Cold sores?

[yasmina]

I know there was a thread here very recently - like within the last 2 weeks - about cold sores, but I can't find it.

I get cold sores every month, right before my cycle. This month has been the worst. Last month I didn't get them, got shingles instead .

My PCP prescribed Valtrex for the shingles, and it went away pretty quickly. When I got this most recent outbreak of cold sores, I called their office and they said to take the valtrex, since I had a refill available.

The valtrex didn't work. Neither did Abreva, Herpecin-L, or Neosporin (antibiotic or lip treatment).

Anyone have any other suggestions? I keep it coated during the day with vaseline, neosporin, and the herpecin-l, but at night in my sleep I scratch at it and wake up with it all crusted. When I do scratch it during the day, I can actually feel it oozing down my chin

I have a call into my PCP's office, but thought I'd get the opinions of the "experts" here while I wait.

TIA!

 

[dogluva]

I feel your pain since I am the queen of of coldsores. I get them all over my face, lips and up my nose (I know, gross and painful). My triggers are illness, stress, and sun. I suffered for years until Abreva. I know you said it didn't work for you (Valtrex did nothing for me) but did you put it on the sore whe you first felt the tingle? Like immediately. That is what works for me. I carry it around everywhere I go. Also, pain relievers help. I use blistex to help with the soreness. Good luck and I hope you feel better.

 

[HunnyPots]

I agree, the Abreva only works of you apply it at the VERY first tingle and that can be hard to do. Even then, it can still take a week to heal. Just keep applying it every few hours, especially for the first day. Not much else you can do... Wish there was!

 

[yasmina]

Argh! My dr's office just called and said that there's nothing else to do for the cold sores. Just let it dry out, they said, it'll hurt but you just have to let it heal!

Come on! There has to be something. I'm ready to cry. Now I'm getting mad. I'm gonna go rub some garlic on it. And ice. Buy some L-Lysine. ANYTHING!

ok, I'm done ranting. Boy it felt good. Sometimes a little whine makes you feel better. Thanks for reading!

Any other suggestions?

 

[Diva of Dragons]

For prevention, work on your immune system. Take vitamins, L-Lysine, drink alot of water and get plenty of rest. Once I actually get a cold sore, I put Neosporin on it (morning and night). It's the only thing I've tried that actually helps them heal faster.

 

[Tinks]

I second the L-lysine. You can google it to see how it works. It interferes with the virus' ability to replicate.

I picked up some tablets during my last cold sore and I really think it shortened the duration of the sore.

You can take the Lysine once a day or once a week to try and prevent even getting them. Maybe try it for the week prior to your usual outbreak?

A friend also found l-lysine lip balm somehere. She liked that. I couldn't find it.

Good luck!

 

[Mickey~Mouse]

yes, I am not sure how you were taking the Valtrex, but it does not make them go "Away" it STOPS them from getting bigger. I take it for the same thing. What I have to do is when I feel one coming on~I get hem due to stress. I take my morning pill then take one about 8 hours later. I can stop it from getting bigger by doing this and usually have to take it for at least 3 days.

Believe me it does work, it just does not make the disappear ASAP. I also boil water and do hot towels on them, it really helps stop them along with the pills. I think you should take the Valtrex within days before you start your cycle and this should prevent it from growing. As for hte above mentioned things, this has never worked for me, the valtrex does really work, once taken right.

I also have a prescrition cream ~ Denavir 1% and use this also. But as stated about, when you FIRST feel the tingle, you need to take ASAP. Once it starts it will not stop.

 

[Tinks]

I agree with "as soon as you feel the tingle" or whatever your signal is that one is coming. Once you feel the tingle you have to act quickly! The faster you can start treating it, the smaller it will be and the sooner it will go away!

(Plus try the L-lysine to prevent it in the first place)

 

[Julylady]

Both my sister and I have had problems with cold sores for years. I agree that Abreva works only when it is applied ASAP. I always carry it in my purse so that I have it available at all times.

About a year ago my sister told me she was using the Herpicin as a lip balm several times a day as a preventative measure. She said that has really cut down on how many she gets. I have been doing the same thing and so far...no cold sores. I really miss my Burts Bees, though.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Tried and true methods, based on research and personal experience of my DH who used to be plagued with these, and myself with occasional mouth ulcers.

1. L-lysine EVERY day. Doctor told DH about this when he was younger. It WORKS! He will never go a day without it.

2. Change toothpaste to one with baking soda. Even better, one with baking soda and peroxide. I haven't had a mouth ulcer since we changed years ago. I use Arm&Hammer Brilliant Sparkle, or the regular Arm&Hammer baking soda and peroxide. They make my mouth feel so clean and fresh after brushing.

Some other toothpastes (I think that Crest is supposed to be one of the worst) actually have a LOT of the lauryl sulfate ingredient that is known to actually trigger these kinds of outbreaks.

3. Zovirax. Get a prescription from your doctor. Start applying liberally at the first tingle, and it will help to stop these things and heal them. Unless I had other symptoms of some kind of Herpes Virus type outbreaks, I would not want to take oral Valtrex and have all of that in my system.

Hope this helps!

 

[yasmina]

Thanks everyone! I'm copying all these suggestions!

 

[safetymom]

L-Lysine worked wonders for my late husband when he got cold sores.

 

[angel_bright05]

Apply alcohol swabs to it. They will dry the cold sore out...making it disappear faster.

 

[EthansMom]

My dr. recently gave me a prescription for Denavir. It was amazing to see how quickly my cold sore went away.

 

[muffyn]

Come on! There has to be something. I'm ready to cry.

Any other suggestions?

besides some of the other meds, like valtrex & denavir ( which works pretty darn well,) you MUST use the cream ( not the stick) blistex. ever since using this I have not had one crust up & bleed... do not let yourself suffer with those stupid topical anesthetics,, they hurt like *&LL & will bleed, no doubt when you tear the scab.

 

[m&m's mom]

Argh! My dr's office just called and said that there's nothing else to do for the cold sores. Just let it dry out, they said, it'll hurt but you just have to let it heal!

Come on! There has to be something. I'm ready to cry. Now I'm getting mad. I'm gonna go rub some garlic on it. And ice. Buy some L-Lysine. ANYTHING!

ok, I'm done ranting. Boy it felt good. Sometimes a little whine makes you feel better. Thanks for reading!

Any other suggestions?

I thought I heard that Lysine only worked if the "cold sores" you were getting were not from the herpes virus.

Tried and true methods, based on research and personal experience of my DH who used to be plagued with these, and myself with occasional mouth ulcers.

1. L-lysine EVERY day. Doctor told DH about this when he was younger. It WORKS! He will never go a day without it.

2. Change toothpaste to one with baking soda. Even better, one with baking soda and peroxide. I haven't had a mouth ulcer since we changed years ago. I use Arm&Hammer Brilliant Sparkle, or the regular Arm&Hammer baking soda and peroxide. They make my mouth feel so clean and fresh after brushing.

Some other toothpastes (I think that Crest is supposed to be one of the worst) actually have a LOT of the lauryl sulfate ingredient that is known to actually trigger these kinds of outbreaks.

3. Zovirax. Get a prescription from your doctor. Start applying liberally at the first tingle, and it will help to stop these things and heal them. Unless I had other symptoms of some kind of Herpes Virus type outbreaks, I would not want to take oral Valtrex and have all of that in my system.
Hope this helps!

This is my advice that comes from 40 years of battling cold sores.
First off, get a prescription for Zoviraz (generic Acylovir). My prescription is for 400 mg. I keep it with me everywhere. At the very first tingle, start downing them pills. I take 5 a day, which is 2000mg a day. The sore never comes to the surface that way. I usually have to do this for about 5 days for it to completely go away. It has been 10 years since a sore has erupted to the point of being visible.
This discovery has been life altering for me. As you get the sores when your immunity is down, they would usually come when I was stressed about something. In other words, the worst time.
If I have a trip or something very important coming up I will take 1 Acylovir a day to ward it off.
Another thing about Acylovir. As it is a generic the 200 mg pill is one of the $4.00 prescriptions at Wal Mart. That helps too. Valtrex was expensive, did not work and thanks to the dumb commercials, every time I went to the pharmacy I felt the need to point out to the entire pharmacy staff that I needed it for my mouth, not for um, somewhere else.

 

[Mickey~Mouse]

I have to say if you are in pain RIGHT this minute, like I mentioned above, boil some water and use a face towel and just keep putting HOT water on it. I get them extremely bad, sometimes they hit my whole right side of my face, never the left side. many years ago I got hit in the face with Sulfuric Acid and Have gotten very bad ones with the stress or to much sun...

The hot water helps to "bring down" what it is ...is a blister really, and it will help to drain it.

oh and a cold sore IS the herpes simplex virus, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herpes_simplex_virus

 

[safetymom]

L-Lysine worked wonders for my late husband when he got cold sores. He would start taking them at the first tingle.

 

[maelstrom]

Boosting your immune system should help to prevent cold sores from occuring. When you have a virus like HPV or Herpes Simplex, a healthy immune system is key in preventing an outbreak.

Maybe you should start taking your Valtrex a few days before your outbreak usually appears and that, along with a healthier immune system, should prevent or at least lessen the outbreak.

I personally do not get cold sores, but I've seen my mother deal with it my entire life. But I do have HPV, so I know that as annoying as cold sores must be, there are much worse things that can happen and in much more sensitive areas! That's also how/why I know about the healthy immune system preventing outbreaks.

 

[Tinijocaro]

1. L-lysine EVERY day. Doctor told DH about this when he was younger. It WORKS! He will never go a day without it.

3. Zovirax. Get a prescription from your doctor. Start applying liberally at the first tingle, and it will help to stop these things and heal them. Unless I had other symptoms of some kind of Herpes Virus type outbreaks, I would not want to take oral Valtrex and have all of that in my system.

Hope this helps!

1. Do you take it orally or rub the tablet on the sore?

3. What's wrong with valtrex? How is it different from Zovirex?