Mumsnet Talk

Compeed patches are vile, they rip my skin off. Zovirax is expensive and doesn't really work. What else can I try? I have 2 of the bastards.

There is a south african cream that is amazing... But I don't know what it's called, nor do I have any or know anyone in SA.

I live tge patches tge secret is not to take them off too early. Doesn't really answer your question though sorry.

This is the answer: www.amazon.co.uk/Virulite-machine-Invisible-treatment-coldsores/dp/B005MQUGM4/ref=sr_1_2?s=drugstore&ie=UTF8&qid=1328965977&sr=1-2.

trust me on this, I had cold sores every month for years before a dentist told me about this

go to your drs, get a prescription for acyclovir tablets, take one a day until you know when flair ups start and you can take the tablets around then (for me its when I'm due)

I tried creams, patches every bloody thing, nothing worked but acyclovir tablets. it sort of dries them up from the inside so you dont have the hideous beleeding and skin cracking when you smile you get with other medicines

phone the gp now!

I leave the patches on for ages but they are vile. I think my body's really pissed with me. I've been on an AF for 14 days. I'm going to go and harass my GP on Monday, I just want to get rid of the coleslaws.

I use them a cream from little herbal company , it is an African cream which has mostly eliminated my cold sores . Also putting ice cubes on the minute I feel the tingle

This is good too: www.amazon.co.uk/Quantum-SuperLysine-Cream-7g/dp/B000Q44KF6/ref=pd_cp_d_2

Sorry meant to say it is called themba cream

It's Saturday, the GP isn't open. There was no warning. I woke up yesterday with 2 small ones on the corner of my mouth, there's now a rather large one on my lip. I love the sound of the pills though.

I had a thread last year, some of it might be useful to you: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_health/1182454-Cold-Sores-your-best-remedies-please?msgid=24627242.

patches are crap

you need acyclovir, it has sorted my awful cold sores out. sometimes when I forget to take them they start to come back, just now i have the tingling on my bottom lip, but know after taking 2 acyclovir a day for a few days it'll come to nothing

{faints at the cost of TBJP's links}

lady, you are the same as me, you get them when you'er due and on (and on, jesus you poor soul)

dont look at links just get acyclovir, if you dont you'll have cold sores until you do

Thank you for the link Pharmasist gave me some Fenistil (Penciclovir) so I'm trying that. I've not heard of coffee. I may give that a try later.

Yup. Just when I think it's stopped... {screams} I need to go and get my iron levels checked, that bit inside my eye isn't red any more, it's more like a pale pink colour at the moment. Zovirax doesn't work and it's so expensive.

ok look at link

sounds similiar to acyclovir, maybe the same sort of stuff, hope it helps.

just looking at my box from doctors, got spelling wrong!!!!!

i have a box of 56 tablets, 400mg, aciclovir, made by actavis, says on it takes 2 a day, I only take one and thats when I remember...but then the tingling on the lip starts and I know its time to remember them again

I usually don't get the tingly warning, they just appear and then tingle.

I have never found Zovirax to fail me. I put it on at the very first sign of it starting and apply it every few hours to zap it on the head - the instructions say just 2x daily or something which is not enough. Will bear in mind the other suggestions once it stops working for me.

I think the problem is that I don't get any warning, the blisters just appear so it's too late for anything to work quickly.

I know the zapper is expensive, but I haven't had to buy any patches or anything since I bought it. Much easier than creams. Haven't HAD a cold sore since I bought it. Two slight tingles, zapped, no coldsore. Of course, could just be that they weren't cold sore tingles anyway, it it hard to tell for me.

I don't get the tingles until after it's appeared though.

I don't either, tge zapped has done nothing for me. The reason I go on about the patches is because they stop tge crusting over and splitting and reduce the healing time. And they stop me from being scared to death of passing them onto my babies, I honestly as so paranoid about that you wouldn't believe, my dad gave it to me when I was a baby and I have scares on my chin from picking and scratching as a toddler

I've had tge tablets once when I had them inside my nose, had no idea you could take them to prevent them appearing in the first place. I think you are far better doing tgat than trying any other non medicine cures. Hope they work quicky for you.