Cold sores the most annoying thing?

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Or mouth ulcers?

I can't give my dc's a kiss and if feels like it's 10ft tall, obviously it isn't but it's such a pain!!

What is your most annoying ailment you get?

Hate cold sores and mouth ulcers too. My cs go black and bleed.

Ouch! Mine don't go black but both my lips crack after, that hurts, tis not fair

Cold sores without a doubt. On my top lip, on my bottom lip, on both, at the corners of my mouth, up my nose, you name it, I've had a coldsore there. Disgusting, dirty, horrible things. I had chicken pox in my thirties and would go through that again rather than have another cold sore.

You need to get the Zovirax sticker/plaster thingies!! Honestly they were a life changing find for me! I had 5 I kid you not the other week but I put two of these sticker things on and it covers the whole area stopping it from drying out and therefore doesn't get sore. Also you don't have to worry about spreading it to DC'd as it is completely covered up. I had cold sores when in labour with DD and had the plaster things on, there was no way I was going to manage to not kiss my newborn baby!
I also suffer from horrendous mouth ulcers and the only think that helps is Corsodyl mouthwash 5-6 times a day and switching to Corsodyl toothpaste.

Thanks Horis I will be looking for them at shopping, they are a bloody nightmare aren't they.

Ask your doctor for valtrex tablets. No more cold sores. But you have to take the pills daily forever. Still better than cold sores.

Orange are you serious? Does it actually work? And would a doctor actually give them to me? I've had cold sores since I was a baby and they have plagued my life ever since (slight exaggeration but as you know they are horrible horrible things), the compeed patches are excellent. I think there is some sort of anathesthetic in them as well as they don't seem to hurt as much when I use thrm although that could be the placebo effect.

Tell me more about valtrex!

In use a UV light machine from Boots which can stop them at an early stage. Interested in patches and Valtrez though.

I used to be plagued with them as a child until I discovered lip balm at age 12. I couldn't open my mouth without it bleeding :(

In the last year since eating a low carb diet I've only had one. Maybe coincidence maybe not?

L-Lysine, available from Holland and Barratts is also excellent for cold sores. I take 1 x 1000 Mg a day, and it works brilliantly for me.

It's best to start taking it when you do not have any active/visible coldsore.

I started taking this when I had 6 of the things burst out of my top lip, inside and out. It was dreadful. but since starting on the L-lysine years ago, I've not had one since.

I feel your pain!
I get coldsores up/around my nose mainly and across my top lip. They are awful, huge, horrible things. Now I'm pregnant I have had 6 so far and I'm only 20 weeks. I found an amazing tool though that shrinks them so much quicker and if I use it when I feel them coming on they don't even appear! I used to dread leaving the house with my face in such a state.

www.boots.com/en/Boots-Avert-Electronic-Cold-Sore-Machine_1129542/

It's a machine that you hold over the area for 3 minutes a couple of times a day. Seriously I couldn't live without this!definitely recommend trying it.

I get coldsores. I have one now. There's no way I'd take medication for life to stop them though.

Oh yes, horrendous things, terribly contagious and mine come up so quickly - from tingle to blister in 12 hours. Then I tend to get a cluster of blisters that distort my mouth so I look ridiculous until they burst.

At that point I am in panic mode washing hands every five mins, constantly dealing with weeping blisters, trying not to touch anything. It's going to be totally impossible with my son who is constantly climbing on me and kissing me. I'm terrified of getting my next one as I tend to get one every two years and it's due this Winter.

I will try the L-lysine recommendation as I've heard to mentioned before but never tried it. Some with the Zovirax patches. Have used the cream to no avail, the patches might help with the weeping though.

Wow thanks for the replies everyone, I don't think I can face taking meds for life but I'll look at the patches when I go shopping.

Me getting one is a sign I'm run down,not surprising with the week I've had.

It's dried up now but I hate the tingly feeling when it starts.

Bio propolis cream from health food stores really works for me. It reduces the length of time and cuts out that horrible cracked and bleeding part.
I hate that feeling like you have a football sticking out your lip.
My poor DH once had more than 100 over his forehead. It was awful. He has a repeat prescription for Zovirax tablets which really help.

Oh wow your poor husband, must've been awful for him.

Yes. Fortunately we were heading off on holiday so he didn't have to see anyone he knew and he could wear a baseball cap to disguise it all a bit.
There's a lot worse things you can have but cold sores definitely get you down.

Also had them as long as I remember and got one coming up now.
Ice held over the area as often as I can for as long as possible helps a lot, and I also take the lysine mentioned above as soon as I feel one coming on, can't quite bring myself to take it every day. It can stop mine almost in its tracks and certainly speeds up the healing hugely.

Glad I'm not the only one to suffer from these horrendous blighters, although I think it's the 1st one for a while.

Valtrex or aciclovir can be taken daily as a supressant. It is briliant, I went from an outbreak a month to one a year. After a year of taking the drugs you usuall stop for a while to see if it has induced some kind of supression in your body (in my case it did not and they were back within a week).

I would rathe take one pill a day than suffer from herpes anywhere on my body. Those of you who shiver at the idea clearly do not suffer in the way I do.

Really- if it is bad, ask your Dr. They may not prescribe valtrex because it is more expensive but Aciclovir is not expensive and you can take it when you have an outbreak if you prefer (in huge doses- it works but you still end up with a small - one to two days outbreak). Please don't suffer uncessarily and for those who wont take pills- don't look down your noses at those of us who do, they make our lives manageble at times when we feel wretched.

Topical creams and natural therapies have never worked for me.

www.happy-with-herpes.com/acyclovir.html

Herpes II is no fun either.

I am very glad that in 18 years with my OH he remains virus free.

www.docguide.com/valtrex-valacyclovir-helps-suppress-recurrent-episodes-cold-sores-presented-icaac

There is good sound, medical evidence that daily valtrex supresses and reduces the risk of transmitting any herpes infection.

Deep blue- me too and my partner has never contracted it. I begin to wonder how I did! But the valtrex is supposed to reduce shedding as well.

Do you use vx?

Good for you orange. I wish my last partner had been so concerned, not just banging away before he even told me he was infected and going though an attack. Quite a horrible time. I had never heard of valtrex until this thread.

I have had prophylactic treatment ( zovirax) in the past, but I prefer to minimise my attacks in other ways. - Good diet, multi vits, plenty fresh fruit and veg, lots of sleep, try to minimise stress. Not always easy, but cuts my outbreaks to 3 to 3 a year. We avoid sex when I do have an outbreak, but I always feel lousy. I can feel the virus in my lower spine, and outbreaks can be anywhere fron the waist down, but have a few favourite nerve pathways now, which have resulted in scarring on my buttocks and hardened areas.

Not pleasant.

for you both, deep blue I'm so sorry you suffer so much