Cold Sores

[Buddy]

My daughter has had a cold sore at the side of her lip and on her chin for weeks now.She has been using something beginning with Z but I cant see a difference.I have asked her to go the Dr but she hasnt so far.She is 17 and has never had one before.I've never had one either so I'm not much good at advice.Is there an alternative or do they take this long (4-5wks) to clear up.Thanks for any advice.

[mullein2]

she needs to boost her immune system to stop them reoccuring..tel her to get a good vitamin c tablet and take it with a iron tablet daily..also some echinacea tablets to be taken for at least 3 months..

[flump1]

Hi Buddy  I feel for your daughter even though I have never suffered from this, my sister does. I think it is infectious. If she is not able to see her GP the local pharmacist will offer alternative treatment. I know there are a few available 'over the counter' so she may have to try a couple before she finds one that works for her.Meanwhile  don't let her kiss you !!!!  Good Luck to her .

[Dakota]

Hi Buddy,

I really feel for her as I suffer from them too.  Mine started when I was 14 and it started just like that (rather than one blister) and they didn't go away for weeks.  For years and years I tried everything from Zovirax to Blisteze and went back and forth to the doctor only to be told each time that there was nothing that could be done about it.  Eventually, around 2 years ago, I was getting another attack of them and I went back to the doctor in despair and he prescribed something called amoxycillin (sp?) and they worked!!  The cold sores were gone within the week rather than the month.  I went back to the doctor and asked for some more as they always happen so suddenly that I wanted to have them in my medicine cabinet so that I was ready for them rather than having to wait an age to get an appointment for some more.  I tend to get them when I have the cold / flu and also when I'm run down for whatever reason (i.e. lack of sleep, been pushing myself too hard etc.) so I tend to start taking them again, for say around one week, until I know I'm 'safe' from them again.

Now, I don't know about your daughter, but I rarely feel the tingle before they pop up, but I read an article in a magazine a few years ago all about it and some readers had written in with their remedies.  I forgot all about these until one day I did actually feel the tingle.  This is going to sound crazy, but one reader said that when she feels the tingle she rubs her finger behind her ear then rubs the area she feels the tingle, I tried this and I actually didn't get a coldsore after the tingle!  I absolutely cannot explain this, but, hey it works for me - only at tingle stage though!

I hope this helps, I know exactly what she's going through. xx

[funkychicken]

when I get coldsores I find that if I just leave them they go quicker than if I use coldsore ointment, they tend to dry out and go scabby rather than going gooey which they do when I use ointment

[Buddy]

Thank you all so much for the advice.Now the difficult part - trying to advise her LOL.

Unfortuately Dakota she is allergic to penicillin but maybe the erythromycin she gets might do the trick.

Funny you should say its infectious because she actually initially had minor scratches on both places - so perhaps the virus crept in to the open wound.

Thanks anyway - a mothers work is never done.I'll still worry about her when I'm a pensioner. 

[Mistopheles]

I've always had bad bouts of cold sores, but I mentioned it to my doctor who said cold sore cream is a waste of time and money. He then prescribed Aciclovir tablets which reduce the pain and help them to clear up much quicker. Not sure if they contain penicillin though - sorry. But it might be worth asking your doctor, as they should clear up within about 10 days.

Home remedies (can't confirm their success though) - dab perfume or toothpaste on it, as they help dry them up.

[gen2]

Funny how the message seems to be that over-the-counter remedies don't work, but my experience is that they do.  I only get a cold sore about once a year, but have used Zovirax as soon as I felt the tingle and they dont develop as much and have cleared up within a week.

By the way Buddy, I don't want to alarm you, but sores around the mouth are not necessarily cold sores.  In teenagers, these can also be a sign of solvent abuse.  I hope this isn't so in your case.

[Buddy]

I'm almost positive thats not the case - how many have said that.

I'll keep an eye out.Thanks for that I never even gave that a thought.

[Dakota]

Hi Gen,

I have a couple of friends who get coldsores like you do, once per year etc.  I think that there's different strains of it and that's why Buddys' daughter and myself get them really bad, lots of them and look really scabby taking ages to clear up and why the over the counter remedies don't seem to work for us.

Good point about the solvent abuse too!  Oh how I remembr the grilling I got from my folks about it when I had my first bout.  It took them a while to be convinced that I was not a solvent abuser!! LOL

[Slinkye]

I dont want to alarm you but this is strain of herpes that is highly contagious. Herpes is a common viral infection. It causes oral herpes (cold sores or fever blisters), and genital herpes (genital sores or sores below the waist). There are two herpes simplex viruses: � Herpes Simplex Type 1 (HSV-1) � Herpes Simplex Type 2 (HSV-2)  Not sure if your daughter is sexually active but if you have oral herpes you can give someone genital herpes. About 80% of infective people go through life not knowing they have herpes and infect others. Here is a website with some information. http://www.herpes.com/index.html