Semi-OT: Cold Sores
marcy
with cold sores.
The Mayo Clinic website recommends:
Avoid triggers. If possible try to avoid or prevent conditions that
stress your body, such as getting a cold or the flu, not getting
enough sleep or staying in the sun for long periods of time without
applying sunblock.
Yeah, avoid stress, get more sleep. <laugh>
Does anyone have any helpful hints on how to deal with these things?
What works for you?
I am applying Abreva on it and taking 3,000mg of lysine a day.
Jette
> What with the holiday season and all the stress, I am having to deal
> with cold sores.
>
> The Mayo Clinic website recommends:
> Avoid triggers. If possible try to avoid or prevent conditions that
> stress your body, such as getting a cold or the flu, not getting
> enough sleep or staying in the sun for long periods of time without
> applying sunblock.
>
> Yeah, avoid stress, get more sleep. <laugh>
>
> Does anyone have any helpful hints on how to deal with these things?
>
> What works for you?
Uh, I've never had a cold sore (yes, 49 years old and never ever had a
cold sore), but I've heard that a weak solution of coffee applied
topically helps.
--
Jette Goldie
je...@blueyonder.co.uk
http://www.jette.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
http://wolfette.livejournal.com/
("reply to" is spamblocked - use the email addy in sig)
Keera Ann Fox
> Uh, I've never had a cold sore (yes, 49 years old and never ever had a
> cold sore),
Likewise. I'm told that cold sores are caused by a herpes virus. Guess I
haven't been exposed to that one.
--
Keera in Norway * Think big and then ask for more.
http://home.online.no/~kafox/
marcy
> marcy wrote:
> > What with the holiday season and all the stress, I am having to deal
> > with cold sores.
>
> > The Mayo Clinic website recommends:
> > Avoid triggers. If possible try to avoid or prevent conditions that
> > stress your body, such as getting a cold or the flu, not getting
> > enough sleep or staying in the sun for long periods of time without
> > applying sunblock.
>
> > Yeah, avoid stress, get more sleep. <laugh>
>
> > Does anyone have any helpful hints on how to deal with these things?
>
> > What works for you?
> Uh, I've never had a cold sore (yes, 49 years old and never ever had a
> cold sore), but I've heard that a weak solution of coffee applied
> topically helps.
Never heard of that one. But I'm willing to try anything.
I did some additional online research and found the following:
Application of Tea Bag
Applying a wet tea bag over the sores is yet another excellent cold
sore treatment. Tea contains tannic acid, an antiviral agent.
http://ezinearticles.com/?Cold-Sore-Treatments-That-Are-Cheap-and-Effective!&id=465222
Guess there are a few things I can try.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Jette
> Jette <boss...@scotlandmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Uh, I've never had a cold sore (yes, 49 years old and never ever had a
>> cold sore),
>
> Likewise. I'm told that cold sores are caused by a herpes virus. Guess I
> haven't been exposed to that one.
>
I must have been - my siblings and friends have all had cold sores
over the years, but I've never had one. Or a wart. Had plenty other
viruses though.
jacquie
while until stress or illness can cause it to become active again. I have
had cold sores all my life..some that have infected my lymph glands..very
painful. Chapped lips is the worst culprit for me..or sunburned lips...also
when I go to the dentist I know I will have an outbreak...anything that
stress my lips. I use abreva and if I use it enough and catch it at the
first tingle it will shorten the time I have a cold sore and the outbreak
doesn't seem to be as painful. Years ago while I having a pre skin cancer
checked out my Dermatologists asst told me that if I called them at the
first tingle they would write out a prescription for some kind of med that
would stop it from continuing. Well I live over an hour from our clinic and
it would be just to difficult to get it as quick as I would need it. I wish
I could remember the name of the med. I seem have less breakouts the older I
get.
Jacquie
"marcy" <ngtyb...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:465e4177-4572-44d9...@w28g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
Keera Ann Fox
> Keera Ann Fox wrote:
> > Jette <boss...@scotlandmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Uh, I've never had a cold sore (yes, 49 years old and never ever had a
> >> cold sore),
> >
> > Likewise. I'm told that cold sores are caused by a herpes virus. Guess I
> > haven't been exposed to that one.
> >
>
> I must have been - my siblings and friends have all had cold sores
> over the years, but I've never had one.
Don't you have to have actual physical contact with a sore during an
outbreak to get infected?
> Or a wart.
Had those as a kid.
> Had plenty other viruses though.
Sure. The ubiquitous rhinoviruses. :-) Can't say I've known any of those
by their first names.
marcy
> As you know cold sores are Herpes Simplex I . And it stays dormant for a
> while until stress or illness can cause it to become active again. I have
> had cold sores all my life..some that have infected my lymph glands..very
> painful. Chapped lips is the worst culprit for me..or sunburned lips...also
> when I go to the dentist I know I will have an outbreak...anything that
> stress my lips. I use abreva and if I use it enough and catch it at the
> first tingle it will shorten the time I have a cold sore and the outbreak
> doesn't seem to be as painful. Years ago while I having a pre skin cancer
> checked out my Dermatologists asst told me that if I called them at the
> first tingle they would write out a prescription for some kind of med that
> would stop it from continuing. Well I live over an hour from our clinic and
> it would be just to difficult to get it as quick as I would need it. I wish
> I could remember the name of the med. I seem have less breakouts the older I
> get.
> Jacquie
This sounds sadly familiar to me. I got my last cold sore from stress
and then I got a second one just from drinking from a plastic cup with
a rough edge that irritated my lip.
Yes, Abreva does help shorten the length of time, usually about a
week.
I called my doctor who gave me an Rx for Famvir (250mg, 2 pills a day
for 5 days). She said that I must take it at the first sign of a cold
sore as the longer I wait before starting the meds, the less affect it
would have.
She also gave me a note to give my pharmacist to keep on file for a
year's worth of refills.
Jette
> As you know cold sores are Herpes Simplex I . And it stays dormant for a
> while until stress or illness can cause it to become active again. I have
> had cold sores all my life..some that have infected my lymph glands..very
> painful. Chapped lips is the worst culprit for me..or sunburned lips...also
> when I go to the dentist I know I will have an outbreak...anything that
> stress my lips. I use abreva and if I use it enough and catch it at the
> first tingle it will shorten the time I have a cold sore and the outbreak
> doesn't seem to be as painful. Years ago while I having a pre skin cancer
> checked out my Dermatologists asst told me that if I called them at the
> first tingle they would write out a prescription for some kind of med that
> would stop it from continuing. Well I live over an hour from our clinic and
> it would be just to difficult to get it as quick as I would need it. I wish
> I could remember the name of the med. I seem have less breakouts the older I
> get.
"Zovirax"? It seems to be the specific anti-viral usually prescribed
here for the various herpes problems - cold sores, shingles, etc.