My First Cold Sore :(

I'm getting a cold sore I've never had one before, but I know what they look like, and this is definitely one. It's not really sore right now. More of a burning type itch that hurts if I try to scratch. I've been slathering Blistex Ointment on it.

Any other tips other than going and getting an antiviral prescription from the doctor?

taking lysine should help.

It is believed that cold sores may result from an imbalance between the amino acids arginine and lysine. Arginine may help the virus grow and can be found in foods like grains and nuts. Unlike arginine, lysine inhibits the cold sore virus and may be taken as a preventative measure. Lysine can also shorten healing time.

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Hi Natalie

There was a thread in the Cat Lounge on cold sores last week - here's the link

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...ght=cold+sores

Hopefully my post will help - because if it is a cold sore you have you will most likely get more

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I'm getting a cold sore

I've never had one before, but I know what they look like, and this is definitely one. It's not really sore right now. More of a burning type itch that hurts if I try to scratch. I've been slathering Blistex Ointment on it.

Any other tips other than going and getting an antiviral prescription from the doctor?

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The best thing that I have found is Abreeva, it is pretty expensive but it is well worth the money.

Well, I am not so sure that it's a cold sore now

It has a white head on it now, like a pimple. So I'm beginning to think that it's actually a pimple in a really weird spot. It's not tingling and my lip doesn't feel "fat."

I've had a few pimples come up like that, too.

For what it's worth, I understand that virtually all adults have been exposed to the virus that causes cold sores and most of us have just developed an immunity. Dottie gets them every now and then; I've never had one.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Well, I am not so sure that it's a cold sore now

It has a white head on it now, like a pimple. So I'm beginning to think that it's actually a pimple in a really weird spot. It's not tingling and my lip doesn't feel "fat."

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If it's a pimple, put white toothpaste on it before you go to bed. That dries them up pretty fast. I'm gotten pimples in the strangest places, including above my lip. My wonderful, sweet, DH decided he just HAD to pop it, and I still have a scar from that one.

At least pimples are easier to deal with than cold sores.

Linda if it does actually wind up being a cold sore, these should really help you:

Lip Clear Lysine Plus cream (this one works best out of all the other creams,etc i've tried in my opinion....and considering I get cold sores frequently, trust me i've just about tried every last one of them! Oh and don't waste your money on Abreva - it made mine about 20x worse and took much much longer to heal in comparison to other things i've tried! Also, Neosporin Lip Treatment- don't waste your money on that one eithor, it doesn't work. Campophonique has a few products that work mildly well, but the ones i've listed below i've found to be the most effective and also the speediest (they're also cheaper than a lot of the other things.) (Also, stay away from Orange Juice if you do get one- it can make the area burn pretty badly if you get it on the cold sore. If you want an acidic drink, be sure you use a straw to drink out of).

http://www.drugstore.com/products/pr...Y-PLST-0-BRAND


http://www.drugstore.com/products/pr...Y-PLST-0-BRAND

When I feel one comming on what I normally do is start taking l-Lysine supplements several times a day (you can get them at a health food store, grocery store, or pharmacy.) Depending on how quick I feel one comming on and if it's broken the skin or not- I will put some rubbing alcohol on the area with a q-tip and hold it in place for several minutes and do that several times a day......that in combination with the l-Lysine supplement is enough to keep one from breaking the skin and will often times make them go away before they ever truly "appear." If however one's already shown up then I do the l-lysine creams several times a day in addition to the l-lysine supplements.

I've been prone to getting cold sores for as long as I can remember, i've gotten them since I was a little girl, so I guess I've just grown accustom to them. Different people have different triggers- for me mine are: Cinnamon (If I get cinnamon anywhere near my mouth then that can trigger them for me (I can eat foods with cinnamon in them, I just have to be careful not to get it on the skin around my mouth if that makes sense at all!), a cut or scrape around my mouth (trauma triggers them for me), or even just stress.) Those are my main 3 triggers, if I try to avoid them as best as possible, it helps.

I've only had 3 truly severe ones in my life, and for those, they were so aweful (just would not go away and were very painful!!!) that my family physician actually gave me Valtrex. (it's made for ppl. with genital herpes, which I do NOT have.....but in certain circumstances since it's a similar strand of the virus for ppl that get them on their face as well....it can help the healing time drastically.) If you ever get one that just will not improve, definitely ask about that stuff- it works amazingly well if you get a severe one!!!

(I have tried just about everything to get rid of cold sores- all of the available creams out there, supplements, toothpaste, pepto- bismol, peroxide, rubbing alcohol, buttermilk (yuck!) ,crushed asprin/water paste, and the list goes on and on....I've tried a lot of things out of desperation to get rid of them lol.....out of all the stuff i've tried though- I've found l-Lysine supplements and cream to be the most helpful, and in a really bad case, Valtrex (but you have to have a prescirption for that so that can get a little pricy....so if it's not too bad, try cheaper methods first and see if they work for you. What works for some people might not work as good for others.)