Coldsores!

[Bellyrub1980]

Asking for my DP really. He first contracted them only 7 years ago (just before I met him). His first attack was apparently very severe and covered his whole chin. Since then he seems to get a run of them every 6 months, lasting a few weeks, in the corner of his mouth and sometimes more centrally on his lower lip. They last around 10 days.

He feels their frequency has reduced quite a lot since leading a healthier lifestyle, eating well, exercising regularly and giving up smoking. However, when he does get them he gets so depressed, his job involves public speaking. I really feel for him :(

Another thing is that we are about to have a baby. He's really worried about getting one just as he/she is born (not that unlikely when you consider lack of sleep/stress) He won't be able to kiss her and will be so paranoid about washing his hands before touching her etc. He is also applying for new jobs and hoping to attend interviews soon, I just know a cold sore will wreck his confidence.

He takes 1000mg of lysine everyday (is that a big enough dose?) he is absolutely convinced creams like Zovirax make it worse. He has asked the GP about the anti viral tablets but was basically told his problem wasn't bad enough to warrant the NHS paying for it. (Is there any way we could pay for it instead?)

I'm going to go to the chemist and holland and barratt later to see if I can get anything. I've heard that infrared light gadget might work? Maybe some lysine cream?

Is there a new fancy cream that might work.

He has use the patches in the past but because of his beard they don't stick on properly and actually look a bit worse.

Any ideas gratefully received :)

I got the herpatch stuff from boots, but I've found it online if you want to give it a go -
www.farmaline.co.uk/health/order/herpatch-serum-cold-sores/

DH and I have suffered with these for years and have tried every bloody remedy under the sun.

The best cream we have found is Fenestil- we get it on line and it seems so much better than Zovirax which we both seem to have become immune to.

The doctor prescribed me acyclovir tablets which do seem to lessen the attacks- the little dissolvable ones are best.

If out in the sun/ wind a lot make sure you have a really good hi factor sun block lip salve and apply it really regularly.

We have always been worried about our DDs contracting them but they are 16 and 18 and we seem to have been able to prevent them getting them by scrupulous cleaning, hand washing, keeping towels separate and not kissing until cold sores have completely cleared up.

PurpleAlert Thanks for letting me know that you managed to avoid passing it onto your daughters.

We have the Fenistil cream now, ready and waiting for the first tingle of the next attack.

I really think his cold sore looks better already with the tea tree and the electric machine. Although I'm trying to avoid staring right at it so can't be sure. It certainly isn't as visible. Who knows which is doing the job, but it's nice to see him treating it this time round because he had totally list faith in treatment options.

Thanks again :)

Make sure you really plaster the Fenestil on- especially good as you go to bed.
Good luck!

belllyrub - I get acyclovir from the g.p for my cold sores - frequent but very mild compared to your DH.
I must admit - I am completely paranoid about kissing the children on their lips (so don't do it) and I don't think they've noticed. I kiss their head/cheek usually.
Herpes simplex - the cold sore virus can cause encephalitis (a brain inflammation). HS is more severe in new borns as they don't have a developed immune system yet.

I would encourage your DH to o back the GP and ask again

Sorry kaolean but you can get cold sores anywhere- dh regularly gets them on his cheek. One thing we were always warned about was washing hands before touching anyones face- cold sores can also flare up in the eyes- not nice so best not to kiss anywhere until it has completely healed.

Hi
Just thought I would respond to this thread. My daughter is 10 - caught the virus at 3 and now has an out break virtually every month

she has 7 cold sores since march 7th !!

each day she has 1000mg of lysine, a really good vit / min supplement, balms her lips nightly in lemon balm (anti viral properties)

we have a medicine cupboard filled with compeed plasters, creams, light and heat machines, and still they come back month after month.

yesterday morning she had one on her top lip, treated it with ice, zapped it, used lypsyl cold sore cream, last night it had gone, she woke up this morning and has one on her bottom lip which is gonna be a biggy.

I do know how your dp feels, although I have never had a cold sore in my life ( dd possibly caught it from my dh) they seem to have taken over my life too. I'm constantly trying to tell her how common they are, trying to keep her confidence up

I know they aren't life threatening, and that there are far more serious things out there, and that she is generally happy and healthy, but for those that only get a couple of cold sores a year imagine what its like to get one EVERY 4 weeks maybe for the rest of your life

I also take Lysine, and attacks have reduced a little. Ice is my latest treatment and I am sure it helps to speed up the healing. I hold ice over the area for ages, as often as I can-time consuming and sedentary, but it seems to take out the 'heat'.