HSV-1 Herpes Simplex: Are your outbreaks this severe?

[Brooke M]

Dear All,

I am really hoping that someone out there has herpes simplex or cold sores as bad as I do (and apologies for how bad that sounds but this is severe).

I have had cold sores all my life. I have also been on Roaccutaine (acne medication with a severe reaction to the lips, causing permanent sensitivity and dryness). I am a stressed person (not all the time but I have my big moments and I work hard to contain these because of the link to stress and cold sores). I drink loads of water and am very aware and careful of my lips.

Despite this every outbreak of what I assume are coldsores is worsening. The last bout of cold sores I had 10 at a time. This time i have never seen, heard or had anything like it.

For seven days prior to I had swollen, sore, dry lips. The next morning after I woke up I could not feel my lips when i rubbed them together.

Then the swelling worsened. When I say swollen I'm talking Angelina with way too much botox. No sores or tingling at this stage but a constant weeping (clear thin fluid) for about 4 days. I went to the doctor who told me there was candida on the lips. He gave me an anti-fungal cream which did nothing. The fluid weeps through all creams and vaseline.

When i woke up the following morning the lips were stuck together, I have to gently tear them apart and now have the sores (which i assume started because the lips got stuck together). I gently rinse the lips in tepid water to unstick and attempt to clean them up, this is when the swelling is the most severe. It then takes about 5 hours for the swelling to go down, and the only way it goes down is if the fluid weeps through the lips.

There is a severe itching which I am taking an antihistamine for. The skin on the lips are peeling off each day (as a reaction to the stretching of the tissue when they swell).

I went back to another doctor and they are doing tests. I am in soo much discomfort, I cant talk properly and can not smile, I want to curl up in a ball till it goes away.

I am using plain vaseline because the dcotor has no idea what's going on and says vaseline is the safest bet when they are so inflammed.

Does anyone have anything like this? Are there any tricks to avoiding this because i have never had anythig like it.

Thanks so much for reading the hole blurbby the way,very much appreciated

Cheers

[KB1065]

my friend had an outbreak like this several years ago, and her doctor put her on oral zovirax.
I hope this helps.

[mstheory]

Brooke M,

Did you find out what was causing this? I can definitely relate! Everything you're describing, from the swollen lips, to the weeping fluid, to even prying your lips apart in the morning I have been doing for the past week. It looks like a million small sores have crusted over on my upper lip and it is very difficult to speak, smile, eat, etc. And this is with oral and topical antivirals!! Do you notice any blisters on your lips? So you are not alone!