cold sores - Herpes Message Board

blubby · 10-26-2004, 06:56 AM

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?

rockandroller · 10-26-2004, 05:25 PM

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.

blubby · 10-27-2004, 07:43 AM

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

zorba · 10-29-2004, 07:16 AM

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.

lbp35 · 10-29-2004, 08:36 AM

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.

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!