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Pregnancy

Coldsore! Can I use Zovirax whilst pregnant?

9 replies

FlirtyThirty · 08/10/2008 18:50

I suffer from coldsores just above my lip periodically. They get very large, ugly and make me miserable.
So...can I use Zovirax? Any medical people out there...?

Flirty x

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JuneBugJen · 08/10/2008 18:57

I did-lots as tons of coldsores whilst pg.. No harm to babies it would seem.

Not a scientific answer tho

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daisy5 · 08/10/2008 18:59

I was told not to!

Who knows - it's all quite tiring isn't it - trying to figure out what to do.

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FlirtyThirty · 08/10/2008 19:02

Thanks ladies...have done some internet searching...seems that there is very little hard scientific fact on why it is not recommended and nothing to show any direct problems to babies as a result of use...though admittedly little study either.

I have to admit that given chemist is now shut, I may just use the teeny tiniest amount to try and stop it spreading. I do get particularly bad ones... will then go and chat to pharmacist in morning.

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skiingone · 08/10/2008 19:06

Hey Flirty!

Acyclovir ( zovirax and a couple fo other creams) )is generally considered safe for women to take when pregnant. In animal studies that looked at the effects of Zovirax during pregnancy, the drug did not cause any problems, but it hasn't been studied properly for effects on pregnant women. I was told by my OB that it's fine to use, I used a couple of times and then decided not too use for the rest of the pg if I don't feel that the outbreak would be too bad or if I don't have anything important coming up. But I recon you being miserable may be worse for the baby than a bit of zovirax on your lip.
X

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JuneBugJen · 08/10/2008 19:09

I think some doctor has designed a light at a certain frequency that can limit the time of coldsores. Has anyone heard of it or got one?

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FlirtyThirty · 08/10/2008 19:34

Oh - thanks skiingone! That's very sound information...big help.

Oh, and June...if you find the light...shine it my way...

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navyeyelasH · 08/10/2008 20:06

this is much better than zovirax I find. Says to speak to your GP before you use it though according to that link. But it really does stop the CS within 24/48 hours and I get the big blistery type that spead everywhere very very regularly.

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jabberwocky · 08/10/2008 20:09

I took acyclovir while pregnant with ds1 and ds2. I read that they had done a faur amount of research on the safety of it during pregnancy as there was a strong likelihood of women taking it before they knew they were pregnant.