Cheap/ effective cold sore remedy

[gigi1976]

Just woke up feeling like I got hit in the mouth with some random toy--may be the begining of a cold sore, I haven't had one in 7+ years, thought I was over it, but now with 4 days until vacation here we go....anyone have a remedy that they swear by? I will call Dr for a Zovirax prescription, unless you have miracle cure!

 

[Gigi22]

Blistex will work, if you get after the cold sore promptly, and keep applying it. Other than that, Abreva really does work better.

 

[DisneyDebbie]

When I feel the 'tingle' I start taking a Lysine vitamin. ( 500mg in morning and 500mg at night) I get them at my local grocery or drug stores. Then I like to use Releev right on the area. It's been years since I've actually had the sore come through, usually the tingle just goes away. also make sure to get sunblock for your lips!

 

[dex08]

I really dislike taking Zovirax. When I get them I use Abbreva and take Lysine tablets several times a day (it's amino acid).

 

[nhmomx2]

I also favor the Lysine. I've found that if you are just at the onset with the "tingle" if I use ice it tends to limit the eruption.

 

[3mickeymom]

As a cold sore sufferer since childhood, I recommend ice as soon as the tingle begins as as long as you can continue it. Don't give yourself frostbite but keep an ice cube in a paper towel nearby and place it on your lip whenever possible. Doing this can significantly lessen the size of the blister. I have even had them NOT appear if I get the ice on fast enough. Over the Counter remedies - I've used Abreva and I believe it makes them smaller and it does dry them out faster. I use Abreva by day and Campho Phenique at night. Mine are triggered by the sun so I put sunscreen straight on my lips. I don't use the lip balms as I don't feel they are strong enough. Stress is also a trigger, so try to relax. Certain lipsticks give them to me -Have you recently tried a new one? If the ice doesn't work, I would call for a prescription. Best of luck!

 

[mrsklamc]

The L-lysine. Absolutely. Works like a charm.

 

[granmanh603]

I really dislike taking Zovirax. When I get them I use Abbreva and take Lysine tablets several times a day (it's amino acid).

Another big vote for Lysine...

 

[PebblesMK]

Do the ice and lysine. You can get lysine in a jar-kind of like carmex (I bought it at GNC). I put that on mine multiple times a day and it never broke open. It was gone in a few days.

 

[jmpellet]

Just at the dentist this morning and asked for my acyclovir (i think its the generic zovirax). I always like to have some on hand to take during the tingling My dentist swears by Lysine and says he take a full MG per day preventatively. I don't think it will work for this particular one you have coming on but the Zovirax should if you can get it SOON!

 

[bumbershoot]

I used to get them (when I would eat too many raw peanuts), and Lysine was absolutely fabulous for it!

 

[DaisiLou]

Lysine never worked for me. I used to use Carmex and that worked for a few years, and then it stopped working. Then I had my Dr write me a script for Zovirax in a creme that I could apply. That worked wonderfully until I guess I became immune to that as well.

I now swear by Valtrex. My Dr writes me a 3 day script with like 10 refills every time I have a checkup and I keep one filled at all times. Most people think it's just for genital herpes, but it's not. Cold sores come from the same virus and the Valtrex works wonders!

 

[gigi1976]

Thanks all for the advice! I had never considered ice before---works wonders on the swelling, got lysine and a prescrption for Zovirax, although it is pill form and my last was the cream, so hopefully it works as well. Been doing neosporin and alcohol (ouch). So far it has all helped it be manageable! Can you tell I'm desperate? I just know I will look back at these vacation pictures and only remember the cold sore! 3 days to get it over and done with! And yes i guess stress is what fires these up for me, if we were going to WDW I'm sure I'd be fine, but planning for DL is a whole new beast.

 

[TheRatPack]

I used to get them all the time growing up....we tried everything as kids from putting a wet aspirin on them to taking Vitamin C like it was candy. My sister would have 2 or 3 fever blisters at a time I always felt so sorry for her.....I used to just get 1 at a time and always the upper left part of my lip.

I've not gotten one in YEARS, my husband gets them from time to time though. We use Abreva when we do get them....works well.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I don't usually get the outside the mouth sort, but I get them inside my mouth. A long time ago my Dentist told me to use the blue Listerine when I first feel that irritation and it works. These days I've discovered that even the blue Walmart Equate version works too. It has worked on the outside of my mouth too when they o happen to show up there. For inside the mouth I just keep gargling every few hours for 30-60 seconds and the spots will disappear. For outside my mouth I just soak a cottonball with the stuff and lay it on the irritation for a few minutes every few hours and had the same results. I have had so much success that I actually keep little containers of Scope mouthwash in both my cars because if i should notice one coming up and forget to use the mouthwash in time and it erupts I'm done, I can't stand the pain. As long as I use the wash s soon as I notice it they almost never erupt, unless I traumatize the spot with chips or something equally harsh that is.

I guess this other sort of stuff is good for after they erupt, my remedy only works ahead of time.

 

[Zoesmama03]

Valtrex works wonders 2 at on set and 2 at 24 hours from first dose, but of course is not the cheapest route depending on your health insurances prescription plan. My brother swears by it. He had been given it years ago and hadn't had one since that one because if he feels a tingle he can grab these and its gone.

I agree the Lysine can work if taken early enough. I find that not touching them with anything except maybe ice in the tingle stage seems to work out best.

 

[disneymarie]

Just woke up feeling like I got hit in the mouth with some random toy--may be the begining of a cold sore, I haven't had one in 7+ years, thought I was over it, but now with 4 days until vacation here we go....anyone have a remedy that they swear by? I will call Dr for a Zovirax prescription, unless you have miracle cure!

Valtrex as soon as I feel a tingle. It is perscription. I generally can get a sample at the PCP.If they write a script I ask for at least 10 as 2 or 10 is still my copay of $20

 

[ministrychick77]

not really "budget" per se, but i know some stuff that works wonders..
it's called citrumed. it's a liquid that you roll onto the spot. i use this combined with the ice, and it works for me.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

Stress is my biggest trigger too. In fact I am just getting over one (but I felt the tingle and took my Zovirax so it wasn't too bad.) It was thanks to extended family stress.

I had a really bad breakout when I had DD8. It literally took over my face. My whole lip area inside and out and top and bottom and up onto and into my nose. It was awful. They were worried I would pass it onto her that I had to wear a mask till it cleared up. I had gotten group B strep and a staph infection in my incesion and into the cold sore, it ws just awful. Every photo of me and her was with the mask (not that without looked very pretty.)

Don 't know why I am going on other then it feels good to talk to others who get them, not one of my friends do and I always feel like all eyes are on me when I get one. Thankfully they aren't as bad or as often as they used to be but I don't go anywhere without Zovirax anymore either.

Oh, but my point of posting. Since you are going to Florida, for me sun can also trigger them and especially right after having one I'd suggest you be very good with sunscreen and a lipgloss with sunscreen.

Good luck, hope it clears up, I really know how you feel.

 

[sissy_42]

As a prevention, make sure you always wear some kind of spf on your lips. I did not realize sun exposure could prompt a break out. After working in the sun for two days straight last summer it was hard to look in the mirror! Now I never go with out chapstick with spf. And make sure to through out any lipstick or other products that have come in to contact with the sores so it will not spread.