I get cold sores 2-4 times a year. A few years ago my dentist gave me Denavir... its some great stuff! As long as I put it on in the prodromal stage, it has, at times, cut the cold sore down to as short as 4 days. It also makes it look much better, they dont get so huge and gross looking, and are much less noticible so I dont feel so self concious about being in public. It still hurts as its healing but I have to say the denavir is great stuff.

My question is about my most recent cold sore. I didnt get the usual prodromal signs this time, it just came out of nowhere (I actually thought I had bit or scratched my lip then within an hour I could feel blisters). I used the denavir about three hours later when I got home, and within about four days it seemed it was going away, healing very well. Then the fifth day it was almost like a tiny new blister started forming in the middle of where it was healing. Ive never experienced that before.

Now, it FEELS like its gone but it doesnt look like its gone. (Its been 8 days since the second blister appeared within the healing area) It still looks all red and almost as if that small area is chapped or dry but its definately not open and no scab or anything remains. Its just red with I guess flaky skin.


Im still afraid to kiss my husband!! In all these years, he has never gotten a cold sore, and obviously we dont want to take the chance. So at what point is it not 'contagious'? When do you all feel 'safe' again? And has anyone else experienced the OB within an OB just as its about gone?

i had an episode of cold sores for about 5mos. from april to august. these suckers were poppin up once a month. it's nothing new, but one morning i woke up and had one on my lip. out of nowhere. no tingling, itching, nothing. then they followed once a month. i had an episonde where one went away in a week and as soon as it left, the other one came. i went to the doctor and he gave me valtrex for when i feel one coming on. you should try that then you don't even have to worry about these things being on your lips. hope this helped and wasn't pointless babble. hahahaha.

so the valtrex seemed to help you?

when they started popping up so frequently, were you able to pinpoint a reason? (Like stress or diet or something to that effect?)

My lip is much better today, still red like a scar but all dry skin is now gone. Guess I shouldnt be so impatient! LOL

Its so frustrating with so many of these health issues... seems like conflicting information is everywhere, and sometimes I think even the most educated doctors dont have a clue what the answer is.

Thanks for your reply:)

Blubby,
Like rockandroller, I also use valtrex when I feel a cold sore coming on. It has worked beautifully. As long as you take it before it fully forms it shuts it down completely. I call it a "knock out" punch to put it back to sleep again for a while. Heh.

However, i've also gotten cold sores without warning where it's almost fully formed by the time I notice it. I still take a valtrex pill and it usually cuts down the OB to 2-3 days and keeps it small instead of 5-7 days with a huge blister for me.

My triggers are sun exposure or stress mostly.

Anyway, I recommend it if you feel that denavir is not enough.

Take care.

I have had that happen (cold sore within or right next to a cold sore) but usually because I break the blister with a pin. Usually then I put rubbing alcohol on it and it burns like heck but dries up alot faster. :eek: I guess maybe sometimes some of the virus spreads when I do that. But I did take one of my husbands valtrex pills at the begining of a sore one time and it did last nearly as long. :) I use denavir also but you have to apply it as soon as you feel prodrome symptoms or it doesn't seem to work. I have also had a full blown sore out of nowhere with no prodrome. This is a funny virus! :rolleyes:

I'm getting cold sores alot lately. How many Valtrex do you take a day and for how many days do you take it? Rock, what made yours finally quit coming back?

I use Abreva. I tried everything known to man BUT this by far works the best.
Cost about $15 at any drug store but worth every penny of it. Do you guys try to stay away from foods high in Arginine but rich in Lysine ?

I tried everything known to man but ABREVA is by far the best. It cost about $15.00 but is worth every penny

what foods are high in lysine?? high in argine (sp)???

Vsteph27,

Valtrex for cold sores is taken differently than for genital.

I take one pill (1 gram) right when I feel the symptoms of a cold sore coming and it usually stops it. Afterwards, sometimes I'll notice a little tiny bump or redness that was going to form into a big sore but then it disappears within 2 days because of the valtrex. So, it's barely noticeable at all.

Thus, the routine is to take a pill only when you feel a cold sore starting. Unlike genital H where you sometimes engage in suppressive therapy where you take pills everyday.

stay away from foods rich in Arginine like: nuts,peas,chocolate,seeds and cola.
Here is a site that will list the foods to watch out for. I have gone about 2 years without a out break. www.herpes.com/Nutrition.shtml

Zorba, how often do you get them? I'm going through a phase right now where I get them once a month. I noticed in an earlier comment of yours that you got them alot for a while, what made them stop coming up for you?

Vsteph27,

I'm not exactly sure what slowed the frequency of my cold sores; however, I believe it was a combination of my body developing more antibodies and consistent use of valtrex pills.

It's true that when I got my first one about a year ago I continued to get cold sores weekly on average. The over-the-counter ointments didn't help enough so I consulted a doctor and he prescribed me valtrex.

Apparently, since I started taking the valtrex it not only would stop the oncoming cold sore but it also seemed to slow the frequency of the cold sores as well. The good thing is that you save money on the prescription because you only have to take a pill when you feel one coming; so 1 prescription lasts a long time.

In fact, there was a period where I went 4 months without any outbreaks at all, which was great and a relief. Sadly though, after the 4 months I got another one and then it was back to the old routine of 1 every week or two.

The good news is that the sores I get now aren't as pronounced or big as they used to be and don't last as long even without taking valtrex.

Anyway, now i'm back to watching my lip carefully to catch another one before it forms.

How are you doing now? Has it always been once a month or did you get them more often initially? Also, have you tried any of the home remedies?

I hope that you've seen improvement.

Take Care.

I woke up this morning with three tiny blisters in the corner of my mouth and one larger one. They came out of nowhere!!! :confused: I am kind of freaking out because I have never had fever blisters before. I am a female and I am premenstrual and also have a bit of a cold, so I am assuming that could be what brought these about from what I have read. My husband has never had them, so I have no idea how I got them.

I went to the pharmacist this morning and she told me to use Abreva, but I used that once for something and it gave me a rash, so I am using generic brand of camphophenique or however you spell it. I just hope I can catch it before it gets too big.

I am a dental assistant, so come Monday I hope the dentist I work for will help me out with valtrex or something. I hate thinking about having to work with this gross thing on my lip. That's the last thing a patient wants to see on a dental assistant!!!

What are the home remedies for this as well? What do ya'll recommend I do in the mean time over this weekend before I can talk to my dentist?

Zorba, I guess I've been getting them all my life but the last 4 or 5 months it seems like I'll get rid of one and another one or two will come up. I also got the Valtrex and it is amazing. Thanks for your advice and I hope to quit getting them.

i take a couple of l-lysine pills (500mg) everyday along with One-a-day mens vitamins. i use burts-beeswax chap stick which i believe prevents cold sores on the lip region (its so great) . i used to get cold sores like once a month and have some of the same problems as some of u, but its been over a year and all i got was one near my nose that was small.