Cold sores

[Loulou de la Falaise]

Having been given the gift of cold sores from my psychotic SIL, I am willing to try anything and everything to get rid. The most upsetting part is not being able to kiss my kids for the duration. The whole thing makes me angry and pissed off every time it happens .

What are your sure-fire remedies?

I have the Boots zapper, I usually use Zovirax, and sometimes those ineffective plasters that flap about on your lip until they fall off having seemingly done naff-all other than draw attention to the unsightly throbbing blister on my top lip.

 

[Villanelle]

It’s totally gross but when I feel one coming on I go to bed with that horrible yellow metanium on and it seems to stop it in its tracks if you catch it early enough. And nipple cream for fast healing after they’ve done blistering.
I know how you feel about the kissing thing, I only get them maybe twice a year but it’s the literally worst thing in the world

 

[Loulou de la Falaise]

It’s totally gross but when I feel one coming on I go to bed with that horrible yellow metanium on and it seems to stop it in its tracks if you catch it early enough. And nipple cream for fast healing after they’ve done blistering.
I know how you feel about the kissing thing, I only get them maybe twice a year but it’s the literally worst thing in the world

Metanium!! Omg I had tubes and tubes of that left from nappy days and binned it all will get some. Thanks.
Yeah I find it pretty soul-destroying.

 

[Che Guevara]

I’m a sufferer too but zovirax works for me if I catch the tingle. I’m up for trying other remedies so will keep a keen eye on this thread

 

[Bostonx]

aciclovir cream is for cold sores. Ibuprofen for the inflammation & lysine tablets during a break out.

Blistex relief cream is kind of numbing if they are painful but I don't think it makes them clear any faster.

 

[Loulou de la Falaise]

I’m a sufferer too but zovirax works for me if I catch the tingle. I’m up for trying other remedies so will keep a keen eye on this thread

I don’t even get the tingle

 

[Sabbie]

Lysine works great for me both as a treatment and prevention.

 

[sk_dd]

Lysine works great for me both as a treatment and prevention.

I second lysine - the gel is incredible when you have a break out.

Also, placing a luke warm teabag on the cold sore every morning when I wake up and every night before bed really helps for me. The tannins in the tea supposedly help and I have found it takes a bit of pain away too. I usually follow that up with some vitamin E gel that I let soak in.

It might not work for everyone but since I started that routine it has halved the time I can get the cold sore to clear up in

 

[Loulou de la Falaise]

Lysine works great for me both as a treatment and prevention.

Do you take it all the time as a preventative measure?

Do you take it all the time as a preventative measure?

And are you a cat?

I second lysine - the gel is incredible when you have a break out.

Also, placing a luke warm teabag on the cold sore every morning when I wake up and every night before bed really helps for me. The tannins in the tea supposedly help and I have found it takes a bit of pain away too. I usually follow that up with some vitamin E gel that I let soak in.

It might not work for everyone but since I started that routine it has halved the time I can get the cold sore to clear up in

What does the vitamin e gel do?

 

[Tui]

I find Zovirax helps make it smaller and hopefully confined to my lip rather than spread onto my face. I have to catch it before it blisters though. Otherwise there’s literally nothing that works. I get them a couple of times a year and have done since I was a child, my mum thinks my Nanna gave me it

 

[Loulou de la Falaise]

I find Zovirax helps make it smaller and hopefully confined to my lip rather than spread onto my face. I have to catch it before it blisters though. Otherwise there’s literally nothing that works. I get them a couple of times a year and have done since I was a child, my mum thinks my Nanna gave me it

Yeah nothing ever prevents them completely, but I would rather shorten the time it dwells on my face as much as possible

 

[Sabbie]

Do you take it all the time as a preventative measure?

Yes I take a low dose supplement and then increase it if I feel run down. Haven’t had one in several years now. My doctor suggested it.

 

[IndominusRex]

Zapper and lysine are the best things I've found after 30 odd years of suffering.

 

[sk_dd]

What does the vitamin e gel do?
[/QUOTE]

It's supposed to speed up the healing process I think.

https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/holland-barrett-lysine-ointment-17g-60005657 < this stuff from H&B is what I use, with a new cotton bud each time to avoid putting my fingers on the cold sore and then back in the pot.

 

[Lars Guinard]

Lysine is the best thing I found.
Licorice root, you can get the powder and mix with Vaseline and apply or turmeric paste is a good anti viral/anti inflammatory, adding more turmeric to your diet can help in the long term.

 

[Maxine1974]

I get my GP to prescribe the aciclover
tablets. Not all GP’s like to ( I think there expensive) but I take them as soon as I feel the tingle and they stop the cold sore appearing at all. I get a really little tiny one if anything that heals within a few days.
I’ve suffered all my life with horrible things and the tablets are the only thing that works for me. Worth mentioning them to your doctor

 

[AmberSpyglass]

As soon as I’m feeling rundown or a bit stressed I break out in a bastard cold sore! I put the lysine stuff on immediately and if I have Zovirax at home I put that on too .

If I leave them my lip throbs and itches like mad and I look really bloody awful!

I’m the only person in our house who suffers too.

 

[Loulou de la Falaise]

Zapper and lysine are the best things I've found after 30 odd years of suffering.

30 years

ps your username. do you happen to have a son?

I’m the only person in our house who suffers too.

the ONLY thing I’m happy about is that I have them and not my kids

I get my GP to prescribe the aciclover
tablets. Not all GP’s like to ( I think there expensive) but I take them as soon as I feel the tingle and they stop the cold sore appearing at all. I get a really little tiny one if anything that heals within a few days.
I’ve suffered all my life with horrible things and the tablets are the only thing that works for me. Worth mentioning them to your doctor

Will ask about it next time I’m there. And before prescriptions go up to £9+

 

[Razzmatazz]

I take lysine tablets from Holland and Barrett as soon as I feel a tingle and continue to take them throughout. They also do a lysine gel which is good.

I use Zovirax on when at home and at night and use the stickers during the day. I find the stickers quite good as long as it's not right in the corner of your mouth then they fall off. Vaseline is also good once the blister stage has passed as it stops it drying out and cracking and bleeding as it heals. That stage it usually the longest, just as you think it's going even just talking and eating just opens it up and makes it bleed.

Best thing is not to touch it and keep hands, towels, cups etc clean and separate from the rest of the house. I use a cotton bud to put the Zovirax/vaseline on. You mainly just have to let it run it's course.
My mum, dad, brother and I all suffer with them.
Luckily my husband has never picked them up from me.