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Cold Sores

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Does anyone else here suffer from Coldsores ?

I do, that lovely herpes virus that keeps on giving Puzzled

Anyway...

Whilst skiing these little blighters seem to love to attack, around half way through the week. Most likely brought on through UV from the sun, cold wind whilst wizzing down the mountain and over doing it in the bar in the evening.

I've tried all the UV lip protectors and last year I brought a Wind Stopper neck Gaiter, but half the time i forgot to pull it up.. anyhow, the coldsores striked back.

This year I was thinking of getting a wind stopper half face mask neoprene thingy, anyone have any experience with them and can recommend them?

Or even any other way of stopping the onslaught of the dreaded face fungy!

Cheers.


Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 24-01-13 14:17; edited 1 time in total
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Yes you need to quickly use some acycloguanosine. The drug name is Acyclovir.

This is also called Zovirax but the cheap boots stuff is the same (just without the marketting and fance adverts).

Strong UV triggers them as does chaps on the lips etc. PS if your pregnant seek advice from a pharmacist because I beleive you shouldnt use it if pregnant.

Disclaimer. My PhD is in Cell Biology and not Virology so ask a pharmacist.


Cheers
Bob
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Cheers Bob, that stuff just burns the crap out of your lips if you miss the actual coresore, I cant stand the stuff ...

I've started using the Boots electronic device £35, which seems to cut the healing time by half, also stops it from growing too large.

I just wanted to know what people out there do to try stopping them from appearing at all, wondering if covering the whole lower face in the wind and sun would help..
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I struggle with them on hot and cold holidays. I would recommend Zovirax too, in fact using a little everyday before you start to feel the dreaded tingle!
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As soon as one pops up try and keep it soaked in brandy Very Happy
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That sounds like the only thing that I havent tried - I'll let you know how I get on Smile
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Try taking some l-lysine tablets throughout the winter. I don't get cold sores when I do.

If you google l-lysine and cold sores, there will be loads of info. The tablets are available in many chemists and most healthfood stores.
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glasgowcyclops wrote:

Strong UV triggers them as does chaps on the lips etc.


And if they've also got a cold sore, girls on your lips too...!
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I believe that there's also a painful injection which gets rid of them for a year or two...
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everytime without fail i get cold sores skiing, it's unavoidable!! Sad
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Like gryfon, I take 1gm of lysine between October and March which whilst not eliminates them completely seems to reduce the severity of the attack.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Another shout for L lysine. Holland and Barret do them or a large Boots. I tend to take them if I am feeling run down or stressed and have a bottle in the house and at work. I also take one if I feel my lip starting to tingle and it seems to keep them at bay.
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I get the beasties on and in my nose. They are soooo painful especially if accompanied by a cold. It's got to the stage now that the virus seems to affect my eyes as well when one is developing. I hadn't heard of L lysine, I will give it a go.
There is oral Zovirax available on prescription i believe, which is meant to be pretty effective.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Kitty, If you get it near the eyes get it checked quickly. It can spread to the cornea. The Dr. will usually check for any infection in the eye and prescribe acyclovir orally.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
http://www.vcs.eu.com/index.html

Buy one it works!

Dont bother with creams etc
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Kiss your horse. I doesn't cure it but, sure as hell, it stops you licking your lips.

Failing that try the netdoctor:
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/infections/coldsores.htm
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
You could try Bonjela Cool Gel, works for me
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lauragaillard, welcome to snowHeads! snowHead
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munkee, if your GP will prescribe orlal Acyclovir, tak ethat, Otherwise, I don't think anything else helps. Topical cream will help to a point,but it's kind of gate shutting after bolted horse. L-Lysine - I'm dubious...
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eat mangoes, no really, eat mangoes fresh if you can. always worked for me
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Rocki, hmm, you mean, the cold sore erupts, is active for a couple of days then heals?
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Used to suffer from them myself until a rather severe attack during a trip to Breckenridge I did look like the elephant man for a while but since that attack many years ago I hardly ever suffer from them now (probably twice in the last ten years) almost as if the virus ran out of steam.
Good excuse to try a trip to Breckenridge but a tube of Blisteeze or Zoivrax is probably cheaper. Can't remember what they gave me in Breckenridge for it they called them "fever blisters".
I'm no doctor but I think the virus is herpes simplex and as every one says its triggered by UV as well as a run down immune system I believe. Partying hard and living on Mars Bars, Pasta and beer as well as high altitude UV exposure are obviously the ingredients the virus love.
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halfhand wrote:
Like gryfon, I take 1gm of lysine between October and March which whilst not eliminates them completely seems to reduce the severity of the attack.


Same here 500 mg twice a day reduces time and symptoms even more if I start before they do.
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a quick google search doesn't reveal any evidence for lysine as either curing or alleviating cold sores. Blisteeze is just flavoured vaseline. Zovirax (aka Acyclovir) is, AFAIK the only thing that helps, whether topically or orally.
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I suffer too.

At early stages of tingle you can ice pack it (but not direct ice on to it).

Lysine is effective IMO, although be careful about daily usage. I know others do but I seem to recall somewhere its not a good thing.

The best thing I have discovered recently are the little plasters for coldsores. They mask them, they minimise them and in fact I have gone through bouts without anyone noticing. It gets pricey but is cheap compared to suffering! Available in Boots and I always have a pack with me at home.

So in answer to the question

munkee, apply zovirax before you go away and daily; take lysine; eat mangoes and carry some plasters wink
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Peter Leuzzi, I think the plasters are impregnated with Acyclovir. Possibly more convenient than acyclovir cream.

Oh, and if it's not patently obvious, avoid (giving) oral sex while infectious... Twisted Evil
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Just another tiny point, I read that about 95% of the population have been exposed to the virus/carry one form or another.
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Plenty of info on lysine and cold sores available

A number of people have stated from experience that it is beneficial. In my experience, as I am prone to cold sores in winter when cycling and skiing, I take it as a preventative.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/640102
http://www.mbmc.org/healthgate/GetHGContent.aspx?token=9c315661-83b7-472d-a7ab-bc8582171f86&chunkiid=21791
http://www.worldwidehealth.com/health-article-Cold-Sore-Lysine-Quenching-the-Fire-of-Your-Cold-Sores.html
http://www.articlesbase.com/medicine-articles/lysine-and-cold-sores-amazing-medicine-for-your-cold-sore-505014.html

Smile
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
under a new name, yes I think thats right re the plasters. They are the best thing I have found in years.....and no I dont have shares in the company!

Just found it in Google - its made by Compeed.
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gryfon, interesting. Better search than I did clearly.

Some quick points. The NCBI article links out to several studies, most seem to be from the 80s and somewhat inconclusive. Not being a medical (or any other kind of) researcher, it sounds like it might be beneficial for some people. Interesting.

The MBMC site says, "Although some are promising, none of these studies are large enough to give conclusive answers. At this point, more evidence is needed to determine whether lysine is effective for preventing herpes simplex.

Many people use lysine in a different way—they take it at the onset of a herpes attack. However, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating this method found no benefit. 10 (Consider using the herb :: lemon balm instead.)

Safety Issues

Although lysine is an essential part of the diet, the safety of concentrated lysine supplements has not been well studied. In animal studies, high dosages have caused gallstones and elevated cholesterol levels, 15,16 so you may want to use caution when using lysine if you have either of these problems. Maximum safe dosages for young children, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease have not been established."
Not a ringing recommendation to me...

The Worldwide health one sounds like a quack site selling expensive non-cures. Frankly, anyone touting an "amazing" cure is sadly likely to be only benefiting from amazing personal income.

And the articlesbase one (I had found this and the WW Health one myself and I'm afraid dismissed them) says, "lysine for cold sores could be your biggest step toward lifetime freedom from the hideous cold sore". Well, yessss, it, could be, but from my own, personal experience, if you suffer badly/frequently enough it is very much more likely that you'd benefit from prophylactic acyclovir.

Just my thoughts. It would be very interesting to investigate further.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Peter Leuzzi wrote:
under a new name, yes I think thats right re the plasters. They are the best thing I have found in years.....and no I dont have shares in the company!

Just found it in Google - its made by Compeed.


They had these in Aldi the other day! Not by Compeed some own brand but same thing.
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First time I ever skied I was riddled with the blighters in a hideous fashion, wouldn't want to have to put up with that again - very painful!

I tend to use any kind of cream containing aciclovir that I can find. Virasorb being the cheapest I've come across recently. I use it when there's a chance I might get a coldsore, when exposed to extremes of sunlight, wind, cold, etc. In the morning, smearing of cream all around the mouth area - let it absorb then use uv salve/sunscreen and reapply through the day. The emollient in the uv protection seems to prevent the drying the cold sore creams can bring on. I carry cold sore creams with me all the time though, and use a uv lip balm through the day. I hate cold sores!
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L-Lysine tablets are like horse pills - need to break those bad boys to get them past the back of my throat! Used to get a lot but haven't had an outbreak for about 2 yrs now! Didn't do anything inparticular either - someone said you should try earwax - not very sociable but free, just rub a slug of that stuff on. I used the compeed things for a while which stops them scabbing up and this is the key - if you get it early enough you can avoid the embarrassing scab portion of the whole affair. Keeping it moist means your body will naturally heal the area without scabbing and the eventual scar left by the inevitable picking that ensues!

Avoiding excesses of anything is vita...that means booze, cheese, sun (get some zinc cream for total sunblock) late nights, stress etc etc - not necessarily compatible with a ski trip! rolling eyes
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OTOH my ski trips are boys trips so not likely to get a snog never mind oral sex so maybe I should just let the blighters have their time in the sun Little Angel
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munkee, no but my good ski buddy does suffer badly... I gave her some Ego Sunsceen for Lips... it is the small pink tube in this photo http://www.egopharm.co.uk/index.php that is the only thing stops them...

I have good reviews from it on other patients (beach etc) also... I'd contact ego UK and check if you can get it there(or ask Helen B who may know)...
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TelemarkKing, good point re zinc cream. I grew up in Australia (actually until I was 27...still growing up) and we used to put that on our lips religiously for long days at the beach. Still got coldsores but maybe 1 every 12-18 months whereas here its more cold than sun related, and perhaps due to (in part) no zinc??? Last year I reckon I had 6 including an awful back to back bout.

In view of this, perhaps the Ego Sunscreen that little tiger, speaks of is a good choice. The problem with the ol' zinc is you look too much like Shane Warne
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Boredsurfing wrote:


www.vcs.eu.com/index.html

Buy one it works!

Dont bother with creams etc


Apparently now available on prescription but only if all the creams etc have failed to work.
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Boredsurfing, Ive got one of those bad boys too but I havent been convinced. You? Anyone else?

I was able to buy on-line
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Peter Leuzzi, Yep I bought one a few years ago after giving up on creams Zvoriax etc but before it was available on the NHS, haven't needed anything else since. If used at the first 'tingle' along with a couple of pracetomol the cold sore doesn't even emerge.
If I miss the first signs, intensive use minimises the size of the sore and it goes very quickly. Taking the paracetomol and using the light for me is the best solution.
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Boredsurfing, will have to get it out for next time. Perhaps I didnt give it enough of a chance
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