Nasty cold sores

[nafhoosier]

The past two months I've been hit with three separate ones, all on my lower lip.

I rarely get them, but lately I've been super stressed and losing sleep.

I've been putting Abreva on it and Carmex, but they've been taking about 10 days or so to heal.

They've all been extremely painful, unpleasant, tingly, and embarrassing.

Any ways to at least minimize the pain and get these buggers to heal faster?

 

[medic1]

Have you tryed acyclovir? Put it on the lip, as soon as you feel any tingling, do not wait for a full-blown outburst. A very effective treatment. If the herpes simplex is very bad, then you can get prescription only treatment from your GP. Wishing you well.

 

[kineticpsi]

Acyclovir tablets are always an option. They are usually expensive, even with insurance, for the fourteen day supply. You begin taking them when the cold sore comes on and it is designed to help shorten the time. I have known other people that take it continuously.

 

[KaraBulut]

You can see your physician for an antiviral like acyclovir or valaciclovir. Antivirals can be administered as a topical cream that you apply to the sores or it is also available in a pill form. Because they have recurred and are lasting more than a few days, you may want to consider going on the antiviral pills.

You should mention to your doctor that you have been having them repeatedly over the past couple of months and that you're having other symptoms like problems sleeping. It might be a good time to evaluate your overall health to make sure that there's nothing else going on.

 

[JordanFrank]

I have had luck with topically treating the sores with only tea tree oil and a q-tip.....just be careful not to get it in your mouth, doesn't taste so great..;...it just dried them up quicker (and neater) and didn't look quite as gross. i usually only treated once or twice a day for a couple of days and let them heal up after that....i feel for you !

good luck !

 

[kallipolis]

I have had luck with topically treating the sores with only tea tree oil and a q-tip.....just be careful not to get it in your mouth, doesn't taste so great..;...it just dried them up quicker (and neater) and didn't look quite as gross. i usually only treated once or twice a day for a couple of days and let them heal up after that....i feel for you !

good luck !

Tea tree essential oil is a handy aid which I recommend should be kept in the bathroom first aid box....for Tea tree oil's properties are much superior to the alternatives peddled by Big Pharma......

....reinforcing the immune system with a healthy diet also minimises out breaks of Herpes simplex virus.

 

[Luka]

I get them often too!! Take L Lysine daily, its an over the counter vitamin. like 6$ for 100 pills. it helps to prevent and shorten the length of them. Stay away from vitamin C, thats the main reason i get them a lot when I overdose haha maybe you are drinking too much orange juice... also when you get one the first few days put vaseline on it, then let it dry up. the vaseline helps prevent it from getting more infected and helps to heal it quicker. Abreva never worked for me, just gave me 2 scars on my lips.

 

[OPHELIA_HARDIN]

Have you tryed acyclovir? Put it on the lip, as soon as you feel any tingling, do not wait for a full-blown outburst. A very effective treatment. If the herpes simplex is very bad, then you can get prescription only treatment from your GP. Wishing you well.

I'll second this advice. I get a cold sore maybe once or twice a year and finally got a tube of acyclovir ointment. Using it at the first sign of an impending cold sore really speeds up the healing time and lessens the severity once it does come into 'full bloom'.