Cold sores

[CM2012]

What do people do when they have cold sores and a baby? I’m constantly getting them when I’m due my period and my son is 7 months old I’m so worried he’s going to contract the virus from me! Any advice would be appreciated.

Honestly, I’m just doing my best to be careful and hoping they never get it.

There have been a few moments that really scared me. I once took a sip from my toddler’s straw to check if her hot chocolate was too hot—completely forgetting I had a cold sore.

And I’ll never forget the time I gave my 7 month old a big kiss right on the cheek while I had a cold sore. It was right at the corner of my lip, and I was terrified it might have touched his mouth.
Thankfully, they haven’t caught it. But those baby and toddler stages—when they’re grabbing faces, swapping spoons, and always in your personal space—make it so hard.

I got them loads when mine were babies because I was so exhausted and run down. I just did my very best not to touch them with my mouth/washed my hands regularly etc. None of my 3 caught them from me.

Honestly I feel your pain it’s awful! We ended up in a&e not long ago as my baby had a spot on his bottom lip but he was okay in the end didn’t end up getting any worse or having more. He forever putting his hands in my mouth whilst he’s feeding aswell or just playing around so it’s really hard, and I get no warning signs with mine I just wake up with them and sometimes don’t even know they are there unless I look so it’s very frustrating!

Can you go on birth control to stop your periods?

Also, I take a lysine supplement to stop them. I’ve also read on here that zinc helps.

I would use those patches you put over the cold sore. Not to help heal it, but to avoid accidental contact with it and therefore spreading it. Anyone with cold sores were not allowed to touch my kids until they were beyond toddler stage and adults less feel the need to kiss them!

Same, much harder when it’s your own child though! I was breastfeeding so felt a bit reassured that I’d have passed on some immunity, but it’s still really stressful.

Might be a possibility yeah, I’ll be popping to the pharmacy tomorrow and see what they suggest and if not then I’ll be popping to the doctors on Monday to try and get it all sorted! The worry is awful and I suffer with PPA which doesn’t help.

If it makes you feel any better, my mum gets the most awful cold sores... I've managed to make it to 46 without getting them and I am sure she has done the same as you at times.

Thankyou! Definitely need that reassurance right now as my mind is ticking over and what I’ve done today with him and every single possibility!

As PP, both my parents get awful cold sores for as long as I can remember and I’ve (nor my siblings) never caught it. My partner also gets them too very regularly. As soon as he’s over one, he gets another particularly when stressed. We have a 6 month old DS and he was terrified of passing it on to him. He now keeps a supply of aciclovir tablets in the cupboard so when he gets one he can take a course of aciclovir which clear them up quicker.

Yeah I feel like this is something I need to ask for at the doctors and see if that helps! Thankyou for replying 🙂

I also keep a course of aciclovir in the cupboard in case of an outbreak.

Not the point of the thread but where do you get the acyclovir (if not GP) to keep just in case ?

You can also take preventative aciclovir for 3-6 months, which for me (who was getting them every few weeks pre aciclovir) prevents them for about an additional 6 months after I stop taking them. Then they’re very mild for a while, then when they get worse I go back on it again.

I use Aciclovir from Superdrug doctor, as a private prescription

That’s good to know! I feel abit better knowing there is treatment out there to prevent them and slow them down because that’s what i need for them x

Online pharmacies can prescribe.

Vicks is a miracle cure for coldsores, IMO. That and a handful of lysine tablets from Holland & Barret

I put some on last night and it’s gone down loads this morning can’t believe it Thankyou so much!

Long term daily acyclovir.

Brilliant! It's my go to now and they don't last more than 2 days, if you start using it at the tingle, sometimes it doesn't even come out. Combined with the strong lysine tablets, I find them much more manageable.

So happy it worked for you!

My children are now in there 20s and neither have cold sores and I used to get them frequently. I take a lysine supplement every day for past 2 years and they have decreased from having every 1-2 months to about once a year. Could be coincidence but I feel it’s helped

I used to get horrendous cold sores neither of my kids have them regularly. One got them once I think and that was it.

It is a funny virus- most people carry it with no effects at all or just 1 cold sore the first time they are exposed.

I started taking l-lysine and that has made a massive difference to the amount I get. And compeed coldsore plasters are good if the cold sore is small enough, it will massively help with reducing contact risk.

I just washed my hands a lot. One dc gets occasional cold sore now but didn't get their first one until they were about 8, the other doesn't so I suspect I am the source of that.

Can’t believe it worked will definitely be using that for the foreseeable future!