Cold sore pain and misery

[Blisterlip]

As the name change suggest, I am afflicted.
It started last week on top lip and went away. Now a new outbreak. Cunningly starting (when will I stop falling for it's trickery ? ) on bottom lip, posing as it is prone to do, as a tiny yellow headed spot but oh no it isn't. It makes you think that- then starts the burning throbbing feeling and then slowly creeps down your chin, making you feel you surely must resemble elephant man by now. The the nerve pain kicks in. Do you pick it when it blisters and crusts ? Do you leave the soggy cornflake just sitting there?
I'm going away with work next week and feel about as hideous as I've ever felt. And sore. And in distress.
Forgive my attempt at a humorous description. I'm actually really unhappy. I'm too late for the aciclovor (?) and never know if the alcohol/ ice thing works. I rate the Compeed plasters but they're so so expensive. Any other miracle cures ??

DH was prescribed some Zovirax pills . You take them when you feel an outbreak coming on and they help stop it.

Not medical advice but the yellow stuff is a sign that the sore has become infected. Try not to touch it too much, but you could try washing it gently with salt water and cotton wool. Boil the water first to sterilise it, add lots of salt. I find this dries it out and gets rid of the infection over a few days.

i don’t think the acyclovir cream does much once it is infected, and you just risk making it worse by spreading it.

I bought one of those light treatment things years ago and I swear by it. It has honestly almost completely eradicated my cold sores. Even if I don't use it when one starts, it definitely shortens the lifespan. When I bought it, though, it was about £30. Last time I looked they are more than £100, which seems ridiculous. You have my sympathy, OP - cold sores are really miserable.

Hubner Silicea Cold Sore Gel amzn.eu/d/6qbwCrG

I would recommend this.It dries it out overnight.

Too late for this time but acyclovir tablets on private prescription are a miracle. You can get them from Superdrug or other online chemists - they've honestly changed my life!

I have private healthcare with work I could tap into so I wonder if I can get their GP service to prescribe the tablets.
It really makes me feel rough

The best part of having to wear face masks is that when I had a cold sore a) no one could see it and B) having that protection from the wind really helped with discomfort.

I absolutely swear by the Compeed patches. Whenever I get a cold sore, my mouth would usually blow up and double in size. When I had DS, I was paranoid about him touching it with his hand accidentally so I got the patches and I apply them at the first sign of a tingle and it's like it suffocates it or something! It stops it blowing up and I think the lack of air to to it dries it out so quickly.

I've had cold sores all my life. Now when I feel one coming I absolutely do not touch it, then once it blisters I use a cotton bud to cover it with Vaseline. This stops it cracking and splitting and they heal much faster for me.

Herpotherm device from Amazon, as soon as you feel the 'tingle' use this on the damn thing. It uses heat treatment and stops the cold sore in its tracks.

I take L-Lysine tablets daily and its helped reduce the amount of cold sores I get dramatically. I had started to get cold sores almost monthly but someone recommended these tablets and I can't believe how much they've helped. If I do happen to get one now if I'm generally poorly or super stressed then they are much less aggressive too.

I was getting them frequently so spoke to my GP who prescribed a 6 month course of Aciclovir tablets to try and suppress the virus.

I tried stopping them and had a cold sore within a few days so am back on them and they seem to be working.

Yes!! I loved being able to hide

Don't touch it! Whatever you do. Apply whatever cream or patch you like but then wash hands thoroughly and avoid touching the sore
It's tempting to pick but then it bleeds and the scab gets worse. I get them loads and find the patches are great. But having seen these responses about tablets I'll be straight on those when I get the next one.

That Hubner stuff is really really good. Recommended by @p2312 upthread. It’s made 2 cold sores just disappear for me- it’s kind of weird stuff but omg it really works. And I’ve tried everything.

I use the tabs too but they make me feel awful so I can only tolerate for a day or two max.