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As someone who gets cold sores this worries me. I know when I am super stressed because a cold sore will begin to appear on my lip. It's always there but stress

As someone who gets cold sores this worries me. I know when I am super stressed because a cold sore will begin to appear on my lip. It's always there but stress allows it to replicate, all parts of my immune system are not able to cope during stressful events. I hope this doesn't mean I'm at risk for Alzheimer's disease. At least it's now known when people sleep it clears out beta-amyloid proteins in their brains. Not a cure but at least it's good to know sleep helps flush out the bad stuff. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/brain-may-flush-out-toxins-during-sleep https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/brain-may-flus...

vedtopkar 8y ago
Note that these results describe the presence of HHV-6 and HHV-7, which cause roseola. Herpes simplex is HSV-1 and HSV-2, which cause cold sores and genital herpes, respectively.
- dghughes 8y ago
  Ah thanks, good to know.
codezero 8y ago
I don't know your situation, but if you don't already, you should get an RX for Valtrex or some other anti-viral. You can usually take it _before_ the cold sore appears if you can tell it's about to (swelling, stress, etc...) – and it can and often entirely suppresses the external appearance for most people.
- ztjio 8y ago
  Dude, that seems insane to me. Maybe you haven’t ever dived into the possible side effects of anti virals. But maybe you should? The risk/reward ratio of such a drug for cold sores is extremely poor.
  - throwawayj90 8y ago
    Are we thinking of the same drug? Because Valtrex is pretty safe as long as your kidneys are normal and you drink enough water every day. I take 500 mg daily to prevent 5 to 10 (at least!) cold sores per year. My quality of life is so much higher with this drug (imagine not being able to be intimate on like half of all your dates...) For people like me who get cold sores at the drop of a hat (or shaving or even a sharp cold breeze), it’s a fine risk, and I’d even be willing to risk more.
    - ztjio 8y ago
      The more disturbing side effects are rare, but very very serious. I would consider the drug for, say, shingles. But not a chance for a cold sore that’s nothing but a minor nuisance for a few days: https://www.drugs.com/sfx/valtrex-side-effects.html https://www.drugs.com/sfx/valtrex-side-effects.html
      - codezero 8y ago
        This is why it’s a prescription. You should go over risks and any symptoms with a doctor and get regular checkups.
      - rl3 8y ago
        Virtually any drug looks scary when viewing its side effects in totality like that. The throwaway you're replying to is correct in saying it's a pretty safe drug. >But not a chance for a cold sore that’s nothing but a minor nuisance for a few days Except the virus regularly sheds asymptomatically, and Valacyclovir reduces that risk significantly, thus affording far more protection to one's partners. I otherwise agree with you, but for sexually active adults who are positive, taking it is virtually an obligation unless their partner(s) already have the virus as well.
        throwawayj90 8y ago
        Exactly! It’s also way more than a “minor nuisance”. Try two weeks of painful, disgusting scabbing, washing your hands constantly (God help you if you self-infect your eye, which is totally a thing), and a decent amount of pain and self-esteem problems. Oh, and forget about using your mouth for pretty much anything besides eating, and even that can be difficult. It’s totallt a quality of life thing. I have so many outbreaks, which can be caused by something as benign as shaving or kissing someone with a beard (and I happen to be into dudes), that there really is no other option. I guess I could spend my life breaking out in gross herpes sores, or... I could take a pill every day like I have been for years with no ill effects, and enjoy the things that everyone else does.
- dghughes 8y ago
  Thats's interesting but I'm referring to a cold sore not the genital or other types. As annoying as it is I can live with it I was just worried it was the type that raised the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
  - chillacy 8y ago
    Valacyclovir treats a broad range of viruses: "shingles, cold sores, and genital herpes. It can also treat chickenpox..."
  - codezero 8y ago
    Cold sores are herpes. Having an open sore makes it much more likely for you to transmit the virus to others.
  - rl3 8y ago
    >Thats's interesting but I'm referring to a cold sore not the genital or other types. "Cold sores" is just another word for oral HSV-1 or more rarely oral HSV-2. While HSV-2 is commonly referred to as genital herpes due to its historical preference for that site, the truth is that both viruses can readily infect both oral and genital sites. Genital HSV-1 for example is very prevalent: "With respect to genital HSV-1 infection, 140 million people aged 15-49-years were estimated to have genital HSV-1 infection worldwide in 2012, but prevalence varied substantially by region. Most genital HSV-1 infections are estimated to occur in the Americas, Europe and Western Pacific, where HSV-1 continues to be acquired well into adulthood" [0] In other words, the dichotomy between cold sores and genital herpes is largely pointless; it's the same virus. Oral can transmit to genital and vice/versa. Why one is heavily stigmatized and the other not is simply puzzling. [0] http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simpl...
trixie_ 8y ago
My doctor told me to take Lysine 500mg per day to prevent them. You have to take it everyday forever, but it works really really well. Surprised it's not a more well known treatment. I only found out about it a couple years ago. Good luck!
undercover123 8y ago
You could try eating some licorice. Don't overdose! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rheila-ammonium-chloride-lozenges-sugar/dp/B00CJNOG3S https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rheila-ammonium-chloride-lozenges-s... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4216581/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4216581/
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

vedtopkar 8y ago

Note that these results describe the presence of HHV-6 and HHV-7, which cause roseola. Herpes simplex is HSV-1 and HSV-2, which cause cold sores and genital herpes, respectively.

dghughes 8y ago
Ah thanks, good to know.

codezero 8y ago

I don't know your situation, but if you don't already, you should get an RX for Valtrex or some other anti-viral. You can usually take it _before_ the cold sore appears if you can tell it's about to (swelling, stress, etc...) – and it can and often entirely suppresses the external appearance for most people.

ztjio 8y ago
Dude, that seems insane to me. Maybe you haven’t ever dived into the possible side effects of anti virals. But maybe you should? The risk/reward ratio of such a drug for cold sores is extremely poor.
- throwawayj90 8y ago
  Are we thinking of the same drug? Because Valtrex is pretty safe as long as your kidneys are normal and you drink enough water every day. I take 500 mg daily to prevent 5 to 10 (at least!) cold sores per year. My quality of life is so much higher with this drug (imagine not being able to be intimate on like half of all your dates...) For people like me who get cold sores at the drop of a hat (or shaving or even a sharp cold breeze), it’s a fine risk, and I’d even be willing to risk more.
  - ztjio 8y ago
    The more disturbing side effects are rare, but very very serious. I would consider the drug for, say, shingles. But not a chance for a cold sore that’s nothing but a minor nuisance for a few days: https://www.drugs.com/sfx/valtrex-side-effects.html https://www.drugs.com/sfx/valtrex-side-effects.html
    - codezero 8y ago
      This is why it’s a prescription. You should go over risks and any symptoms with a doctor and get regular checkups.
    - rl3 8y ago
      Virtually any drug looks scary when viewing its side effects in totality like that. The throwaway you're replying to is correct in saying it's a pretty safe drug. >But not a chance for a cold sore that’s nothing but a minor nuisance for a few days Except the virus regularly sheds asymptomatically, and Valacyclovir reduces that risk significantly, thus affording far more protection to one's partners. I otherwise agree with you, but for sexually active adults who are positive, taking it is virtually an obligation unless their partner(s) already have the virus as well.
      - throwawayj90 8y ago
        Exactly! It’s also way more than a “minor nuisance”. Try two weeks of painful, disgusting scabbing, washing your hands constantly (God help you if you self-infect your eye, which is totally a thing), and a decent amount of pain and self-esteem problems. Oh, and forget about using your mouth for pretty much anything besides eating, and even that can be difficult. It’s totallt a quality of life thing. I have so many outbreaks, which can be caused by something as benign as shaving or kissing someone with a beard (and I happen to be into dudes), that there really is no other option. I guess I could spend my life breaking out in gross herpes sores, or... I could take a pill every day like I have been for years with no ill effects, and enjoy the things that everyone else does.
dghughes 8y ago
Thats's interesting but I'm referring to a cold sore not the genital or other types. As annoying as it is I can live with it I was just worried it was the type that raised the risk of Alzheimer's disease.
- chillacy 8y ago
  Valacyclovir treats a broad range of viruses: "shingles, cold sores, and genital herpes. It can also treat chickenpox..."
- codezero 8y ago
  Cold sores are herpes. Having an open sore makes it much more likely for you to transmit the virus to others.
- rl3 8y ago
  >Thats's interesting but I'm referring to a cold sore not the genital or other types. "Cold sores" is just another word for oral HSV-1 or more rarely oral HSV-2. While HSV-2 is commonly referred to as genital herpes due to its historical preference for that site, the truth is that both viruses can readily infect both oral and genital sites. Genital HSV-1 for example is very prevalent: "With respect to genital HSV-1 infection, 140 million people aged 15-49-years were estimated to have genital HSV-1 infection worldwide in 2012, but prevalence varied substantially by region. Most genital HSV-1 infections are estimated to occur in the Americas, Europe and Western Pacific, where HSV-1 continues to be acquired well into adulthood" [0] In other words, the dichotomy between cold sores and genital herpes is largely pointless; it's the same virus. Oral can transmit to genital and vice/versa. Why one is heavily stigmatized and the other not is simply puzzling. [0] http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simplex-virus http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/herpes-simpl...

trixie_ 8y ago

My doctor told me to take Lysine 500mg per day to prevent them. You have to take it everyday forever, but it works really really well. Surprised it's not a more well known treatment. I only found out about it a couple years ago. Good luck!

undercover123 8y ago

You could try eating some licorice. Don't overdose! https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rheila-ammonium-chloride-lozenges-sugar/dp/B00CJNOG3S https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rheila-ammonium-chloride-lozenges-s... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4216581/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4216581/

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]