Hi all,

My youngest son and myself both suffer from cold sores and nothing has worked for us apart from letting the sore run it's course. Our sores always tend to be massive and come on suddenly overnight. We have tried the usual remedies zovirax cream, aftershave, perfume. My son just came out in another sore the other day (probably the sun, but we get them throughout the year aswell). I don't particularly want to start taking tablets indefinitely (at the moment I don't get them too often) so I think I'll give the hydrogen peroxide a go. Is this ok to dab on once the sore has developed. As I say we don't get any warning i.e. the usual tingle before it appears. Also where abouts in the chemists would I find it? thanks

Hi Shirley
The Zovirax tablets you only take as a one off (supposedly) for 5 days.

For those that do use zovirax, Galpharm are now making the cream (they are the company which make the cheap antihistamines) and I recently brought a tube for £1.49 which is loads cheaper than the over the counter zovirax or prescription charge - I think it was in savers or wilko's

I bought the Lysine tablets last week as I always suffer with Coldsores, more so when I go on holiday. Been taking them religiously and guess what - yep, got up this morning and whats on my lip - a dreaded coldsore

Touch wood not had one for a long while, but when I do unfortunately I get them on my chin not round my mouth, so it just looks like I'm some horrific scabbed woman.

Never used anything other than zovirax and that takes its time even so. I've never managed to halt one by getting it at the 'tingle' stage. Or maybe I have and never realised it!

Used some stuff from a pharmacy in France which I believe was pretty much the same as zovirax. Didn't know the french word for it so I just went in and stuck my chin under his nose and hoped he understood I wanted my scab cleared please!

bluemax

dont stop taking them they like any other medicine take at least two weeks to get into your system properly.

lindsay.

Cheers Lindsay, I will carry on, got 12 sleeps till my hols so hopefully this one will be gone and the tablets will have kicked in and I'll have a coldsore free holiday

bluemax

glad you havent stopped taking them and i really hope they do the same job for you as they do for me. only eleven more sleeps for me cant wait.

lindsay.

I can't believe how many of you suffer really bad with coldsores I thought i was the only one.
I have always had them really bad since Ive been a child I was called the coldsore queen at school!! my botton lip doubles in size and make's me look like ive been in a boxing ring

Every year I get them on holiday last year i started using zorvirax and a high factor lip balm on my lips before i even got to the resort i still had the tingling on my lips but it was the 1st time that they didn't blister

claire

claire

i know exactly how you feel sometimes i used to feel like i couldn't talk properly my lips balooned up that much and i had to constantly have straws in order to drink anything. some how i always ended up with a dentist appointment at the same time and it would crack and bleed and then spread some more. it does feel better to know you are not alone and no doubt one of the above remedies will help other sufferers. last year when i was in crete i bought a factor 50 sunblock and although it goes on like eighties lipstick(very pale peachy pink) it works really well on lips and my sister said it was great on her stretch marks as they normally burn easily she did rub it in though so she didn't have rambo stripes all over her body!!!

lindsay.

Lindsey

Thanks for the tip.
I am the same having to use straws it's the only time I get excused for not been able to shut my mouth he he he

Well 12 more days till we go to Cyprus So I will start my remedies next week fingers crossed It wil work again

Claire

Hi, I was wondering if anyone can recommend something to prevent cold sores whilst on hol. Not fight them using zovirax, compede etc but something medicine wise maybe I can take that will prevent it totaly and Ill not have to worry about dreaded cold sores.
Thanks

micky, I am also plagued withe the dreaded cold sores! My tip is to take the herbal remedy echinacea from Holland and Barrett it is to boost immune system. If I think I am going to get a cold I take for a few days likewise if the dreaded tingle starts swig the echinacea and rub zovirax and the outbreak over in a flash. Hope this helps. CBG

Hi,

I have the same problem every time we go away, I find the best thing to do is to keep applying lip balm.

It is apparently the sun that causes these. I am forever plastering on either the nivea stick or an actual sun block, it works all the time for me.

Use it after a swim, after a drink after food - in fact as often as you think of it.

I hope this advice is useful.

Deb.

The problem with cold sores is that once you've got the virus in your body you've got it for ever. The only thing you can do is to try and bolster your immune system as CBG suggests in order to try and prevent a flare-up. If you find that they tend to flare up when on holiday in hot/sunny places then using a lip salve with UV screen in it can help. Using Zovirax as soon as you feel the tell tale tingle will often nip it in the bud before the actual cold sore erupts.

Also, unfortunately, some of the things some of us like to do on holiday can actually make a flare up more rather than less likely! In other words, late nights, more alcohol than usual followed by the inevitable hangovers, lying around in the heat of the day, overheating and overeating etc will all put your immune system under stress and give the herpes virus just the chink it needs to re-activate itself.

SM

HI,
This isn't a cure or a remedy.My husband bought me it and it seems to work.It's called BIO-STICK.At the first sign of a tingle you place it over the affected area for a couple of minutes, then twice a day until healed.No side effects and stops it breaking out.I have yet to see if it will reduce the amount of coldsores I have but I have used it 3 times and was pleased with the result(no painful scabs).Available from Amazon among other places about £35.00.Just GOOGLE IT.
JEANIEPOOHS

I also recommend using a lip salve with a sunscreen if it is the sun that brings them out.

As for echinacea, I normally swear by it, but have been taking it regularly for the past few months with a one week break every month and I still managed to catch a cold last week with two cold sores to boot!

I have merged this topic with an existing one which may have some information in earlier posts.

luci

hi everyone, i just thought i would join in with the "coldsore" fun!!!!. i too get them...they are like the dreaded lurgy arn't they. i always get them around my top lip...and feel like the elephan man for days...i havn't yet found anything that seems to stop them...zovirax...even when putting it on when you first get the tingle just doesnt seem to work. i had a lady come into the florist where i work recently..and she was in agony with a coldsore.....but i couldn't see it !!!!! she had used these new patch thingies!! like a small clear circle that you put on over the sore....she could then put makeup on over it ..and the patch protects and conceals!!! brilliant...has anyone else seen these???i go to greece in august to get married and think it is probably well woth investing in some....(i once went to greece before and got a massive coldsore and conjunctivitus at the same time...scabby ewww) if anyone nows what this product is i would love to know, thanks, love sue

Hi Sue, I think they are called Compeed cold sore patch.

With regards to the Bio Stick that was mentioned. This seems to be the newest thing out to prevent them. My friend's GP tried to order her one but the primary trust refused on grounds of cost. Saw them online for about £32.