in place.

 

[JVL1018]

Have your daughter take L-Lysine(it's with the vitamins). I started taking one a day and I only get a cold sore very very rarely now.
When I do get it, I use tons of Carmex, and some Abreva and pop L Lysine like crazy and that usually works, but I think I'm going to try and get an rx for Valtrex.
can your dentist give you that? I don't have a doctor really.

 

[Christine]

Have your daughter take L-Lysine(it's with the vitamins). I started taking one a day and I only get a cold sore very very rarely now.
When I do get it, I use tons of Carmex, and some Abreva and pop L Lysine like crazy and that usually works, but I think I'm going to try and get an rx for Valtrex.
can your dentist give you that? I don't have a doctor really.

My dentist is the one the prescribes the ointment for me. Not sure if she would prescribe anything in pill form, but I never asked and she didn't offer.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Have your daughter take L-Lysine(it's with the vitamins). I started taking one a day and I only get a cold sore very very rarely now.
When I do get it, I use tons of Carmex, and some Abreva and pop L Lysine like crazy and that usually works, but I think I'm going to try and get an rx for Valtrex.
can your dentist give you that? I don't have a doctor really.

My friend who is a pharmacist also recommended this, but it is something you have to take EACH DAY. For an 11 year old, that might be too much to ask!

 

[We_love_WDW]

Have your daughter take L-Lysine(it's with the vitamins). I started taking one a day and I only get a cold sore very very rarely now.
When I do get it, I use tons of Carmex, and some Abreva and pop L Lysine like crazy and that usually works, but I think I'm going to try and get an rx for Valtrex.
can your dentist give you that? I don't have a doctor really.

Take this as soon as you feel that "tingle" that one is coming and take a couple in the morning, lunch and at night for a few days..it will help

 

[dislal]

My DD15 has trouble with cold sores, she uses abrevia when she first feels the tingle and I think it slows it down and helps her not to have the big nasty looking sores, it just makes them smaller and easier for a teenager to handle.

I called her Dr. about cold sores a few years ago and he said he would not prescribe anything for anyone that young (think she was 9) so we have been trying all diffent over the counter things and Lysine is one of the things we give her periodically in the winter. So that and the abrevia helps her greatly.

 

[JVL1018]

My friend who is a pharmacist also recommended this, but it is something you have to take EACH DAY. For an 11 year old, that might be too much to ask!

Now that you mention it, my 10 year old doesn't even swallow pills yet, so that would be a no go in my house.
If the OPs daughter can though, and she takes a vitamim in the am, just take it with that. I skip days all the time and it still seems to be helpful.

My dentist is the one the prescribes the ointment for me. Not sure if she would prescribe anything in pill form, but I never asked and she didn't offer.

Thanks!

 

[kacaju]

I love the valtrex, it really works. ...right now I am using the abreva because my Rx for valtrex is in the mail!! I find it is working, but slowly.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I love the valtrex, it really works. ...right now I am using the abreva because my Rx for valtrex is in the mail!! I find it is working, but slowly.

You poor thing! I hope it arrives soon. Waiting for something like that in the mail would be like waiting for water to boil!