Cold Sores

[JennyW]

I got my very first cold sore after my father died (which was nearly 4 years ago) - I was 37. Now I was always under the impression that cold sores were caught from kissing or being kissed by someone who has one? My mum gets them as she said that she was kissed as a baby by someone who had one and has always been very careful with us whenever she's had one. As far as I'm aware, I've never kissed or been kissed by anyone with one.

So I'm wondering how I developed one at the age of 37? I thought it was due to the stress of losing my father and put it down to a one off, however I've just got the flu and got my 2nd cold sore so I must've been run down.

Do you think perhaps I've been passed the virus from someone - even if they didn't have a full outbreak of the cold sore? :confused:

[Toothsmith]

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/tc/cold-sores-topic-overview

Useful site.

Most peope have been exposed to the cold sore virus - herpes simplex. But only 20-40% of those exposed go on to suffer recurrent coldsores.

They can be triggered by stress, so chances are, you - like most people - were infected in childhood, and it's just the extreme stress of the loss of your father that triggered it to become active again.

[AbbieCadabra]

i've suffered since i was a child, sunlight & being run down are my main triggers.

i've found taking a lysine supplement daily helps to reduce breakouts. if i do get one, i take 3 lysine per day for a week or so from when it 1st appears & they definitely aren't as severe as they used to be.

[Ted_Hutchinson]

About cold sores (http://www.herpes.org.uk/coldsores.html)

An independent guide from the Herpes Viruses Association (http://www.herpes.org.uk/coldsores.html)
.................................................. .................................................. ..

Those who are interested and have a few minutes to spare may appreciate
Medicine Balls Herpes for GPs Phil Hammond (http://www.onmedica.com/BlogView.aspx?blogid=9066227d-7bcb-49a7-bdfb-d69161a4bf6e&postid=1c6c31f4-b85e-4110-82db-b63ea2d7ac40)

It lead me to Read the full text of Dr Kinghorn's talk here (http://www.herpes.org.uk/art_kinghorn.html). "What I am suggesting to you is that to be infected with a herpes simplex virus is a state of normality. We tend to make this into a big deal instead of to say that to be infected with herpes virus is something that happens to all adults, some with symptoms and some of us without."

That also is straight common sense talking.

[Ted_Hutchinson]

Presenting these two links to readers here for their consideration does not constitute medical advice.

Green Tea catechins as a potential alternative anti-infectious agent. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17547513)

Epigallocatechin Gallate Inactivates Clinical Isolates of Herpes Simplex Virus. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18195068?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsP anel.Pubmed_RVDocSum)

I like drinking green tea. I think there are many good reasons why readers may want to consider trying it either to drink or as a herbal wash but that is their decision. Readers may want also to consider Epicatechin-3-gallate, a green tea polyphenol is a potent agent against UVB-induced damage in HaCaT keratinocytes. (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17960092)

If we are going to make good money-saving purchases in the supermarket we need to understand the potential benefits of the things we buy. If we know one product offers potential advantages over another that is useful information entirely relevant on a money-saving website.

But as usual I am not saying anything. I simply provide the evidence for enable intelligent adults make their own sensible money-saving decisions.

If hysterical fools or ethically challenged health professionals think they can censor the information available on the Internet they are mistaken.
Truth will out in the end.

[lucysmumwork]

I was once told by my gp that an increase in body temp ie: when you get a cold or are on holiday can activate a cold sore. My brother and myself and sister all have suffered terribly with them but my mum and dad have never had one, so I dont know about being kissed as a baby. I used to always make sure I kept my temp down even if it meant shivering in the cold!!!

[Riq]

My mum gets them all the time, I told her she technically had an STD which it technically is and she went mental.

Some people just can't take science.

[noonesperfect]

My mum gets them all the time, I told her she technically had an STD which it technically is and she went mental.

Some people just can't take science.

Has she got hs1 or hs 2 then?!!!!

[LuciferTDark]

My missus has them from time to time & I try to avoid going too close when she's in the middle of an outbreak, I know I've been exposed to the virus for over 20yrs through her but I've never once had a cold sore myself.

[geekgirl]

I get them occasionally and they really hurt! The bit I hate is not being able to snog me old man.
I tried compeed (if that is how you spell it, too lazy to go upstairs and get the packet) a couple of weeks ago and I really liked them but I thought they were really expensive at £6.99. Anyone know where they are cheaper?

[Toothsmith]

My mum gets them all the time, I told her she technically had an STD which it technically is and she went mental.

Some people just can't take science.

I thought STDs were diseases that can only be caught through sexual contact.

Cold sores are not STDs, but genital warts are also caused by a herpes virus, and these are an STD.

[ellerose]

I agree about the compeed patches - work a treat but very pricey!!

[JCD_Capulet]

I thought STDs were diseases that can only be caught through sexual contact.

Cold sores are not STDs, but genital warts are also caused by a herpes virus, and these are an STD.
HSV1 and HSV2 are both transferable, yet not exclusively so, through intercourse. Both V1 and V2 are capable of being transfered to the lips and presenting themselves as coldsores during a flair up. Both are classed as an STD.

[Toothsmith]

Live and learn!!

[noonesperfect]

HSV1 and HSV2 are both transferable, yet not exclusively so, through intercourse. Both V1 and V2 are capable of being transfered to the lips and presenting themselves as coldsores during a flair up. Both are classed as an STD.

Now that's the science.:T

There is a large percentage of people out there who have absolutely no idea that they are carriers (they are Asymptomatic i.e. no sympoms) of this virus.

[glastowinebar]

I've suffered from cold sores since a nipper and they always seem to come out when something important is happening when they are the last thing you need to appear. As people have said they lie dormant until triggered, stress or anxiety is a big trigger, sunlight is another one.

I discoverd Zovirax very early on when a doctors prescription was needed and I've never looked back. You can get it now at any chemist, supermarket, Boots etc and I never go out of the house without it. It is expensive at over a fiver for a small tube but to me it is money well spent. Get it on when the tingling starts and keep wacking it on all day and I've never had one come on full blown for years now

[stupotstu]

Hello

I've been plagued by cold sores since I was a teenager and started buying L Lysine tablets at Holland & Barrett earlier this year. My cold sore that appeared every month like clockwork has all but disappeared and if I do get the occassional one it is not the drawn out process it normally is!! I cannot recommend this enough!!!

After posting this I've just spotted Abbies post about the same! It truly, truly works!! Glad there is someone else who has validated this!!

Stu

[Steph998]

Me too. I came on this thread to post about L-Lysine. Being a severe sufferer, especially in the sun and heat (I always came back from holiday abroad with a painful cold sore blister) after I read about it somewhere on the net a few years ago I started taking supplements, and I genuinely have not had one cold sore since. I now only take the tablets, two a day, while I am in the sun or heat (temperature does bring them out, the virus lies dormant in the spine until the blood reaches a certain heat or something.)

Heres some helpful blurb from
http://alternative-medicine-and-health.com/conditions/coldsores.htm


'There is a hypothesis that lysine inhibits herpes activity, while another amino acid, arginine, promotes it. And studies have demonstrated that lysine treatment can be very beneficial to cold sore sufferers. In one study, forty-five patients who took lysine supplements were followed for two years. Forty-two of these patients had a dramatic reduction of cold sores. For most, pain disappeared overnight, and the initial sore did not spread, but the infection returned one to four weeks after stopping lysine. The most effective pattern for taking lysine to prevent cold sores is to take a maintenance dosage as a preventive and then increase this dosage if you experience an outbreak of the infection. Be sure if you take lysine supplements that you watch your cholesterol levels, as there's some evidence that lysine may stimulate the liver to increase cholesterol production.
In addition to taking lysine as a supplement, it can be applied topically in the form of lysine cream, available in health food stores. I usually advise applying it topically twice a day, but check the directions on the label.'

[Mrs P Pincher]

I finished up in hospital a couple of years ago with an allergic reaction to Zovirax and since then I have been using a homeopathic remedy called Nat Mur which works well for me.

I have had so much trouble with herpes simplex over the last few years and IMO it is not something you can just dismiss as a minor inconvenience.

Mrs P P

[belfastgirl23]

DH also gets them but I never do although I've had ample opportunities to 'catch' them. Heat is also a trigger for him but I always thought it was the sunlight? Maybe wrong though.

He swears by L-lysine as well...

[mjmal51]

.

I discoverd Zovirax very early on when a doctors prescription was needed and I've never looked back. You can get it now at any chemist, supermarket, Boots etc and I never go out of the house without it. It is expensive at over a fiver for a small tube but to me it is money well spent. Get it on when the tingling starts and keep wacking it on all day and I've never had one come on full blown for years now

As we are Money Saving, don't forget that Zovirax is just a trade name for aciclovir which can be bought as a generic product from pharmacies at a cheaper price than the branded product.

[Smithills]

I can also vouch for L-lysine ( though why it's kept behind the till in a well known health food shop on the high street is anyone's guess:rotfl:).

Any whilst Zovirax is OK (an now much more easily available in generic form), I now use Fenistil- around £6 or £7- but in combination with lysine will minimise the size, pain and general nastiness from start to finish. I found Compeed poor- felt as if I had a bit patch of plastic on my lip. Which I did I suppose!

[lolly5648]

How long do your cold sores last? I caught my last one at the first tingle and used aciclovir but the scabbing etc still lasted 2 weeks and I didnt feel that my lip was back to normal until 3 weeks later.

[Steph998]

That was a bad one. Mine (before the l-lysine!) used to last about one and a half weeks from tingle to nothing. In my experience, the attacks got milder the more I had - and I had a lot. The first one, aged 17, the center of my top lip was so swollen I looked like I had been punched repeatedly, and the blisters when they came spread everywhere. The last one - ages ago now - was a tiny little thing like a spot, took the same time to clear up but was hardly noticeable.

Horrible things.

[lolly5648]

I seem to get two a year, one in autumn and one in Spring, always in the same place and they seem to last for around 3 weeks whatever I try.

[trixie73]

iv just got my 4th one in as many months, but this one is absolutley huge.right in the centre of my top lip and very painful. the minute i felt it tingling i applied my cream but it hasnt stopped it one bit. im going to buy the patches tomorrow and giv them a try.hope they work,im getting really fed up with keep getting these horrible things

[Fern Merkin]

I used to get cold sores almost constantly. The Doc didn't want to diagnose it properly so I was left with a blistered wet top lip and inside my nose for months. Finally I was sent to a specialist and now take Acyclovir tablets on prescription. They are great!

If you really are having terrible repeat flare ups it may be worth a visit to the Doc.

[Fern Merkin]

I thought STDs were diseases that can only be caught through sexual contact.

Cold sores are not STDs, but genital warts are also caused by a herpes virus, and these are an STD.


Genital warts are caused by the human papilloma virus, not herpes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/genitalwarts1.shtml

[dr_who3]

used to get cold sores quite regularly then found liquorice balm from
www.skinshop.co.uk (http://www.skinshop.co.uk) which works well for me, reduces the sore and the frequency i get them.

[beedeedee]

Hi All
Boots have an Electronic Cold Sore Treatment - has anybody got one?
Do they really work quicker and better than cold sore creams?
They're advertised at £34.25 (with a 2 year guarantee) which really wouldn't take us long to recoup methinks. Usually have to buy about 3-4 tubes a year at least...
Cheers

[katini]

Has anyone else tried the Boots Electronic Cold Sore treatment machine? I bought it in December because I had an horrific cold sore outbreak, looked disgusting and it was my work Christmas party.

Anyway it emits a UV light (unseen to the naked eye) which is supposed to trigger the area around the cold sore to start fighting it. You press a button on it and place it over the cold sore for two minutes and then it switches off. You are supposed to use it as soon as you get the tingle, or twice a day once the cold sore has come up in case you haven't caught it in time.

I found that it took my cold sore from throbbing pain to the scab stage in 24 hours and the whole thing went in under five days unlike the usual ten days I normally experience them for. I haven't had another one since, and according to some of the internet research I have read, a lot of people don't suffer from them again after using the device.

I have been recommending this to everyone I know who has cold sores because I was so impressed with it and the one person I know who has bought one has had the same experience as me. It is expensive- about £34.99 in December when I bought it- but personally I think it is really worth it if only from a vanity point of view!!

The Boots device seems to be exactly the same in appearance as the one on this website (http://www.vcs.eu.com/index.html) so if you have a look at that you will see all of the technical information for it.

Hope this helps someone!

[katini]

I just posted a message about this here (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=17608831&postcount=30).

I think it works much better and what I forgot to write in the other post is that it completely seems to eliminate the pain.

I couldn't recommend it enough.

[Savvy_Sue]

I'm going to merge this into the existing Cold Sore thread.

However

MEDICAL ADVICE

Hi, Martin’s asked me to post this: Sorry, giving or asking for medical advice is not permitted on this forum as it’s not what this site is about. While discussing medical insurance policies, cheaper ways to see consultants, cashback for alternative health treatments and how to get specific medication cheaper (legally) are all perfectly acceptable we ask you specifically not to discuss what to do in the event of certain medical problems (please see this rule (http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=31048) on the Health Board). If you have any questions about this policy please email abuse@moneysavingexpert.com (abuse@moneysavingexpert.com).

So I'm now going to ask abuse to check whether they are happy with everything in this thread.

[stupotstu]

Hello,

After writing months ago about the merits of L Lysine, despite being cold sore free for 9 months now I have now on my 4th in one month despite continuing to take the supplement. It is massive a cauliflower like!

Obviously I am eternally grateful for the 9 months without them which means I've probably missed out on at least 12 - 15 over that period but being back to 3 in a singular month is just awful. Does anyone know if people get immune to Llysine???

Stupotstu

[Savvy_Sue]

Does anyone know if people get immune to Llysine??? That would be a question for your local pharmacist or GP ...

[frivolous_fay]

I saw the current Zovirax ad the other day, made me laugh.

Treat the tingle (ok)
Treat the sore (mm, didn't you guys used to say the sore may never appear? oh well, ok)
Treat the scab (ok, now you're taking the p...)