Cold sores - please help!

[Alwayschanging1]

Any time I am in the sun for a few hours I seem to end up with cold sores. Not just the odd one - my entire bottom lip swells up and is completely covered in sores. It is hideous and extremely painful. I used to sail quite a bit and had to cover my whole face with a snood to stop this happening, but I can't really do that on the beach. I've just come back from a week in Italy and my face is a mess.
Any ideas about how I can prevent this?

[Maybenot321]

Not sure about prevention, but have you tried using pencyclovir at the first sign of a cold sore; instead of aciclovir cream?

[Alwayschanging1]

No I haven't - but I will give it a go if you think it is better.
It's hard to judge because you never know how much worse it would have been if you did not use the cream.
I do use lemon balm which has been good for single sores - not sure it helps when my whole lip swells up.

[Theimpossiblegirl]

The compeed patches are good for individual sores but I'm not sure if they would work if you have several joined up.

I get them too. It's crap. x

[Alwayschanging1]

I have some pics if anybody wants to be revolted by how bad it is.

[efeslight]

Take lysine the moment you feel the beginnings of it.
take it until the outbreak has cleared up and if you know the sun will trigger it, take it for a few days before your holiday.
I have 500mg tablets and i took 4 tablets about 3 times a day during my most recent outbreak- the sore never really got going, and is healed much quicker.
I also hold ice over it as often as i can for as long as i can, and this seems to take the heat and soreness away.

[Alwayschanging1]

Is that 12 tablets of lysine a day? I'll happily try that.

[gingerbreadmanm]

There is light therapy u can try. Ive not had a coldsore since having ds which is weird. Dont know if it works. Whatever the active ingredient is in aclivor is what i found the best when i did get them.

[RB68]

There are a couple of things - its a virus so you can take antiviral tablets on either a sort it out regime or a prevention regime - go talk to your GP about it. 2. It is also about your immune system being low - the lower it is the more often the sores will appear so look at vit c and zinc tablets, and other things that can boost your immunity - so exercise, food regime etc and do it - it will take time to resolve and also to get dosages and habits right but can be done

[Mabelface]

Ask your gp if you can keep a supply of acyclovir tablets so you can take them as soon as you feel the first tingle

[Alwayschanging1]

Just seen you can get lysine cream as well for cold sores

[ApollO88]

Ooooo photos..... (Hides behind a pillow eagerly awaiting photos)

[Alwayschanging1]

I didn't know a GP would prescribe systemic acyclovir for cold sores - will ask them about it. Are there any side effects?

[Alwayschanging1]

Here it is - gorgeous moi!

[Alwayschanging1]

People were actually steering their kids away from me on holiday!

[YoungGirlGrowingOld]

Oooh they look sore OP.

I second ice and huge doses of L Lysine. I find the anti viral stuff only works if you get in before the blisters, which I rarely manage. I agree with a pp that pencyclovir (sp?) is more effective than aciclovir ime.

Alternate between old teabags and ice for topical relief.

They are utter bastard things.

[ApollO88]

Oh wow! You poor thing! I get the occasional one on the corner of my bottom lip but this is another level! I'd be straight to my doctors adapt. They must be able to do something. In the mean time: ice pack for the swelling?

[Maybenot321]

Looking at your photo I'd say those cold sores could be bacterially infected.
Definitely advise a GP visit.
Also, patients (I'm a dentist) seem to get on better with the pencyclovir / vectovir cream. But that's just anecdotal; haven't seen any studies to say it is more effective.

[caffelatte100]

Have a look at the Cold Sore Machine from boots. It's good if you can get it on the sores early enough. Def worth the thirty pounds or whatever.

That said, as others have said, you should definitely go to the Drs as your lip looks infected and very very sore. They might be able to prescribe a course of acyclovir tablets to help and to also prevent them coming again. I took a short dose around the time I got married and I didn't get a cold sore for about a year.

[Alwayschanging1]

Maybenot321 - would a bacterial infection change the treatment?

Really appreciate all the advice so far. Have already been online and ordered a bucket of lysine pills and some cream.

[bluebloom]

Mine were this bad a few months ago & a nurse friend was shocked I hadn't been to the GP, I went & was given aciclovir tablets which were great. I usually use a coldsore machine from Boots but hadn't had a chance before that outbreak. Would definitely recommend the machine, cost £30 but works amazingly, think it's light treatment.

[Maybenot321]

You might need some antibiotics as well as pencyclovir cream.
I'm not sure systemic acyclovir would be useful now, effective usually when it all initially blows up; much less so if your lip has been like that for a few days.
It looks really sore, if you're ok taking ibuprofen, it might help to take that regularly to get the swelling down.
Yes maybe your general/ immune system needs investigation. Do you feel OK generally, not run down? Do try and get to the GP ASAP. HTH

[Alwayschanging1]

Do I need to take the aciclovir tablets when I actually have cold sores? Do I need an emergency appointment today or wait the 3 weeks for a standard appt? The docs get very cross is you use an emergency appointment for something that could have waited.

[Maybenot321]

Emergency appointment or walk in today is best.
They won't get cross with you x

[Purplebaglady]

You can get on prescription a very high almost total sun block. It's given to extremely sun intolerant children. I suffer from cold sores, triggered by sunlight but in a milder form. I find this works. I'd go ask for some and try it. Only down side is it will show up as a pale area in use, but I find it's a good trade. Hope you find a solution that works for you, your lip looks so sore.

[Purplebaglady]

I should add that what I wrote was how I prevent mine recurring and not to sort out your sore lip as it is.