How do you deal w cold sores? | ExpatWoman.com
 

How do you deal w cold sores?

10
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 03:51

Just went to the pharmacy (to be fair not a very good one in general but still...) they didn't carry Abreva and I fear it may just be another one of those things to add to my list of over-the-counter life savers (polysporin anyone??? Lanacane for bites???? ) that I won't find here :( does anyone have any alternatives they can suggest? DH is experiencing a breakout and moping about it. Maybe healing patches?

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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 11 December 2013 - 20:00
(polysporin anyone???The nearest equivalent here is Bactroban ointment :)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 11 December 2013 - 17:18
I don't have a suggestion for a medication, BUT, I have kept my cold sores away for years now (used to get them frequently) by always using sunscreen with at least spf15 on my lips whenever in the sun!
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 17:39
Zovirax doesn't work for me either. i found Virasoothe on the internet from New Zealand & it is great. I read all the reviews & got a bit sucked in & bought it. It works really well for me & I have recently bought a kind of roll on lipstick form as well. Thankfully haven't needed to try it yet, but I'm sure it's coming
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 17:13
I second l-lysine, you can get in supplement form from health food stores or I use the topical one, its a little paste like vaseline, use on my lips every night before bed and not had one in 3 years since I discovered. Its an amino acid so treats it naturally and very fast. If I'm in the sun I use it as lip balm then too as thats usually my trigger. I also found as soon as u get the tingle if you have ice handy then place that on it and usually kills it before it begins. zovirax and all that have never worked for me at all. Lysine has honestly been sent from above! I've got all the family on it too that suffer them and they never get them now. I got the paste in holland and barrett here.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 11:35
If you have access to raw fresh honey, I recommend giving it a try and dabbing that on your cold sore. I have been getting them since I was a kid (cold/flu, sun, lack of sleep, stress.. all sorts of things trigger them) and only about 2 years ago tried honey and it blew my mind. It was out of desperation that I tried in the first place – I was at work and felt the telltale tingling coming on and did not have my abreva with me, but had tea and honey stashed in my desk. Everyone is different so its not a guarantee, and the honey should be unprocessed and pure which is not always easy to get.. but for me, it worked as well as abreva has.
Anonymous (not verified)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 10:18
They are hideously expensive unless you can get insurance to cover but Zovirax also available over the counter here in a tablet form - Valtrex also works -- significantly cuts down the healing time. Agree that Lysine (avail in health stores) is a good, natural amino acid that helps fight off recurrence of cold sores. I can get the Zivorax healing patches here if I go to the hospital? I was told they are not available. I swear by the L-Lysine tablets and Zinc tablets - taken together if you can't get it together in one tablet.
24
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 09:52
My husband is a strong hypochondriac so I have to deal with these all the time :) - best things is still lots of hot water, with pieces of fresh ginger and lots of lemon and honey in it.... Alternatively, panadol flu mixture also to put in hot water... will also make you sleep better
2
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 09:51
I swear by 1000mg of Vit C tablets to boost my immune system, coupled which 500mg L-Lysine tablets - L-Lysine actually attacks this virus and it clears up quickly. I take these vitamins every day and I haven't actually had a cold sore, or a cold for over a year!
10
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 09:45
They are hideously expensive unless you can get insurance to cover but Zovirax also available over the counter here in a tablet form - Valtrex also works -- significantly cuts down the healing time. Agree that Lysine (avail in health stores) is a good, natural amino acid that helps fight off recurrence of cold sores. Thank you Court5! Yes, DH only gets it around this time of the year, the cold maybe and him getting a little flu-ish? Will try the tablets.
10
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 09:44
Zovirax sounds promising! Can I get my hands on that here? if not, @summer breeze, I'll check out that active ingredient you recommend! Healing patches not available? Boo! Oh well. We were about to go to the Hospital (yes, he's THAT upset) just to see if they could prescribe something..
154
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 09:44
They are hideously expensive unless you can get insurance to cover but Zovirax also available over the counter here in a tablet form - Valtrex also works -- significantly cuts down the healing time. Agree that Lysine (avail in health stores) is a good, natural amino acid that helps fight off recurrence of cold sores.
Anonymous (not verified)
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 08:45
The Zivorax plasters are terrific - they work quickly to heal the lesions. It is a shame they are not available here.
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 08:20
Zofirax doesnt work for me either. I use ice for as long as i can and it goes pretty quickly too :)
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EW MASTER
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 08:13
Zovirax doesn't work for me at all.
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EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 07:51
Try dabbing vicks vaporub onto it. [url=http://sterlingminerals.blogspot.ae/2009/04/treating-cold-sore-or-fever-blister.html'>link[/url'>
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 07:13
Zovirax is very good and I always have a tube on hand. If you apply it as soon as you feel even a tingling on your lip, it can usually prevent an outbreak. I always wear lip balm to prevent my lips getting dry and I think that helps too.
Anonymous (not verified)
0
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 07:07
I suffer terribly just at the base of my nose whenever I get run down, upset, or sick. I do the following: 1. As soon as I feel one coming on, I start taking cold sore tablets, which I buy from the pharmacy in Australia - it is just a combination of zinc and lysine. (I know you can buy them separately from those supplement stores in the malls but it is very expensive.) 2. I use Zovirax creme on the blisters which you can buy here over the counter in pharmacies. 3. I also use Zovirax plasters over the lesions once they have burst. These work well. I also bring my supply from Australua - they are not available here yet. I have looked.everywhere. Hopefully they will come soon to the UAE. 4. I also take zinc tablets and vitamin E oil capsules tablets daily just for my skin - when I remember. I don't know if they help but I am trying. After the cold sore has gone, I break open the vitamin E capsules and dab the oil directly onto the scar so it will heal. They do eventually leave horrible scars if not attended to quickly. Tea tree oil for bites is great!!!
485
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EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 09 December 2013 - 05:02
I use Zovirax cream. the active ingredient is aciclovir, so if they don't carry the brand name ask for something with that in it. Edited to add for bites I use tiger balm. It is also a good repellent. <em>edited by summer breeze on 09/12/2013</em>
 
 

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