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Q. More than 20 years ago I came across an article promoting l-lysine as a preventive measure against cold sore outbreaks. Having suffered with this virus since adolescence, I was motivated to try the supplement.
In my experience, l-lysine is a miracle drug. I used to have at least one outbreak a month, but I now only feel the initial “tingle” of a cold sore if I have overindulged in caffeine, been under an abnormal amount of stress or spent too much time in the sun. I take 1000 mg a day, every day. If I feel an outbreak coming, I triple the dose for a couple of days and the outbreak is prevented.
A. Many people report, like you, that l-lysine seems helpful in preventing or healing cold sores. Double-blind studies on l-lysine for cold sores have produced mixed results. There has been surprisingly little research in recent years, however. This amino acid appears relatively safe although some people report digestive upset.
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Aug 8, 2019 redirected to: https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/can-l-lysine-prevent-painful-cold-sores/
Jared
There is hope out there. I have had luck with stepped up doses of Lysine, Red Algae (Gigartina Skotsbergii), experimental electrical therapy I applied to myself with my RSG-2 blood electrifier, and a Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc supplement. I also use an omega complex with bee propolis and take a B vitamin complex.
I basically take anything good for nerves and the immune system. You don’t need an RSG-2. There are others out there bit I like the fact it is a combo blood electrifier/colloidal silver generator. You can build your own too using the specs provided for free by Dr. Bob Beck, if you have the skill and motivation. Lowering stress and getting lots of sleep seems to help the most though.
Shano
Philippines
Where can I buy L-Lysine here in the Philippines? Do you have any idea guys? thanks you.
Lorne
Australia
I’ve had cold sores for as long as I can remember since childhood. I usually get at least 1 cold sore a year every year. I dabbled in taking lysine but usually it was once a Cold sore was forming… way to late. Last September 2015 I was under a period of stress and I got 3 of the buggers in quick succession. Since then I’ve taken 1000 mg daily of lysine and have now been cold sore free for 1 whole year! The first year cold sore free in forever! Thank God for lysine. Best prevention out there and cheap too.
Lizzy
NY
Been getting cold sores since eaely childhood They stopped for a a few years and sometimes I still go years without them but I started to get them again in recent years.
Now, anytime I feel that familiar tingle warning ( I get tingle in the side of my mouth where i got my first cold sore as a child but of recent years my cold sores appear on other parts of my mouth and even in my nose. But the warning tingle still happens in the corner.) I take a Lysine tablet I chew because I’m afraid to swallow pills lol.
It seems to work. I have not had a cold sore since I’ve bee vigilant about taking the Lysine. I hope it continues.
I used Abreva years ago and it it seemed to cause a strange issue of the sore leaving a pink spot for a LONG time post sore. Very strange. I didn’t care for the stuff. It wasn’t effective.
When I was a teen I used to ice the area if I felt a tingle. That actually seems to work pretty well too… Just hold some ice directly on the area for a while. I think it scares the virus into dormancy lol.
The Lysine is definitely worth a try. I think it might be the miracle preventative for cold sores.
Abby
Hesitant to post this because I don’t want to jinx myself but knowing first hand how awful, painful and embarrassing cold sores can be, I want to express my absolute DELIGHT that came after discovering Lysine in hopes that it helps someone else going crazy for the sores.
I got my first cold sore when I was 18 and only had about 1 a year until I turned 23 and then it all changed – in a matter of 6 months, I had 6-8 cold sores (mostly after flying to visit my boyfriend once or twice a month, which was always a fantastic time to get them!) and I attributed it to a change in birth control and the stress of traveling. However, when I started to get them just about every 3 weeks and didn’t feel Abreva or other cold sore creams were helping, I began looking for alternate solutions which is when I read about Lysine.
I immediately went out and bought a bottle 2 months ago and started taking the supplement (500mg tablets) every morning on an empty stomach. Two trips (that included flying!) and a lot of stressful situations later, I can more than happily say I haven’t gotten a cold sore since taking Lysine! I was extra careful and took about 2,000mg a day when I would be flying, just to be safe and it’s seemed to work like a charm! Especially considering I was getting a cold sore every, single time I flew or a day or two after arriving at my destination or returning home.
What really pushed me to leave a review was that I woke up a few days ago with that familiar “tingle” in my usual cold sore spot. Knowing by now the signs, I took a few extra tablets throughout the day and monitored the area, being careful not to touch it, irritate it or panic. By the evening, I had a tiny, tiny (barely noticeable, especially when covered with a dab of makeup) bump, not a blister, right where I would normally get a cold sore. I took an additional Lysine tablet (probably had about 3,000mg at that point) and went to sleep. When I woke up this morning, the bump was completely gone, as was the tingle and the sensitive feeling in the area! No cold sore, no bump, no blister, nothing!
I’ve read several forums where people post that not only do they feel Lysine prevents cold sores, but can also stop them in their tracks if one does begin to form and you take a higher dose. Unfortunately, I know all remedies are not universal and cold sores are nasty little buggers that sometimes feel impossible to get rid of but from my experience, I would absolutely recommend Lysine if you suffer from cold sores. After 10 weeks taking the tablets, it seems to be just the relief and preventative care I was looking for!
Pacman1951
Since discovering L-Lysine (1976-ish) via an Osteopath Dr. I met I’ve since learned to SOMETIME’S detect CS (cold sores) coming on days early by what feels like canker sores starting any where in my mouth otherwise it’s by the usual tingle at the lip area about 3 hours before the blister appears. In the later case critically there’s really only about 1 hour to immediately load up 3,000 mg. From then on every hour 1000 mgs for 3 more hours. This should halt any further development at this point. Then the next day dropping to 3,000 mgs for the entire day. Then for the next 5 days 1,000 mg per day.
I was pretty religious at 500 mgs of L-Lysine per day for the first 5 or so years and was only getting a CS but once every 1 or 2 years only due to forgetting to take the L-Lysine weeks at a time after running out of them.
I noticed that when taking antidepressants and hardly any L-Lysine for 4 years in my mid 40’s I may have had only 1 or 2 CS’s.
At almost 64, I usually only take the L-Lysine as needed or when I remember to (1000 mgs) but always take a few along for overnighters.
When it comes to vitamin and herb therapy thats taken internally this is the only one I’ve experienced that shows same day results.
Ashley
united States, Connecticut
I have been suffering from cold sores since I was 17 (now 26). I would usually get about 4 to 6 cold sores a year (always between the months of September and march) so during the last days of summer in 2014 I was desperately searching for a new cold sore remedy for the upcoming winter months (the cold weather, getting my period or eating chocolate or nuts is what makes me break out but mostly the cold weather because I have never had a outbreak in the warmer months) that’s when I discovered l-lysine zinc and biotin. I have been taking it since the last week of August and have only had one cold sore on my nose (which is weird because I have only gotten them on the corner of my mouth on the right side only! And I’ve have been getting them for 9 years now). I take 1000 mg of lysine a day my zinc pill once a week (if I take too much zinc it makes me faint that’s why I only take it once a week) and two biotin pills a day.so far I’ve been VERY happy with the results! And if I get that tingling sensation I take at least 3000 mg (max is 5000) of lysine, one zinc pill and two biotin pills and the sensation is gone within the hour. If I don’t get it in time (and if I have the $) I use abreva which helps relieve the pain and helps speed up healing (heals about a week sooner than without it and my cold sores can last up to 3 to 4 weeks depending on how bad the outbreak is)and 3000 to 5000 mg of the lysine a zinc pill every other day and one biotin pill. I have tried icing, salt, nail polish remover, garlic powder and fresh cloves, warm tea bags, rubbing alcohol every other over the counter treatment they have and nothing works better than my regimen! Only down fall is taking the pills every day, but hey its better than a nasty cold sore!!!!!
P.s I think the only reason I did get a cold sore was because I forgot to do my regimen for 4 days in a row (woke up with it on my nose right in the center!) With the help of my pills and abreva it was completely gone within a week and a half!
Not sure if lysine has any really negative side effects (ive only heard of upset stomach and abdominal cramps) also not sure what prescription drugs or over the counter drugs/ vitamins should not be taken with it. Please always consult a doctor before starting any new medicines!!!!
Hope my response helpful! Good luck, and hopefully they will find a cure someday! But till then I’m using my pills to get me through!!!
hukamuka
these are my proven steps to containing cold sores (herpes simplex virus).
– load up on 4-5000mg of l-lycine as soon as you feel a tingle, then 2000mg every 1-2 hours over next 12-15hours. go down to 1000mg per/hour day 2 onwards until it disapears
– cut out all foods high in l-arginine (peanuts, turkey, seeds, soy, eggs, shell fish, seaweed, spinach) google the full list
– stay out from direct sunlight
– cut out all chocolate, caffeine, alcohol & sugar
– cut back on rigorous exercise
– get loads of sleep & rest
– don’t touch or aggravate the coldsore
– its also wise to supplement 2-3000mg of vitamin c as well as zinc during the tingle phase
do not supplement daily with l-lysine, only take it when you get a tingle.
by supplementing l-lysine you can contain the herpes simplex virus, l-arginine promotes the HSV so you need to cut out all foods high in l-arginine
coldsores have never flared up other than a tiny bump then they disapear after 1-2 days since i started following these steps.
marian
philippines
I have many outbreaks on my genital area. It’s been 6 days now and I take acyclover yesterday because I only found out on Thursday that I had the virus… and I’m still waiting for the test results… I don’t know what kind of herpes this is. I’m very nervous about the result. Do you think L-lysine could help me? How much is it? I’m from Philippines. And how many mg should I take?
Thanks!
The People's Pharmacy
Many people find that l-lysine is useful as a preventive for cold sores. Not as many have reported success using it against genital herpes. https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2014/11/17/l-lysine-to-prevent-cold-sores/
Ashley
You need to find out if you have hsv1 or hsv 2. Hsv 2 is the worst of the two and is mostly associated with only the genitals being effected. Hsv1 causes cold sores and very very rarely spread to the genitals. Unfortunately l-lysine does not help hvs2, only prescription drugs have been proven effective. But if its type 1 then definitely give it a try!
this sucks but we will live
USA Connecticut
hey. not to be argumentative but my experience and research has taught me that HSV-1 transmission to the genitalia is responsible for the majority of the new cases reported. This stands to reason with the popularity (culture) of oral sex. Most people that I know almost always use condoms when sleeping around but almost never wear a condom if receiving oral.
I received the gift (lol) from a girlfriend who knew she had it but had no symptoms … and hence she failed to tell me or give me any warnings until we were a year or so into our relationship and had been having natural (unprotected) relations. God bless everyone going thru this. It has officially taken me out of the fun & confident bachelor lifestyle and cast me into a dark, lonely, miserable, (relatively) sexless, self-exile. Time will heal and everything but I am truly scarred emotionally. I don’t trust women at all anymore and I fear that I will be totally incapable of a normal relationship. Even worse, I feel tainted and unworthy of such (even though I know this to be false and manifested from inside). Hell, I am afraid that I will never even be close enough to trust someone with my “secret”.
lol I know I got off topic but thx for listening to my rant… peace, all
Nicole
Sydney
I know EXACTLY how you feel, its good to rant sometimes, and it helps other people who are feeling the same way to not feel alone. So thanks :)
In regards to Lysine helping with HSV 1 genital, it DOES help, and I only just stopped taking it daily due to stomach cramps. But if it may not affect you that way so give it a shot!
ashly
I feel everything you just said- I went through the same situation. Othese herpes have completely been taking over my life. Some people get mild cases, and then you have the unlucky ones, like me, that get them very bad. I’m so depressed whenever I have an outbreak.
Nikki
Hi guys :)
I am a woman with gential herpes recently diagnosed this July I had 2 outbreaks that month very painful . I took the medication the doctor prescribed accyolivar I don’t enjoy taking medication more of the natural remedy person . I started taking lysine 3 times a day 1000 mg everyday and haven’t had an outbreak until today but it’s very minor not painful at all . Just to those that think your sex life is over not true I have been with 2 people since , and honest with both . Right now I’m trying out the natural remedy of elderberry and Pau’darco probably spelled it wrong but I’ll let you guys know if it works .
Christine
Tennessee
Don’t give up on love. Both me and my husband have it and we knew when we got together. .We are very happy together and plan to be married for live. Try to find someone with the same problem, maybe on a dating site. There are a lot of people in our shoes….Good luck to you !
Carolina
TX
Actually, L-Lysine DOES work for genital herpes. I’ve been using it for the last 15 years on a regular basis. I went from having about 6 outbreaks a year to maybe 1 every year or every other year. 3000mg a day… don’t stop taking it. IT DOES WORK!!!
WCB
York UK
I have been getting shingles (herpes) on and off for several years. The longest time between outbreaks was At it’s worst I was getting out breaks every 6-8wks. I take acyclovir 200mg x 5 for 5days. It doesn’t stop the outbreak but reduces the severity.
I am excited to see if L lysine does work. I have purchased 1000mg tablets.
Thanks to everyone with advice and comments.
RRHOM
Michigan
I have had bouts of colds sores for over 40 years. Acyclovir helps however, I don’t like to take meds if unnecessary. I do however, use Echinacea, L-Lysine and Vit. C to treat an outbreak. I also hold an ice cube over the affected area when I first notice an outbreak. Doing this every hour for 15 minutes for the first 12 hours is a good idea.
This virus, I understand, doesn’t like the cold.
Sunlight, stress, lack of sleep, red wine and chocolate are my triggers. Yesterday, an outbreak started. One tiny little bump at 7 a.m. and by Noon, I have nearly 80% of my lips covered. I feel just sick. I hate these things.
I am trying Abreva for the first time. Hopefully, it helps. Talk about an albatross.
Susan
Texas
Shingles is caused by a Varicella (chicken pox) virus, not a Herpes virus. That said, I don’t know if lysine is used to control a Varicella virus.
Christi
SC
I do take L-lysine when I feel a cold sore coming on. I’ve never taken doses as high as some on here, but that doesn’t go to say I wouldn’t take the whole bottle in desperation if I knew it would work. So, I’ll be trying a higher dose next time (not actually the whole bottle) in addition to my current regimen. I also have a Rx for Valtrex that I take when I first notice a cold sore and for about a week during/after it because I tend to get them back to back. I also have a Rx for Denavir which is a topical antiviral cream. I VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!
In addition to that, I also use Abreva in between application of Denavir. I promise you, Abreva does not come close to comparing to how well Denavir works. I never see anything about Denavir online and when I requested my doc write a Rx he had never heard of it either. I swear this stuff works incredibly well. I do sometimes still develop a cold sore, but it is very mild compared to what I would suffer through without it. It is day 3 of my cold sore and you can’t even tell I had one. And that was with Denavir and Valtrex that was 3yrs expired (loses its potency with age). I called today to have a new Rx called in so I’ll be prepared. I keep them in my purse 24/7 so I’ll have them on hand.
As usual, the faster you catch it, the better it works. L-lysine lip balm is also effective and wearing Abreva conceal at night helps prevent it from spreading if you’re touching it when you sleep. Don’t forget to use qtips to apply anything to your cold sore. Never your finger or applicators from lip gloss/whatever. And change your toothbrush at least 3 times during your cold sore. Also, immune system boosts help too. Take a vitamin or immune booster type vitamin to help your body fight. Good luck! And remember…..it’s just a cold sore….. so don’t get depressed about it (like I used to).
Caz
Bristol, England
I have had trouble all my adult life with cold sores. Different areas of my lips prone to flare up every few months and take weeks to heal. I have been taking one L-Lysine 1000mg capsule each day for 9 months now. The results have been amazing. In that 9 months i’ve had only one tiny cold sore that took approx 4 days to heal. As soon as i felt the tingling of that cold sore i took 1 extra tablet for 3 days then back to 1. I would recommend L-Lysine to anyone to try. Thankyou.
Mary
Boston
I have been getting the tingling sensation of the cold sores and can see it coming then it goes away. It has been this way for a month +
I have taken Valtrex but the cold sores are still there, there is no full outbreak but (again) I see that is coming and it feels itchy.
Is L-lysine safe while breastfeeding? I have a 7week old baby.
I use abreva often and maybe it prevents the full outbreak…
Any advise?
keith
D/FW
I’m not entirely convinced of the effectiveness of taking this supplement. Perhaps it works with some body chemistries, but not mine. I had an awful outbreak in late August on my chin just below my lower lip; one shaving just before the outbreak seemed to “smear” the cold sore area from just below my lip to near my chin! (I first thought it was razor burps.) This outbreak was due at least in part to some recent stress in my life, I estimated. I still have a pinkish scar from that outbreak.
About a week ago, I began feeling the tale-tell signs of another outbreak at the corner of my mouth, and decided to take some extra aggressive steps to avoid an outbreak like the August one. I read up on Lysine-rich (and Arginine-poor) foods to eat and followed the regimen. The soreness increased and I went to the health food store for a bottle of 500 mg l-Lysine capsules. Perhaps it was too late, and my initial dose of one capsule may have been too weak, but the sore formed anyway – big as ever.
I could dismiss that failure, but after I tripled the dose of supplement, while continuing my Lysine diet, I developed ANOTHER cold sore on the other side!
What could I be doing wrong, unless this is just snake oil?
sm1ofakind
You may not have had success because the supplement must be taken at the first sign of an outbreak. Also, you stated that you only took one 500 mg capsule. You have to mega-dose the first day. (5000 mg at first sign and then 1000 mg every few hours the first day – 2nd and 3rd days, you take 500 mg every few hours) I promise you will see results if you follow this regimen.
I do not supplement with Lysine daily. I only take it when I feel an outbreak coming on. I’m not sure if perpetual, daily use would be safe or not.
OH-NC-TX
Austin, TX
I have also understood that l-lysine caps need to be taken AWAY FROM FOOD to be effective. I’ve also read in many it’s an arginine/lysine imbalance which can then exacerbated by stress, even the physical stress of a heavy workout. I didn’t realize this until I did some research because I felt a bout of Shingles coming on. I haven’t had them for 30 years, but you never forget that type of pain and discomfort. Fortunately, I caught it early.
Currently, I am on Day 2 of taking large doses of lysine 3-4 grams because I felt the onset of a bout these shingles! It seems to be working, I woke up today with almost no symptoms! Once I feel I’m ok with the shingles, I’ll taper off the lysine. I’m happy to risk some stomach upset to avoid weeks of misery from that nasty disease!
J
uk
I wanted to add my thoughts to this discussion as I had really good results using l-lysine. I have had coldsores for many years. I have used the usual creams to reduce healing time and whilst I am sure they have I haven’t ever been able to stop a coldsore from developing.
On Thursday I got a little bump on my lip. I never get the tingling or anything so it was difficult to know either way. I put the usual cream on but by Friday morning it was obviously a coldsore. I had got the swelling and all that comes with it. I continued using the cream and took 1000mg l-lysine.
To be honest didn’t expect to any results. I got a few digestive side effects but nothing too bad. The swelling reduced and the blisters didn’t seem to form. I just had a mark above my top lip that looked like a very mild coldsore. I still experienced the itching etc but not a lot else.
Woke Saturday morning to find the coldsore didn’t look like a coldsore anymore. On close inspection I had I could see a pink area with a fraction of it covered in what looked white a little like dry skin. From a further distance it looked like a blemish or something. Nothing further developed. Sunday morning – I again have a pink patch with little white parts. I looks a little like mild patch of eczema or a little chapped.
I only took the one dose of lysine as I had to go out on Saturday and didn’t want the digestive upset. L-lysine has worked so well for me. My coldsores are normally so bad and follow the usual pattern; at this stage it would be angry, red and oozing. I have none of that. I won’t take the lysine on a permanent basis as I worry about the side effects of doing so but will use at the first sign of a coldsore. I am very impressed with the results. I also wanted to say from what I have read there are some people who shouldn’t take lysine so I would advise reading and getting good advice.
wpsmithjr1041
I get cold sores from time to time. One right below my lower lip. From all the reading I have done, you probably shouldn’t supplement with lysine everyday, unless you don’t get enough in your diet. Avoid nuts, peanut butter, tomatoes, and acidic foods.
Some people say they haven’t been getting results but they’re only taking 500 milligrams or 1000 milligrams. When I feel a sore coming on, that little tingly feeling and the little bump starting to form, I immediately take 4000 to 5000 milligrams of lysine.
I accidentally took twice that much one time when I thought I was consuming 500 milligram tablets and they were 1000 milligram tablets. I puked my guts up and had diarrhea the rest of the day. I don’t recommend that. But 4-5 thousand milligrams never has bothered me, but it has prevented every single cold sore from forming when I catch it quickly.
I keep the lysine in my car and in my bathroom at home. I always have it with me, and if I feel that tingling feeling, I immediately pop 4 1000 milligram tablets. After a few hours I take about 2000 milligrams. Then later 1000. And then I make sure I take at least 1000 milligrams for the next 2 or 3 days. The sores never form if I do this.
sm1ofakind
MI - USA
That is the exact same regimen I follow. I have been doing this since I was in high school when a friend of mine recommended this treatment. She swore by it. I tried it and I swear by it too.
Naomi
I felt a cold sore coming on. I always only get it on my chin. It’s like this circle are in the middle of my chin. I just took 2000 mlgs on valtrex and 5000 mlgs of lysine and 2000 mlgs. I also put abreva on it rubbed in well 3 times in the past 30 mins. Its 3am so I’m going to bed, prob won’t wake up to take more lysine or reapply the abreva? I hope I don’t get sick from so much lysine/valtrex. I’ve never taken this much and also have never succeeded on having the outbreak go away right away. It usually lasts a week. Praying I won’t get it tomorrow!!! The bumps now are so small hope they don’t develop. Any help is very appreciated! Thanks sooooo much!
CC
I stumbled across Lysine for cold sores a couple of years ago. I started using whey protein shakes that had it in it and I would hardly ever get a cold sore and if it I did, it was def less intense and only would last 2-3 days. No eruptions and it wouldn’t get all nasty looking. Surprise, surprise, I stopped taking drinking the shakes and I’m back to having them every single time I get too tired, sick, or stressed.
The lip balm works great too and I just picked up another bottle of pills today!
LS
Hello—–I am considering taking L-lysine daily, and I keep seeing it is recommended for up to one year. What do I do after a year? Never take it again…..or take a short break and then go back to it? Would greatly appreciate info on that!
Ema96
@DMC
I also just bought my bottle of Lsine today. I have have read so many, many comments (in different forums that taking 1000mg every day to prevent an outbreak is much more effective than taking 500mg.) on how people take 1000mg every day, 500mg in the morning and 500mg in the evening. So I plan on doing that.
It doesn’t work when you having an outbreak but it works pretty well when you are taking it everyday to prevent outbreaks. I would start taking my tomorrow.
DMC
I recently purchased my first bottle of lysine pills and am deciding how to take them.
Some people here are saying they take lysine the moment they feel a cold sore coming on. My cold sores erupt way too quickly for this to be practical. From the initial tingle/soreness I only have about 2-3 minutes until the first blister appears. 10-15 minutes later and it’s a full blown cluster of blisters.
So the second I feel the tingle/soreness I immediately have to drop everything I’m doing to have any chance of “catching” it (I apply acetone to the affected area). Taking lysine pills at this point feels like it would be far too late. Even if I took some the second I felt the tingle/soreness, I can’t see how it would work in time.
What I’ve decided is to take 500mg per day as a preventative measure. Any thoughts on this?
cft
I am 46 yrs old / been getting these damn things for forever (my parents also suffered from them when I was little (70s). We used to drink after my parents) my brother & sister never got them. A friend told me about l/lysine (500mg) about 10 yrs ago & it does work pretty good. Maybe it doesn’t completely take it away but it does reduce it.
About 3 yrs ago a dr. prescribed 500 mg valtrex & that works a lot better. Stress & sun is what does it to me (occasionally heat. Sometimes I have to weld or burn for work) or if I get sick & have a fever, that will kick me off too.
W/ the valtrex if I’m able to start it as soon as I realize it will keep it at bay (nose). My problem today is I didn’t realize what it was until it was too late (thought it was a pimple). I’ve been married 16 yrs now ( wife does not get them / were both careful) & I got a big cluster right before my wedding (pool & stress) so I have to look at every pic of my wedding remembering not to mention it put a damper on the honeymoon.
So bottom line is I feel for anyone who is fellow sufferer. My wife mentioned to me last night that she heard that eating a yogurt or taking a acidophilus wafers could keep them away, this will be the next thing I try, goodluck // cft
JL
Why it works: I’ve read that herpes can only be triggered into an outbreak if arginine builds up in nerve endings. Lysine can also build-up in nerve endings, displacing arginine from accumulating there. So if you ingest more lysine than arginine then outbreaks are prevented. Keeping diet in a lysine+ balance or using lysine supplements does the trick. For people taking lysine daily and still having occasional outbreaks,avoid the foods at bottom of list linked below.
Recently also had success stopping an outbreak in progress. Had tingling and then could see and feel a bump on lip 1/4 inch in diameter. It hadn’t blistered yet. Took 3,000 mg of lysine and the bump disappeared in 2 hours. Did have a negative side affect though – moderate abdominal cramps later. Afterwards read that high doses of lysine can interfere with certain antibiotics (streptomycin & a few others) so beware of this and other possible medicine interactions.
Here’s a list of foods with lysine/arginine ratios: http://www.herpes.com/Nutrition.shtml
Helpful Tip
I just healed what I believe would have been a large coldsore in ONE day. I started getting it on Thursday night – and by Saturday there was NO SIGN of it.
Here is what I did.
As soon as I felt the tingle and saw the blister starting to form I took a sandwich size ziplock bag and filled it with ice. I twisted the bag so that the ice was pressed into the bottom and used a towel to hold the bag. I placed the bag on my lip for 20 minutes. At first it was very cold, but then my lip numbed up and I could not even tell it was cold. I repeated this about 2 hours later. I woke in the middle of the night and did it again – 20 minutes, and went back to bed.
Very first thing when I woke up, I did it again. Then about 2 hours later did it again and went to work. When I got home, I did it again, but only for about 15 minutes.
Sure enough, I froze it out – and it never even scabbed and today (Sunday) you can not even tell I ever had a cold sore.
I read on this forum about someone using ICE – and I tried it. After 20 years of suffering – it is the only treatment that healed me that quickly.
(I also took 2,500 mg of Lysine in the AM and PM the first day, and 2,000 mg in the AM and PM the next day.)
Try the ice – it gives you a bit of headache – so you may want to do 10 minutes, wait 10 minutes and finish with the remaining 10 minutes. Do it 4 times a day for two days and let us know how it works!
K.M.
My particular nightmare is an outbreak at the base of my nostril. I’ve only recently discovered the promise of L lysine, so have not used it aggressively yet. I’ve had about 7 outbreaks over the last few years, and always there at the opening of my nose (?). It’s absolutely traumatic as it’s going through its cycle, because the scabbing over part looks so much like a big bugger! I’m sure people see it and wonder if I know it’s there or not, should they tell me or not (like the emperor with no clothes!), how disgusting and mortifying for both parties! So, I too, just TRY to hide out, which is not always possible. Or wearing a surgical mask and feeling another kind of conspicuous. !! Now, I’m gonna try this most-hopeful new treatment of L Lysine, and also some of the other ideas on this site. I’m also gonna keep a written record of future results and plan to post them here eventually….
My sympathy and best wishes to all of you, my fellow sufferers. You’re not alone.
R.J.
CANADA
Get a nasal swab for staph.. You might be carrying the bacteria in your nose.
Jared
AZ
I have had good results using electrical therapy. I bought an RSG-2 blood electrifier/colloidal silver generator combo unit a while back and discovered that applying a direct shock to the tingly or outbreak area, hurts like hell, but hurts the virus more. It says the virus and delivers pure silver ions into the affected area. Be careful not to burn yourself though. It doesn’t take much to shut it down. This in combination with Gigartina Skotsbergii red algae and high doses of Lysine will stop any HSV outbreak that I have seen.
Barrington
I have taken 4 1000mg to 5 daily once one appears it stops it in its track and doesn’t get worst it starts the healing. The min you feel it tingling take 4x1000mg and it won’t break the skin those small doses aren’t enough to percent out from breaking skin. I am a semi expert now have taken everything.
Ashley
If you’re trying to prevent getting cold sores, you need to understand that lysine prevents cold sores and ARGININE exacerbates getting them. Food items high in arginine are chocolate, nuts and oranges. So if you’re breakfast is OJ and cocao, you’re actually hindering yourself and making it worse. Look up lysine and arginine foods. It’s best to stay away or eat less of it to prevent cold sores.
SunShine
Hello ppl!
I’ve read all your messages here and inspired by you, bought L-Lysine; today was my first tablet, hope this will help me. I won’t tell you all my story, but I suffer with labial herpes for all my life. Last time it went little bit better as I am living in strong rules. So I would like to share my positive experience how to reduce outbreaks and what helps to me.
1. Don’t stay in coldness for a long time. It depresses your immunity. I never have outbreaks in hot summertime, so warm and hot weather is very good for me.
2. Each day take complex vitamins pill (perhaps you can take a rest in summertime), I’ve found Duovit for men good. It has high doses of B and C vitamins and Zinc.
3. Regularly do sport, be active, walk outside and breath fresh air, sleep enough, don’t stress. Now I have sport twice per week and think it helps me a lot and also does much benefits. But don’t overload yourself.
4. Think about your food. Dramatically reduce chocolate, nuts eating as they have high arginine doses, reduce sugar. Also citrus fruits are not so good as they acidify your organism, it makes better conditions for viruses in general. Eat lysine rich food as natural yogurts, chicken, turkey, potatoes, milk. You can google arginine poor and lysine rich products. Also think about alkaline – acid balance in your organism which depends on your food – google this!
5. Always have Aciclovir 200/400mg tablets in your pocket. I use high dosages for the first day like 400mg at the beginning, then take 200mg after each 2 hours for 1-2 days. Then I take 200mg 5 times per day for 3-5 days. Also use Zovirax creme if possible (not in work for sure as it doesn’t look good.. so I use Zovirax only at home).
6. In addition I can recommend Larifan lips balsam – it has antiviral effect. You can try it as preventive method.
——————–
New things I’ve found in this discussion:
– Abreva (never heard about it, seems we even don’t have it in our pharmacy shops. Should try this, perhaps it will be better than Zovirax?!
– Ehinacea.. interesting, will think about it.
– Ice on outbreak. Perhaps I will try it, but I am not sure about it, because coldness ruins my immunity, so this seems to be danger for local immunity…
And sure L-lysine. I will try to use it in 500mg dosages each day and see how it goes, if won’t help to make me free, then I will try 500mg twice per day. So after year will come here to tell about my L-lysine experience. =)
Thanks to all and have good health! Together we will kill this monster, which is torturing us, but at the same time making us much stronger – you know what I am talking about! ;) And perhaps one day vaccine will come..
–
Cla
Have just began Lysine (1000mg) per day. I have found in the past that ice does help, but to make it even better, buy some Aloe Gel and freeze that. Aloe is very healing by itself, so freezing and applying to cold sore is a double whammy. I also make my own lip balm using mixture of anti-bacterial and anti-fungal essential oils combines with avocado oil and beeswax and aloe. It has helped any cold sores clear up much faster..
JE
I can’t even begin to say how relieved I am to have found this thread… just getting over my most recent outbreak that started over a month ago these sores would decimate my bottom lip from one side to the other. The stuff I used to treat them with was getting really expensive. I am a server and there’s no worse feeling than greeting a table with a festering lip sore going on! You can bet your bottom dollar I am on my way to the drugstore tonight! I wish I had known about this all along, I hate being holed up in the house dreading seeing people and lets not mention the dates I’ve backed out on due to this! Thank you lysine!
TI
I’m so glad I found this site. For reals I thought I was the only one cursed with it. My first breakout was when I was a high school senior, it was the worst experience in my life. Now I’m a senior in college, and I haven’t had a breakout for over 4 years, but just overnight blisters appeared at the corner of my lip and under my lower lip. I should of expected herpes when there was a tingling sensation on my lip… boy do I regret dismissing it as nothing serious of concern. I’m crying out in anger, “Why me lord?! Why!”… It has been hell for me this past 24 hours and It just so happens that my microbio lab is covering viruses (yep we iz gona talk about the herpes) this coming week, man do I have the worst luck in the universe.
There’s no way I’m going to class now, I can deal with a zero on the quiz. Forget about work too… I can’t risk my chances especially when my lab partner is a babe, I can’t let her see this… (why… oh why now!!) Well I’m doing all I can to get these cold sores under control, I’ve been applying abreva and hydrogen peroxide every 2 hours, but the sores still look horrendous. I will try these lysine pills that everyone is talking about and I hope it does wonders… so as my mom goes to the store to get my miracle pills, I think I will try out this new method of curing herpes… something about exorcising the evil spirit residing in herpes.. Or maybe I’ll sacrifice my pet goldfish as an offering to appease the spirits.. haha I’ll do whatever to rid of them, cold sores are so unbearable… how do you guys get through the day? Should I just man up and bare my herpes to the class? Heck if I do I’m covering it up with a band aid.
AARTI V.
This is now 5 yrs I’m suffering from cold sores… I used have severe outbreaks b4 but as soon as I used to get start itchiness I use to apply aciclovir ointment 4 times a day aft that I never get blister or breakout prob but whenever I get an attack … I feel very tired, sleepy like 14 hrs sleep also like not enough for me and the most bad thing I’m getting is body ache..I have no complaint at all wd blister.. so so many comments but no other symptom u ppl get during breakout?? I’m just fed up… does this lysine help wd this all other symptoms??? CAN NY1 TEL ME PLEASE??
Lilly
Cold sore have always been a problem to me. It seems like every single time I have an important event I get a cold sore. I feel so self conscious when I have them. As soon as I feel the tingly tangly feeling on my lip I know my week is ruined. I will hopefully start taking l-lysine tomorrow. I’m very glad I am not the only one who has this problem, as it may seem occasionally.
Deh
I just started taking lysine vitamins last month because of a recommendation from my mom and they seemed to help! I don’t take them daily, however. I unfortunately got another cold sore this month but it went away very fast thanks to the Lysine. has anyone noticed a change in their menstrual cycle after taking these vitamins? My period is delayed and in was wondering if it was because of these vitamins. I am not sexually active though. just curious!
Nat
I used to get cold sores at least once every 2 months. And when I would have an outbreak, there would not be just one, but a whole CLUSTER of them in the same spot. So embarrassing and painful.
I heard of L-Lysine and have been taking them.
I don’t take it every day. As and when needed.
If I look closely in the mirror and see a slight colour change or texture change on my lips I would take a 500mg tablet before bed or whenever I noticed it.
When you feel like one is coming on I would up the dose to 1000 mg. DOES THE TRICK!
I am not joking.
2 days ago I woke up with the tell tale bubble on the lip, put ice in a sandwich bag and held the ice on my lip for 3 minutes (kills, feels like frostbite but helps to reduce the newly forming coldsore under the skin) then douse it with aciclovir cream.
(thin layer if you are going to work otherwise its embarrassing).
Then as SOON as you see it take 1000mg l-lysine and it should reduce throughout the day. After work slathered on cream and went to bed and the next morning. GONE!
been doing this for ages and I haven’t had an outbreak in over a year now :)
RF
Benadryl tablets work great at first tingle to totally suppress cold sore. If you don’t have cream, ice it and take the Benadryl. A and D ointment can also help if you have nothing else. Then do the 3,000mg of L Lysine. When I do the Lysine and keep my diet clean and stress low, I don’t have outbreaks at all. I am detoxing now and having outbreaks lime crazy, but with this routine, no one sees them. The Benadryl is the first key. Probably should not take it during a detox, but I’m too busy for the trouble of cold sores. Take it according to package instructions until tingling subsides.
Carol
I was drinking a high quality well know protein shake and got 2 raging fever blisters in 2 months. This was highly unusually for me. After some searching I discovered my healthy protein shake had much more L Arganine than L Lysine! I called the company. The sent a refund and they actually admitting knowing this ratio could cause outbreak with people with herpes virus! WTH?!?!? Be careful
AW
There are a few factors that may be at play:
1. The tube of L-Lysine laying around may be old
2. The lip balm form is not as powerful as the oral form
3. If it had already blossomed into a full blown sore, L-Lysine will only shorten the time.
I’d get some pills at the store and take 2,000 mg. for 3 days, then reduce to 1,000 mg. for the rest of the week.
That’s what works for me – of course, we’re all different.
db
I woke up today with a cold sore right in the middle of my upper lip. I haven’t had one for a year maybe but I still had a tube of Lysine and applied it to the cold sore and left it on for two hours…. now the sore is huge and I don’t really remember it reacting this way. Does this mean the medicine is working or did I irritate it even more?
tjm in cali
I swear by l-lysine. I also find that using ice on the tingly spot right when you notice it and all day helps to prevent it from popping out. ;-)
o2c
Try L-Lysine powder. Carlson is one brand. Inexpensive jars of 100 grams — a couple month supply for less than 10 bucks. Dissolves in juice or coffee easily. Amazon sells it as does any vitamin shop online. Just look for lysine powder or lysine crystals.
AW
I’ve been taking L-Lysine for 3 years now after a chiropractor recommended it. Having occasional cold sores throughout my life, they ramped up to “double” blister outbreaks (actually scarring my lip) a few years ago.
I take two 500 mg pills once per day as preventative (seems to work). I ran out when working out of town this past week. Sure enough after 3 days of no L-Lysine I felt the tingle of the cold sore starting up (hat tip to the person that cited sour stomach, yes – but never associated the two).
I had to wait another day before locating a drug store to pick up 1000 mg. bottle. I’ve taken two 1000 mg daily – this is my 4th day. It literally stopped the cold sore in its tracks and now there is just a tiny scab – doesn’t even show.
I say – figure out the dosage that works for you. Clearly two 500mg per day work for me as preventative and I’m ALL about being proactive instead of reactive. Cold sores and the associated symptoms (fatigue, etc) of a full outbreak are a physical and psychological affliction that no longer has to be endured – thanks to L-Lysine. (my experience)
jw
Couple of quick tips for herpes not everybody is aware of:
Orange juice, chocolate, caffeine, lack of sleep and cigarettes are major triggers.
60degree alcohol on the sore immediately works a treat for initial tingling. L-Lysine every couple of days or so works well.
So tingle – alcohol – wait 15 mins or so then the usual zovirak cream.
If you smoke stop during the healing if you can, cigarettes stop skin healing!!
Don’t touch or pick at the scab, sounds obvious but it’s not easy. Try thinking “if i touch it, it will definitely spread and last up to a week longer.”
If you do wash your hands immediately.
Aspirin to reduce swelling and pain during healing is good as well.
Don’t touch other people. It just isn’t cool to give herpes to someone.
If you are going through stress, or have an event coming up like a speech, wedding etc Herpes seems to know this and wants to get in on the action. No coffee or orange juice at these times…
Always have some Zovirak with you!!
JM
L-Lysine really works.
I read these posts about 7 months ago and finally decided to buy some L-Lysine. I have had cold sores my entire life and have tried every treatment to no avail. This is the only thing that has stopped them completely.
Perhaps like many of you, I am well aware of precursors to my body starting up a cold sore: The diarrhea, the sour stomach leading to that pulling feeling somewhere on my lip.
As soon as I feel these things, I take 2000 mg of L-Lysine and 1000 mg three times a day afterwards for two or three days. No outbreaks.
If I miss this initial period and start to feel a cold sore growing, I take 2000 mg three times a day for two or three days and then drop it down to 1000 mg 3x a day for a couple more days until it is gone. If you pay attention to your body, you will figure out how much L-Lysine you need to knock out the cold sore completely.
I feel free again. I get to go back out in the sun, I can drink coffee once in a while, eat tomatoes again. It has been amazing. Thanks to everyone who posted here. I read your advice, tried and wanted to report my personal results. I have never gone so long without a cold sore. Here is to hoping for another seven months.
Good luck everyone!
bld
In the past six weeks, I’ve had three cold sores in a row…that has never, ever happened. I had two coldsores within a month span twice in my 36 years — and one was because of the cold sore medicine I took (some pill) that caused the second one! But in the past six weeks, three outbreaks! I keep waking up with a slightly sore throat and the sweats and bam! a cold sore.
So I have tried everything this third time — and just started taking L-Lysine. Abreva does not work for me…at all — my personal experience: it makes my cold sores stick around longer (really). I’m better with just using campho phenique … that’s been the only stuff that has helped speed up healing somewhat. Dries it out.
It’s interesting how everyone is different — a few people mentioned tomatoes. I am a vegan and I have a mild allergy to tomatoes (my favorite food…they make me break out in pimples…but I’ll usually still eat them anyway until I’m over a zit and I won’t eat them and then my face is shiny and zit-free). And I usually drink grapefruit juice everyday (I love the stuff). But the past few months, I’ve been eating a ton of plant protein powders and protein bars and not eating enough fresh fruits/veggies, especially tomatoes (avoided them completely) nor drinking grapefruit juice…and look where it has gotten me. My cold sores are usually once a year at the most these days (I even went two plus years without one) and they are usually smaller than the past. But this past six-weeks (with hardly any GF juice or tomatoes)…I have three outbreaks…one small, one large, two medium.
I am hoping L-Lysine will help out with this — bought pills and some tincture of sorts. Started taking them yesterday.
I remember writing a note in class to one of my friends when we were in eighth grade. It was in regards to what we should do for that Friday night. I remember one of my suggestions was “find an exotic cure for my cold sores”. I’m still hoping for one. These things blow!
BL
I have been on l-lysine for about a year now and feel sure the lysine has made the most difference. A year ago it was not uncomon to get 2 or 3 break-outs per month. Now after changing a few things in my diet and the regular use of L-Lysine it has been more than 6 months between break-outs. For what its worth the things I changed are as follows:
~ No oranges,grape friut or tomatos (high acid)
~ Increase l-lysine to Argenine ratio in foods (Google it)
~ No wheat diet (bake my own Bob’s Red mill gluten free bread)
~ No sweets (lose the sugar)
~ No High Foutose corn starch
~ No processed meets (ham, turkey, sandwich meets contain sodiam nitrate)
Missy
I’ve been reading these posts for two days. I had a cold sore on my top lip at the time. Blistered up and everything. I was desperate for a remedy because this is the first one I’ve had that looked gross. I have been on acyclovir suppressant therapy for three months. To no avail I have had a bump on my lip every month for the three months with my menstral cycle. I was desperate.
I bought the l- lysine vitamin and the l- lysine ointment. I took 5 pills (1000 mg) that night and put the ointment on my lip and slept with a bandaid on it. Amazing. I did have diarrhea afterwords. But I don’t care. It did not go away instantly but it was so much smaller the next morning. I was so mush happier. I have a job that deals with people all day, so I was really pleased. It went from looking like a herpe to a pimple overnight. I repeated the procedure the next night. It’s even smaller. I covered it with makeup and that made it barely noticeable. I will continue this until its gone and when it’s gone, I will take 1 l-lysine daily until they find a cure.
pb
jm,
Every time I get a cold sore—4-7 times a year for the past 15 years—I scour the Internet for a new treatment. I came across your post.
I feel icky when I get cold sores because I get them when I’m sick, stressed, exhausted, or dehydrated. Usually just dehydrated, but often a combination of all 4. I am terribly self-conscious about them to the point I will limit my social life and public appearances, which, when you think about it, is pretty ridiculous.
Am I really so vain that I will allow 2 weeks with a scab on my lip to make me feel ugly? I look at people who have permanent disfigurements and feel really shallow for even caring about this cold sore.
I have a friend who gets them terribly. She has beautiful, clear, luminescent skin, so when she gets one it looks like a freaking plague on her face. This summer after vacation she got a huge one on her nose–her entire nose. She showed up for brunch with no makeup, owning every inch of it. Although we couldn’t stop staring at it (even tho we all agreed it wasn’t that bad–liars) I vowed I would plow through life with my next cold sore and act like it wasn’t even there.
Then I got one yesterday and I wanted to hole up in the house.
By the way, the triple threat treatment is 1) ice; 2) Bactine; 3) Abreva. In that order. It will cut the duration of this cold sore the size of Texas on my lip down to a week, and it will be mostly hideable (as in not visible from across the room LOL), for most of that time.
In the grand scheme of possible health problems, I should feel lucky I am otherwise doing pretty well. Good luck!
Lelia B
I, too, have been a life long sufferer of cold sores. Picture days, special occasions, prom…etc. I get them several times a year, triggered by stress, over-exposure to the sun, too much citrus in my diet and my favorite food in the world – TOMATOES!!!
When I say that I get them several times per year, I mean I feel them coming on and since using this remedy for the last fifteen to twenty years, I have literally had an average of one major outbreak OR LESS per year!
The only practically fool proof remedy I have found is baking soda.
At the very first tiny tingle, mix a teaspoon of baking soda into a glass of water. I find the colder the better and I stir until it’s clear, lol. Drink this AS SOON AS POSSIBLE upon feeling the tingle and again 4 to 6 hours later. This has rarely ever NOT worked for me and on those rare occasions I had major outbreaks which I don’t believe anything could have pre-empted!
I still have to manage my stress, use sunscreen and watch my diet but I can enjoy the things I love in moderation. I hope it works as well for you as it has for me!
GB
I read a bulletin board like this circa 11 months ago as cold sores on the underneath of my bottom lip were the bain of my life. Never the top lip just the bottom lip and I don’t know what type of coldsore they were, but they were coming thick and fast to the point of one every 6 weeks or so.
So I started taking L-Lysine tablets, 2 x 500mg tablets, every day religiously since then. The difference they have made is astonishing. I’ve only had one small attack since, occuring after about 4 months which may have been attributed to something else like very cold weather or something as it seemed to be a bunch of tiny coldsores together (something I’ve never had before) although they healed up in less than a week.
L-Lysine is worth trying if you are fed up with damn coldsores. I didn’t believe some of the comments here I first read back then and fully expected buying a bottle of l-lysine tablets would be a waste of money. How wrong I was. The best kept secret ever I think. So much nicer not to have to face the world with scabs over your bottom lip. Try it, what have you got to lose.
BB
L-Lysine has worked wonderfully for me.
Formerly, I would get cold sores and fever blisters ~6 times per year. Each episode would last 7 full days.
Daily L-Lysine (1000mg) has reduced incidents to only 1 in the past year. And when I felt the lip tingle, I tripled up on the dosage and the episode resolved itself without a flare-up in 2 days.
I will never stop taking L-Lysine.
NN
I remember my first trip to the Dr office when I was around ten with a sore on my nose; my Dr. was a complete ass because when he said, you have herpes – that tends to scare a kid – never mind the explanation he gave after the fact that cold sores are herpes, I now had a complex.
I used to get them a lot more when I was a kid, probably 5 times a year, I would often skip school when I got to high school when I had an outbreak – kids are cruel.
I have used every over the counter and prescription solution that was around, then one day a few years back I got on the internet and did a little search for anything I may not have tried.
Lysine
Why not, what do I have to lose.
I get cold sores on my nose, right at the tail end of a sickness, less often when I am super stressed or have lack of sleep. I feel is whenever my immune system is vulnerable, that damn herpes virus sets in for its attack.
Normally, I get a little sensation on my nose, and I know in 12-14 hours I am going to find a little cluster of bumps on my nostril. Using topical solutions seems to make the duration of an outbreak shorter, but with no real relief. After the first day you are already hating life with a sensation to itch and often a yellow crust forming that you just want to peel off because a red sore looks better than a yellow scab of sorts.
Anyway, Lysine is different, I had the tingeing sensation yesterday early morning. I started taking lysine 1000mg three times a day with food. There are no bumps that have formed, just a red area. There is no pain, there is no itching – yes I can still “feel” its there, but its so very minimal that its not really a bother. Also, you can’t tell its a cold sore, I’m still at the tail end of my cold and really it just looks like a raw nose from using tissue for a long period of time.
Lysine is the way to go – I only take it when I am getting a cold sore but will probably start using it when I am actively sick.
Tim
Cold sores. Nasty, disgusting, depressing. But there is more than hope, there is a solution. Curiously enough, for a cold sore, the answer is heat. 51 degrees C to be precise, which is about 120 degrees F. It hurts, but applied to the affected area for 4 seconds immediately you notice swelling or tingling, it kills it dead. There is a small machine, battery-powered, available, but a cheaper solution is to dip a teaspoon into hot water and keep applying it as long as you can. Repeat, and repeat again, but probably a couple of applications per day is sufficient. There is also another device which emits infra-red radiation at a specific wavelength, this triggers the local healing response and generally promotes recovery. And finally of course, l-lysine. This blocks the virus’s replication cycle, as everyone here seems to be well aware.
Thomas
I’m 34 ,been getting cold sores pretty much as long as i can remember. I’ve tried everything in the book,and I mean everything.. Abreva, Zovirax . Both cream and pills, tea tree oil, lemon balm, carmex, herpecin L Ice,lysine +, campho phenique, zilactin, Releeve, nexcare… and I know I’ve tried many more,just can’t remember them.
What seems to help me the best is I take 1000 mg of Lysine a day, and I never ever forget! Also I take St. Johns wort! It’s a good mood pill, so if you have stress in your life, this helps! I also quit eating peanuts! Which sucks, I won’t touch a Almond! They are the worst! Anything high in Arginine you wanna just try to cut out of your diet, if not you gotta eat more lysine to equal out the Arginine, if that makes any sense… the Sun! You have to use either zinc oxide or a good sunblock for your Lips! If you go to the tanning bed..zinc oxide for sure …a hot shower. Might sound weird, but can’t have that super hot water touching your lips, if your chick likes to bite! Lol. Tell her to quit biting your lips!
If you have a habit of biting your fingernails, you better wash your hands often. You don’t who has touched some of things we touch..as simple as the gas station door, wash your hands when you get home. Then bite the heck out of your fingernails .. ok I’ll quit, I could probably say a few more, but this is getting long..
1000mg of Lysine
1 St. John’s wort pill 3 times. Day, or whenever you feel stressed..
And keep your lips moisturized ..(Chapstick ) I don’t leave home without it….
And when I have them, 1 Zovirax 400mg pill every other day… that’s the key, well and your diet! I 100% guarantee this will cut your cold sore down!! I’ll put the house on it.
Kc
Wow, reading everyone’s comments have been very therapeutic. I have had cold sores since I was a baby. They have always come at the wrong time since I was a kid, high school graduation, school trips etc. Now, as an adult, it’s the same routine from important once in a life time meetings to holidays etc. Ever since I can remember, I’ve feared the day I get married because I’m sure it won’t just be the two of us at the alter. I usually get about 4-5 a year and they are hardly ever manageable.
My mom used to have a prescription for Valtrex and when I would feel one coming or know I had something important coming up, I would take some. But, now that her doctor doesn’t prescribe it for her anymore (she said they are being more strict with it?), I feel like when the tingle starts that I’m on train tracks and getting hit by the on coming freight train is inevitable. I stopped bothering researching remedies because I know how unstoppable these things are. So when I feel it coming, I just load on the abreva and brace.
But recently my boyfriend mentioned since he became a recent cold sore victim (thanks to me) he said to try l-lysine. He bought a bottle and left it in the medicine cabinet. I didn’t bother to take any because of my cynical self. But, now, here I am with the tingles and beginning swelling that woke me up in the middle of the night.
Immediately I jumped up and ran for the lysene and abreva. I just took 1500 mg and will probably take that dose again in the morning. And, of course applied copious amounts of abreva. I don’t know if it is just in my head or not and I don’t want to jinx myself, but I really feel like the tingling/mild throbbing isn’t as bad as it usually would be at this stage. Hoping for this to really help and keeping my fingers crossed.
I really hope it works because since getting a traumatizing outbreak on vacation as a teen who had too much sun, I have religiously carried, supplied and applied an SPF lip balm. It’s so bad that I won’t even open the curtain in the morning or go near a window until I have put it on. And it seems like one slip up and I inevitably get one.
I really hope this lysene stuff helps ease my mind a bit. Thank you to everyone posting such optimistic comments. Its easing my mind a little. Also, someone mentioned they used to use campophinque (sp?) and it just brought me straight back to my childhood of my mom saying that word.
Thanks again.
say
I have COPD/Emphysema,I need to use a nebulizer to help control my breathing problems, so as a result because of all this inhaling it causes canker sores in my mouth or tongue. I rinse my mouth thoroughly after every treatment but still get these sores. Today my Dr. prescribed Lysine. Reading all your comments has given me hope I can conquer this.
Kc
Everyone try bactine spray! Spray some on a cotton ball and hold it against your sore. It will numb it and I could swear it helps dry it out/ prevent from being as bad. Bactine has the exact same ingredients(benzalkonium and lidocaine HCl) as many OTC cold sore medicines or only about 1/4 of the price and a LOT more product.
I used bactine and lysine last time I had a cold sore and it did not erupt just stayed small and healed a lot quicker. Usually they are a nightmare for me. Good luck everyone! Someone needs to find a a cure already for this plague.
TR
I came across this site last year when I was suffering a particularly horrible outbreak. I’ve had cold sores for most of my adult life- no one warns teenage kissers of this do they? When I was younger they were less prominent and I could hide them with make-up reasonably well. Sometimes if I caught them early enough then they wouldn’t go full blown. But in recent years I’ve gone from getting the occasional one (once/ twice a year) to more frequent outbreaks (3-5 times) where they come one after the other and are much more severe. Afterwards my lips seem scarred and it takes a while for the skin to recover. My triggers are a combination of getting chapped lips (I have a lip balm in every pocket), sunlight exposure, and stress which can come from physical exertion or just life stuff. Similarly to others I can usually expect them in the winter months Dec-Feb or mid summer when the light is brightest.
Like some people have said I literally want to hibernate when I get an outbreak, but clearly if you have to go out to work this isn’t practical. I’ve also tried all the various ‘home remedies’ that have been mentioned above, and generally nothing has really worked very well. After my last outbreak I went out and bought L-lysine (for UK readers the Holland and Barrett penny deals are great) … because as we all know when you have this affliction you will try anything to cope. I started taking the tablets to help the healing, but couldn’t really tell if it made a difference as I was already recovering.
Then last week (having stopped taking the tablet regularly) I woke up with a cold sore starting. I don’t really get the tingle warnings any more and it’s quite typical for this to happen overnight so in the morning it’s already on its way to coming up. Newly armed with my L-lysine I took a mega dose 6000gms and then waited. My experience was this: I didn’t get the miracle ‘disappearance’ that I was hoping for, but then I was probably hoping for too much. What I did notice was that the cold sore didn’t swell up in the way it normally does. By day 2 it seemed to have skipped the horrible swelling and blistering and gone straight to the slightly scabby/healing stage, but it was far less noticeable (and therefore manageable) than normal. It was also much less ‘sore’ than usual, which is great as on top of everything else I do just find them really painful, which only adds to the misery. This healing continued for days 3-4 (during which time I kept up 3000mg of the tablet). By day 5-6 I just had the old skin flaking off and sitting here on day 7 I now have a small mark, but it’s pretty much gone (I’m down to one 1000mg tablet).
I’ve read the various comment about long term usage, and have to decided to take it regularly to see how this affects the frequency of my outbreaks and am crossing my fingers that it gives me the long term success that others have mentioned.
Darren
New cold sore starting?
Step 1: Apply ice. I ice mine several times for ~5-10 minutes the first couple days I notice a cold sore. It reduces noticeable swelling tremendously.
Step 2: Take lysine at the first tingling sign of a cold sore. You should know, however, that while taking lysine every day can serve as a good preventative measure, it may result in tolerance. You would then start to require more to experience the same desired result.
I AM NOT A DOCTOR, but this is how I get rid of my cold sores in less than a week, during which they are hardly visible at all.
tw
I too currently have a blister in the corner of my mouth. LOL!! I thought I was the only one that stayed in the house when I get an outbreak. It’s very embarrassing. I am 43 and began getting blisters maybe 4 years ago. I’ve been using Abreva and like clockwork my blisters are gone in 11 days. However, I recently did more research because 11 days is way too long to hide in the house. I bought Lysine in the pill form and the ointment, on day 1 of my current outbreak; It is now day 4 and the way it looks is that by Saturday or day 6; my blisters and any sign of a blister will be gone. Outstanding product!!!
Bc
So I found this today because I hate hate hate cold sores, just like everyone else. A co-worker told me a few years back about lysine and I just took 1000mg. I’m not even at the point of feeling the tingle, I’ve just noticed the bump beginning to form. I plan on taking additional pills throughout the day. Hopefully I caught this early enough!
KP
I’ve been getting cold sores since childhood (nearly half a century; my mom had them, too), and typically once or twice a year since.
In recent years, I’ve used Abreva, and let them run their course (sometimes as long as 3 weeks). I often canceled plans to stay home “sick” because I hate going out with them.
I got one on March 19th, the day I was scheduled to fly to an out-of-town event that I could NOT cancel. Panicked, I ended up on this board for the first time seeking help. Your posts offered advice in spades, and I’m so grateful. For the first time in my life I was able to halt the swelling and expansion of that cold sore, which instead of weeks “miraculously” disappeared in just a few days. I vowed I’d return to thank you and to share my own experience employing an entire arsenal of your suggested tactics.
1) Orajel Single Dose Treatment, followed by plain old ICE (as in frozen water). First time user. I’d use them both again to numb pain and “contain” the cold sore and the usual swelling (although to be honest, because I did everything on this list at the same time, it’s hard to sort out exactly what worked best).
2) Alternating applications of Abreva (my trusted usual) and SuperLysine+ (first time user). After reading that Lysine had been proven in testing to stop the cold sore virus, I used both the topical lysine cream and…
3) L-Lysine (first time user). I took a mega-dose of 6000 mg on Day 1 (I’m not a medical pro & have no idea if this is safe; as I said, I was panicked and willing to try anything), and continued with 2000 mg on Day 2, and 500-1000 mg for the next couple of days. (I drank a lot of water, too.) I am convinced the lysine helped tremendously.
On the day of my event, I cleaned my face, then covered my (then smallish) cold sore with a layer of Abreva and let it dry. I then covered that area with a layer of “foundation primer,” which made the area look smoother. Then I applied my make-up as usual. My husband swore he could not see a thing and would never have known I had a cold sore. (I understand Abreva makes “patches” that serve the same function, but I didn’t have any.)
Again, thanks to PeoplesPharmacy.com and especially to all of you who have posted here for your advice, which was a godsend this month!
Dana F.
Oh my god. You are 150% right. I got two cold sores in a row within a week and when u said tomato soup…wow. I ate tomato soup for a whole month straight…wow. good to know. thank you.
Nikkib
I have been getting cold sores now for the past 15 years after I got the shingles. I started using L-lysine and though I still get outbreaks, they are never full blown. Also they only last for that one day and disappear. I take 1000mg a day once I feel the tingling. On a regular day I take the dosage down to 500mg.
Rt
I have suffered from cold sores since I was in 3rd grade and I am now 24! I get them whenever a big event is coming and it doesn’t even have to be a big event for me! It seems to be when memorable pictures are being taken! I have 2 right now one on each side of my top lip! Today I went and got lysine and a lysine ointment and peroxide!
I really hope this helps and all of your stories have made me hopeful of this! I feel like within a couple hours of feeling it the cold sore is full blown! :(
RD
I have suffered from terrible mouth ulcers for the past 4 years.. they’d last 10 days and when the one was healing,the next one would flare up – at one stage I counted nine ulcers in my mouth. They’d form around my tongue, in my cheeks around my lips (on the inside of my mouth) it got so bad I couldn’t eat or talk – and I could only sip liquids through a straw.
My brother, one day, happened to mention I should start a course of L-Lysine. I have NEVER looked back. I got blase and stopped taking it, and then started another break-out of ulcers… now I am never without L-Lycine.
JH
I ran across using L-Lysine for cold sores many, many years ago in the Saturday Evening Post. I tried it and it helped me greatly. My brother got cold sores every few weeks and he tried L-Lysine and rarely gets one any more. But it has to be L-Lysine; just Lysine does not do the same per the Saturday Evening Post article I read.
Deb
I have had cold sores since I was a kid- 54 years old now. I feel mine are totally stress-induced. I get at least two or three of them a year- ones of which I dub my “Christmas Cold Sore” It always appears between Thanksgiving & Christmas & is usually a doozy. I find that if I apply Blistex Medicated Lip ointment as soon as I feel the tingle & apply every time I think of it during my waking hours, it dries up much faster & doesn’t get quite as ugly.
I tried Abreva, but found it didn’t work as well as the blistex for me. I have heard about L-Lysine, but never actually tried it. I had one 2 weeks ago, and did my usual Blistex thing. Well- I woke up today with the tingling on my lip, and another one is coming. I was going to the grocery store, so I picked up some L-Lysine and am trying the ice several have suggested, too. Thanks to all for their suggestions, and maybe the Blistex will help someone else. It’s much cheaper then the Abreva & works much better for me!
D.A.
I’m 40 years old, and I got my first cold sore about 9 years ago. It was very clear where I got it from – my girlfriend at the time. I slap myself in the forehead every time I think about it, given that I have a B.S. in zoology with an emphasis in cell biology, and I have a pretty good idea how viruses work. I knew she got cold sores, and I knew they are contagious, but I just thought I already must have been exposed, and I was one of those lucky people who had the virus but never had outbreaks. Wrong. Even so, it seemed to take over a year of careless kissing before I contracted it. In retrospect, it seems surprising it took that long.
In some ways though, I am lucky. Even without taking any preventative measures, I usually get only 4 or 5 cold sores a year, and often they come in bursts, where I get one on or in my nose first, then a week later I get one on my lip. The triggers for me are definitely sun exposure, emotional stress, and illness. I personally haven’t noticed any correlation with what I eat.
In the past I have used high-dose Valtrex (4000mg over a 1-day period) upon first signs of a cold sore, with fantastic results: the tingling and pain and redness would disappear within a day without breaking the surface, and if I caught it a bit late, it would prevent the appearance of any new vesicles on the skin surface and start healing much more quickly than without Valtrex. However, when I changed jobs and no longer have prescription coverage, Valtrex has become very expensive and I’ve sought out other options.
A doctor recommended L-lysine, and I’ve tried it in several ways over the last 3 years. A daily 1000mg dose does not seem to reduce likelihood of outbreak for me, but a 6000mg dose over a 1-day period upon initial cold sore symptoms seems to work just about as well as Valtrex. In combination, I generally use Abreva cream and acyclovir cream during the period I’m experiencing symptoms. Abreva may seem expensive at $25 for a tiny tube, but it’s way cheaper than Valtrex at $275 for a 3-cold-sore quantity, and the little tube of Abreva lasts a long time if you use it sparingly. This combination is all I need, as long as I’m paying attention; the hardest part is having my mind open to notice the first signs, rather than just passively thinking it’s a chapped lip or pimple, and the realizing my mistake too late. This is especially true when I haven’t had one in several months.
I’d like to take a moment to clear up some misinformation/misdirection in some of the posts above.
First, true cold sores are only caused by a virus, and you can only get infected by contact with the live virus, which most often comes from contact with another person who has an outbreak. It is possible to contract the virus during birth, so you could have gotten it from your mom. In any case, some estimates indicate that up to 90% of the population has been infected. Perhaps only 50% of those who are infected actually get cold sores, but that’s still a very large number of people – it’s a human condition, you are not a freak or an outcast, and you don’t need to feel embarrassed! It’s not very different from chicken pox, which most of us have gotten as children, and that virus stays with us forever as well, and can come back in a very nasty way as shingles much later in life. However, that said, you do need to be careful, because the virus can be very contagious, and you can spread it easily to different parts of your body or to other people, even if they are already infected.
I see many people in comments above treating their cold sores with alcohol, to “dry it out”. This is very misdirected, IMHO. While the alcohol will probably kill some viruses on the surface, drying out the area will make it crack and bleed and take longer to heal. Alcohol does not reduce the length of the outbreak. In contrast, a small occasional dab of a natural lubricant like grapeseed or olive oil, while still not reducing the length of the outbreak, will keep the area moist and flexible and help it heal faster after the outbreak is done.
Also, I see many people treating their cold sores with ice. There is no evidence this helps with anything, other than numbing the area so it feels more comfortable temporarily.
El
I’m now an expert after having cold sores every month more or less. This is what I’ve found to be the best treatment- lysine tablets taken daily with the holland and barrett penny deal at the moment you can buy one lot 1000mg 60 capsules and then get another lot for a penny which makes it much more reasonable. For me the zovirax cream is useless compeed cold sore patches are much more effective again you can get a much cheaper Boots or Asda version with the same ingredients in! If you’re like me and the cold sores appear at the corner of your mouth then for in between times when you cant wear the patch, because the patch gets wet from eating or looks quite noticeable on the corner of your mouth then rub Vaseline onto the cold sore this will stop it cracking and keep it moist make sure to wash hands after to avoid spreading it further. And keep hydrated! hope this helps! x
SW
I’ve suffered with extreme cold sores since I was a little girl when I was 17 I moved to Florida I guess with the stress off starting a new school and all made it worse but I broke out on my entire mouth from my nose to my chin I begged my mom not to make me start a new school looking so hideous most ppl who don’t know automatically assume “eww u got herpes” so we went to the local pharmacy bc it was just intolerable we were about to buy like a 60 treatment when we went to check put the pharmacist said save your money and just try Llysin.
We had never heard of it before but 5 bucks she said heck yes it’s worth a shot I’m now 22 and have taken it ever since I layed off of them bc I hadn’t had one in so long but today I broke out again so here I go L LYSIN to the rescue!!!!! I choose it over anything abreva is over 20 bucks save your money get smart it works miracles!!!
ZAT
I started taking Lysine every morning a couple of years ago, with very good results. However, the tablets were so huge I hated trying to swallow them, so I ground them up in my blender, and put about 1/4 teaspoon in my breakfast drink – OJ, cocoa, cran, apple, or whatever. A cold sore tried to start at Christmas time (my most stressful month of the year) but never did scab over. I looked for capsules at a store nearby, but they only had pills. Now I see I can order them online, and if you look near the bottom of the list, there is even a Lysine powder you can buy by the pound! I think it said 382 doses.
j.o.
I got my first cold sore about 2 years ago and since then I’ve gotten 3 breakouts, about one every 5-6 months and they are really bad my whole upper lips gets swollen and it usually turns into a pretty narly blister. I never have used l-lysine until, I felt the tingling this morning of a another outbreak, and I researched home remedies and I came across this blog, I went to publix and got a some 500mg and I took 4 at first and I iced the area then I took another 1000mg later and my cold sore has gotten a lot smaller and has yet to erupt and it doesn’t look like it will. this stuff works miracles.
tweet
Two years ago, I got my very first cold sore, I googled cold sore remedies, and found out about Lysine tablets. Took them as directed. Did not get another cold sore for about a year. Took the Lysine again, and was gone within about two days. Have not had one since. This is a miracle product. Thank you.
Kate C
I’m only a teenager but I’ve had huge embarrassing breakouts of cold sores for as long as I can remember.
About a year ago a friend of a friend told me about l-lysine. I’d tried Abreeva and anything and everything else I could find but nothing worked, but I figured I would try it anyway. I started out taking 500mg in the morning then again at bedtime then repeated and it had just disappeared, when I usually have outbreaks for about a week. Now every time I go anywhere I keep this miracle drug with me.
I take 1000 mg when I feel the tingling then 500mg at intervals from then on and it usually disappears within 24-48 hours. I also suggest vitamin c supplements. Good luck!
cmv
I just heard about Lysine supplements and had an outbreak 2 days ago when I woke in the morning. That night I went to cvs and bought 1000 mg per pill of Lysine and took 2 pills that night (4000mg). The next day I took 2 1000 mg pills in the am and 2 1000mg pills that night. This morning the sores are 100% better and don’t even appear that they will scab over as they normally do. So even tho my sores had erupted and spread and started to get bigger before I started the Lysine it still cleared them up and started the healing process. I HIGHLY recommend you try this. I am so excited about this and only wish I had learned of this years ago! Good luck to you all!
Teenie
I get cold sores when I over do things, get run down and get stressed. I get them mostly around my lips and nose but have occasionally had them on my cheeks and chin :( I’ve even found in the last couple of years that I’ve not only had a cold sore but it’s also become infected and I require antibiotics. Great fun!
Another problem I have is that I don’t get a warning tingle like most people do, I get the tingle at the same time as the cold sore comes up and so I can’t do much to prevent cold sores coming which really bugs me. So I can’t try people’s suggestions of ice etc – does anyone else have this problem?
I’m also finding more and more that the over the counter creams are not helping much. Remedies I have found to help with the sores is perfume to dry it out (I presume this is like the rubbing alcohol) which stings like mad but is worth it; over the counter creams (zovirax etc) and I also use vitamin e oil directly on which I find heals them up better and quicker. It’s like £7-8 a bottle from Holland & Barrett but lasts forever.
I have been looking for something to help me prevent them and I am fed up asking doctors and getting told that there is nothing you can do about it. I’m the only one in the family that really suffers from them too.
I’m definitely going to try l-lysine, are there any side effects to using it? I’m also going to try lemon balm too which I have just read on another site is meant to be good. Anything is worth trying!
JG
I didn’t know I had cold sores until a year ago. I would get an outbreak every month or so. Recently I have tried to find my triggers and have been using Abreva. After reading about the use of Lysine, I went to Target and picked up 1000mg tablets and have been taking 3 each day. I am hoping the Lysine works for me like it has for other people. I have noticed that if you clean the area with antibacterial soap such as Dial, it can reduce the number of bumps you might get with a normal flare up.
pmb
now that its winter I have been getting cold sores I just got over one like 2 months ago and now another, when I get a cold sore it take forever to go away and I have a Christmas party in a week I have been looking up how to get rid of cold sores and every where I look it say something about l lysine. I’m just scared to take it because I don’t know what it does and if it okay for me to take I’m 17 and I get nerves when putting that stuff in my body because of all the side effects and damages medicine do to you does anyone know if it will hurt my body if I take it.
Kei
I get these sores on my mouth but I read somewhere if your mouth gets too dry, your lips, you will break out, so keep it moist, I always keep a lip moisturizer with me, if I forget, I buy one. I also cant wear any lip make up, it will make my lips dry and get the tingling feeling and break out.
So regret sharing drinks with friends. But, long as my lips stay moist, I don’t break out.
Rachel
I’m so glad I came to this site. I’ve been getting cold sores since I was about 8 or 9 and it’s been a constant source of embarrassment and alienation. I like what one of the users said earlier in this thread – that non-suffering outsiders don’t usually judge us as much as we think they do. I’m really trying to emotionally conquer cold sores as well as physically because the anxiety is half of my problem. I’m only 20 years old and I’m in college and I’ve never felt worse about cold sores than I do now because of the culture/social implications of ‘herpes’ in post-secondary school.
That being said I found icing the cold sores ASAP really takes the swelling/redness out of an outbreak (although it doesn’t really lessen healing time). I’ve also been using Carmex since a worker in a bank reco’d it to me when I was like 15. It eases the itching/tingling but doesn’t do much else. I have two medium sized sores on my bottom lip right now (tingled/erupted yesterday) and I took Valtrex as soon as the tingling started. As of right now I’ve taken 8 pills of 500 mgs in 24 hours and while it hasn’t gotten really big and the swelling has reduced, it’s not necessarily the wonder pill. It could have something to do with the fact that I drank alcohol almost right after taking the last dose which probably rendered it ineffective (college life, my bad).
I used to only get about 2-3 a year (mainly close together in the winter) but in the last few months I’ve been getting them almost one right after another. I blame stress and a recent battle with devastating anxiety. After reading everyone’s replies I’m going to head straight to the drug store tomorrow and pick up some L-Lysine tablets. I’ll be starting a daily dose. SERIOUSLY hoping it works because as strong as I try to be when I get those ugly outbreaks I still feel embarrassed. It’s nice to hear that people who suffer are married and their husbands/wives are okay with it because I feel like I’ll never keep a boyfriend when he finds out I get cold sores.
Good luck to all of us!
R.V.
I literally just scrolled down this entire page of very informative, encouraging and helpful comments. (Sigh) Can’t believe I have become “that” person, but I am “that” grateful person to have found such a resourceful site to build a tactic from. What I ultimately gathered from reading through every single comment is that L-Lysine is the stuff!
The success rate confessed by user after user cannot be ignored and I am most definitely going to go out and buy some tomorrow. Question though, which form works best and what brand? Cream, pill/tablet, etc.? If anyone could help with this, it would be most appreciated. This cold sore surfaced around 9am Tuesday morning and it is now 1am on Thursday morning here in California. I have some social things to do around the weekend and really want this (these) potential demon(s) to go away! Again, what form and brand of L-Lysine works best? Cream, pill/tablet, etc.
Also, I have been putting Abreva cream on the cold sore since it initially surfaced on Tuesday morning and I have seen the lack of it progressing, but not much of it getting any better. In fact, I feel a few more coming in. This is going to be my second outbreak. My first was in Fall (approx.) of 2011. I know this is too much information, but I need help and I’m freaking out… Please and thanks for any input possible. Best of luck to all of my comrades fighting the battle.
Oh, and another question, does putting peroxide on a cold sore actually dry it out/help?
Tara
I used to suffer from cold sore outbreaks every few months for as long as I can remember. I used to only get them on my lips, but a few years ago I started getting them around my mouth on my face. When I had an outbreak I didn’t find any difference in the length of the outbreak itself, but it has worked wonders as a preventative measure, and since I’ve been using it semi-regularly for the past year – occasionally I’ve gone from days to months forgetting to take one – I haven’t had as much as a tingle since then.
Bellflower
Does anyone else get the sores after eating sugary products? Also, if I take vitamin C I often get them. L Lysine works wonders, though. If a large one comes and I want almost instant relief I put a wet hard tab right on it and leave it there until it melts away. I take several tabs several times a day and they then go away quickly. I do not take take them all the time, only just as soon as one starts coming on.
Sometimes if I’m out or not on the ball they have progressed to quite large and painful, but the L Lysine checks them.
As a side note, I have found that L Taurine is really helpful to combat MSG overload. I can get very, very sick from MSG, but apparently L Taurine is the antidote, as MSG has glutamine in it. I keep L Taurine in my purse to take upon eating out, as most prepared foods have lots of MSG in them anymore.
mb
I suffered from cold sores my whole life in particular the last few yrs with the outbreaks getting more and more frequent.I found it to be an embarrassing problem… I went to the doctor and asked pharmacists time and time again but they only ever mentioned cold sore cream that never worked. One day some one mentioned l-lysine and hallelouah…I’ve never got one again… I cant recommend l-lysine enough!!!!!
BL
Almost 2 months taking L-Lysine at a rate of around 1500 MG. per day (500 mg. 3 times a day). I double up if I feel one starting. So far none have turned into anything at all. Totaly “STOKED” to say the least. I find L-Lysine @ Rite Aide on sale BOGO free for 8 bucks, 180 tabs. Before trying L-Lysine I was getting 3 a month. I am thinking about trying to get a refund for a full bottle of Valtrex I got about 6 weeks ago.
Kellie
Peroxide: I think I remember getting my first cold sore when I was 10. I think it was wind burn that caused it. Then I would get them maybe once a year, for example if I got a sunburn. So once I realized that trauma to the skin causes them I started using at least spf15 sunblock (specifically for the face like AVON moisturizer, the reason I stress this is that a harsh sunblock can cause them). Anyway, I put Sunblock on my lips just like I do my face when in the sun or harsh weather. As far as wind and skiing, I found that some of the lip balms that are Mentholatum based actually caused them for me personally anyway, so I avoid anything on my lips that is hot.
So my main solution is that if all of my efforts to not let my lips get irritated fail and therefore, I feel that slight tingle in that one same spot that I always get the cold sore, I put Peroxide, straight out of the bottle on that exact spot immediately. I just allow the opening of the peroxide bottle form a circle of peroxide around that spot. Like I said when I said directly out of bottle I meant it. I keep re-applying several times a day/night as needed to fight the cold sore from even forming. I have managed to avoid getting a cold sore for 5 years now.
The worst I have is the tingle and slightly red, then I hit it with the peroxide and sore completely avoided. Peroxide works good on a sore that has formed too. Keep in mind my sore always on top arch of my lip. I think peroxide would be hard to use if you get the type in corner of mouth because it may cause it to crack. But I find drying it up until it goes away is the best action. Hope this helps.
LME
An amazing doctor told me about this about 30 years ago. I used to get them any time my system got a little out of whack or I ran a fever. He said that my mouth would break out several days after the inside of my stomach developed the blisters. That is why your stomach gets so upset. Therefore, the L=Lysine fights the virus from inside the stomach. He said to take it every day. I did for about a year and now I have maybe one a year if I have a high fever.
When it happens, I take two the first day and one every day after. I do nothing else. No medicine. No ointments. Nothing. It takes the swelling and the heat out the first 12 to 24 hours and starts healing very quickly. It has to be L-Lysine, not just Lysine. Didn’t think about taking it for shingles, but it makes sense.
BL
I have dealt with this condition my whole life (age 55) and to this day have not figured these things out. I am hoping that taking lysine on a regular basis will help reduce the number and intensity of my breakouts. For the past 10+ years I used Valtrex with very good results but over the past 1 to 2 years, not so good. Not sure if it was when the generic stuff became available or what it was. I just saw a change in the results and frequency.
I have changed my diet to reduce argine and increase lysine in the foods I eat but that didn’t help at all. I even gave up wheat. Only two more things I can quit, coffee and beer. I’ve been taking Lysine for about a month and my last episode I didn’t take Valtrex. Not as bad as the last time I went without Valtrex. In fact very minor so I’m optimistic. I think I will take a L-Ly while I’m thinking about it.
Sterling Silver
I usually have a breakout maybe once or twice a year. Two weeks ago I was under a lot of stress, a lot more than usual, and I was getting little sleep. At the end of that stressful week I went out on a date, which added to the stress. Two days later (on Monday) I felt my upper lip was very dry, just felt maybe it was dehydrated, never thought a “breakout” was coming fast. For some reason I have a hard time determining when I’m about to break out.
On Tuesday the cold sore began just like a normal cold sore where I usually get it (in the middle of my upper lip, on the “V” area). It would usually last a couple of days and go away once I start treating it. On Tuesday it began, Wednesday my lip was so swollen I had to call in to work and began noticing a smaller cold sore popping out directly under my lower lip (ugh!). I bought Abreva and I was told by my cousin, which has the same problem, she noticed Lysine cream works better for her. I bought that too and began using it.
I like Abreva because it feels dry on my skin (not a fan of wet lips); Lysine on the other hand, keeps the area moist and looks disgusting because the cream color is a yellow-brownish color which makes it seem like you have a bad infection on your lip (pus-like). Thursday my lip was bigger (called in to work again) – have NEVER in my life had to call in sick to work because of a cold sore, much less two days straight. Friday was better, but still swollen, and the affected area felt and looked horrible.
I was told a friend that it looked like I had an allergic reaction to something. I began researching and found information on the “triggers” for cold sores, great info, which I was completely unaware of because I had NEVER in my life had a breakout this bad.
I found chocolate to be a “trigger” of cold sores because of the amino acid Arginine. I remembered on my date I had chocolate covered strawberries and then it clicked. I believe with all the other issues, stress, lack of sleep, etc. and then I added a kind of chocolate I’ve never tried before, well, my lip exploded!
As of today it’s finally almost gone, but it was the longest, most painful, ugliest break out I have ever experienced or seen on anyone. I’m starting a Lysine regimen as of this morning to see what happens. I do not ever want to experience anything like that again.
SS
Reading all of these comments has made me feel so much better. I’m only on my 4th cold sore; I got two right after each other about a year and a half ago, and then one popped up last week. It was really small, and I thought I had caught it quickly because it went away within a day BUT a few days later, another popped up on the other side of my mouth, 10 times worse. I was so embarrassed about it that I took off work and have been nursing it for the past 3 days.
I think that stress and feeling “run down” triggers them (plus I have a feeling that I have a sinus infection that I’ve never treated). I use two prescriptions, Denavir (ointment) and Valtrex (pill). They seemed to have worked on the first one, but not on this last one, except for maybe speeding up the healing time. Nonetheless, I always keep them in my purse so I can use them ASAP!
I just went out and purchased L-Lysine (around 5-7 bucks at the pharmacy). I’m going to start taking it daily. I hope it works on keeping them at bay. I’m trying to keep from stressing about getting them. I feel like I’m paranoid all the time. Thanks for sharing your stories!
Kita
I don’t think so… it never happened that way for me.
When I started to get the twinges of a cold sore I bulked up on Lysine and took it for almost a week straight, to make sure there were no visible or physical signs
I haven’t had MORE cold sores from my method.
I know of people who have constant threat of cold sores and what they are doing is taking Lysine daily as a supplement. Not MASSIVE quantities, but the usual dose suggested on the bottle. Lysine won’t hurt you anyway.
Hope this helps!
re
do you think taking L-lysine constantly, and then stopping drastically will do a rebound effect? Meaning, cold sores will come and attack more frequently had you not been taking L-lysine in the first place and then constantly …
does this make sense?
Kita
B.A. – I cannot stress enough that Lysine is a wonder.. I have taken up to 1500 mg morning noon and evening to knock the cold sore back. It has worked.
However, what you also need to do which helps the Lysine is when you feel a swelling come on, ice it down continuously and take Lysine. I have carried a plastic cup with ice chips around with me at work and have been know to have it on my lip covered with a tissue until it melts.. then every hour get another ice cube or chips and ice it down .
IF IF IF your cold sore comes to the surface because you didn’t catch it soon enough, use alcohol prep pads to dry it out PRONTO.. and ice it as well. Go back and forth between icing it down and drying it out.
AND LYSINE of course. I don’t get any prescriptions at all since I try to heal myself holistically.. and this does work. I have only had one cold sore erupt and this was due to the fact that it came like a thief in the night and by morning my lip was swollen. It went away in 2 days.
Good luck and hope all goes well!
Anthony B.
Lysine does help, I cut back drastically from coldsores by taking it. Her is some more advice, I’ve been getting them for 30 years. Don’t eat fried greasy foods. Avoid stress. Being 16 with coldsores doesn’t help, that can be very stressful. Avoid excess sun. Go see a dermatologist, they can provide you a prescription for something like acyclovir, it wipes cold sores out once they start. Good luck and take care of yourself.
B.A
I’m dealing with the third cold sore in 3 weeks now. I’m 16 years old and have been suffering from them since I was a little kid. I use ice and some kind of zinc-cream (which doesn’t really help) to heal/prevent them. I seem to be the only one at school who deals with cold sores regularly. I’m going to try l-lysine too, because I can’t stand having these ugly things on my lips. I hope it’ll work! Good luck to you all. Greetings from Holland
Alice D.
It had been almost 2 years since I had a break out, I got a little too comfortable and slacked on my L-lysine tablets. I don’t know what I was thinking not taking them especially at a time like this right now. I have been stressing tremendously about everything. That’s probably what it was, I was too “caught” up with all the worries in my head that I forgot all about how I could easily get a cold sore.
Well I got one. Just this morning. I didn’t realize I had one till it was too late.
Ive almost gotten an outbreak before, this same year, I took 3 acylvoir pills and probably 5 L-Lysine tablets and it never rose to the surface. However since this time I didn’t notice what was going on and I thought it was a painful pimple (hence i get those a lot) it was too late.
I used to only get the “tingling” feeling when I was younger, once I grew up into my teens I no longer got that sensation so it was even harder to detect whether i was getting one or not. Sometimes there was no feeling at all! Not no tingling sensation or underneath big pimple pain feeling either! Now I usually get the painful feeling, no tingling sensation.
I went to the doctor I got prescribed what he always prescribes me Acyclovir 400mg, 5 times a day, and I’ve taken 5 grams of L-lysine along with crushing it in a bag, pouring half a teaspoon of warm water and putting it directly on the cold sore. I also bought Abreva (which I don’t think helps much) and some small waterproof brand name bandages.
I hope it heals fast, or isn’t so noticeable. I work in customer service, FACE TO FACE with people every day of every minute. I don’t know if I can go into work if it’s still bad but at the same time I can’t afford to not go in. My hours have been cut so greatly…
I’m 19 years old and I hate the looks I get! I feel like everyone looks at me like I’m dirty. The sleep around kinda gal, and that is not the case I’ve had this since I was 4! But I can’t explain that to everyone who stares at me and decides to judge.
My advice to all of you cold sore sufferers is this:
Do not touch your privates whatsoever!! Clean hands or not, I wouldn’t go anywhere near that area, I bought feminine wipes to substitute for feminine wash for right now.
Don’t risk being cursed with cold sores near there.
Cotton balls are a must! Keep the cold sore clean all the time. Hydrogen peroxide is a must to keep it clean!
You probably cannot take enough L-lysine tablets, they are natural supplements and the most hassle I’ve had with them is they may cause me to have diarrhea.
Get a prescription for Acyclovir 400mg meds, they are very effective when paired with L-lysine during an outbreak or before an outbreak.
Stressed, ate a lot of wheat, or changes of seasons make sure to double up on L-Lysine! 3000mg a day to 5000mg depending on how much you want to take to avoid an outbreak.
Make sure to DISPENSE anything and everything you use on that nasty cold sore!
Once the outbreak it done and over with, buy a new toothbrush to avoid a too soon second outbreak or risk of another one.
Anywho just thought I’d share what I’ve learned! I’m glad there are stories on here to read it helps me feel better and lets me know I’m not alone!
Goodluck to everyone! Best of wishes.
Karikau
Hey guys. I am 21 years old and I have had cold sores since I was 4 or 5. I know how painful and embarrassing they can be. When I was 18, I had a woman while I was at work about Lysine when I was having a break out. I immediately went to buy it after researching everything online. I have a sore now. I felt the tingling on Sunday morning and I took 3000mg for the day(split up three times, 3 in the morn, 1 in the lunch, 2 in the evening.) It is Monday night now and not only has my sore reduced in size, no other small pimples have formed around it.
It is going down and within the next two days it will be gone completely. I don’t put anything that could irritate it on it(lipstick, chap stick, ANYTHING). This has worked for me since I started using lysine.
I do not take lysine daily. I only take lysine when I get the hint of a cold sore (I get them 1-2 times a year.)
Since Lysine is so cheap at any one of your HEB or Walmarts, I highly recommend it. It has only made me happy and I love not being scared to leave my apartment. I don’t feel hideous anymore!
Good luck to all of you.
Anthony
Go see a doctor, the lysine helps but there are prescription medicines you can take, like Acyclovir available in different forms and different doses.
Moka
Ok I have been suffering from cold sores since I was about 7 or 8, I am now 16. I have on on the center of my lip as I type this. I have read all of your stories and as bad as it is, it make me feel better that im not alone. I am taking l-lysine 1000mg. I crushed them in my food, that I am now eating, I take them with water although I dont take it every day.
I am now goimg to crush them and make a paste to help the swelling. Thanks everyone for your stories, it really helps alot.
Deb
I get cold sores that sound like yours. Mine eventually led to Bells Palsy. I went to a dermatologist who prescribed Valtrex for Herpes. It works wonderful for cold sores that big and that bad. I feel for you. It is so painful!
Holly p
Thanks l-lysine 3000mg and also crushed some up in peroxide and made a paste to put on my lip. With in hours it was 75 percent better.
Holly p
Ok I listened about the l-lysine and echinacea. Got too much sun and here we go. Any who I went and got both took 3000 mg of l- lysine and 2000mg of echinacea, with in a few hours it got 75 percent better. No hot stuff on it no popping the blister. I did mash the l-lysine and made a paste with peroxide. Put it on through out the day. Swelling went almost completely away too. Took some ibuprofen for pain. Thanks for all the help.
El D
I’m 25, and was suffering with cold sores since I was 12, after years of outbreaks and embarrassment at school, I researched the internet, I tried everything, putting salt, vinegar, sudocrem, and I came across l-lysine. It’s fantastic, although every now and again I have an outbreak, (suppose it needs to come out your system) 90% of the time it prevents it from coming out. I hardly ever get them now, maybe 4 to 5 times a year whereas before it was every month ( menstrual cycle).. Try it.
Robert A.
I have been suffering from cold sores since I was 11 yrs. old and on my 6th grade camping trip! For years I would break out regularly, and after one trip to a football recruiting camp in High School, I came back with my entire lower lip covered and ever two on the corners of my mouth. I started my first days at my new high school with this and it was not a good first impression! I discovered l-Lysine about a year ago and the results are dramatic.
I take 1000mg daily during the week and when I feel the tingling I triple the dose and often times my lip will only slightly swell and the sore will barely be noticeable. I will also take an anti-inflammatory and this also seems to help with the swelling. It’s good to hear that I am not the only one that has gone through years of these cold sores. As I type right now, I have an outbreak although it is barely noticeable because of the lysine…
Betty G.
My cousin had cold sore outbreaks monthly, and I would have them about twice a year. She started taking lysine daily and if she felt the tingle she would increase to about 3000 mg for a few days. She has been outbreak free for years. And I only take lysine, when I feel the tingle, for a few days. And I’ve been outbreak free also. If I don’t have any the day I feel the tingle, I make sure I grab some the next day and increase my usual intake of 1000 mg/day to 2000 mg/day for 4 days. This has helped us, for years. GOD sent
Jessica
I tried L lysine and it helped tremendously. When I get cold sores they’re not your typical little ones on the side of your lip. Both my lips are covered and the last 3 times the roof of my mouth and gums have been covered as well. I get an outbreak once our twice every 3 months and it used to last for about 2 miserable weeks! But since I started putting table salt on immediately and taking l lysine it cuts that time in half. It also helps to take in foods high in L-lysine. These are going to be your meat and dairy products.
TK
I’ve suffered from cold sores pretty much all of my life, so has my parents. I get them in and around my nose and also on my lips. A week ago I had one pop up in my nostril following a cold. That one scabbed over and is mostly healed, but now I have TWO that popped up on my bottom lip yesterday. I am so fed up with these things, it’s not usual that I get more than one at a time. One is bad enough, but two?! I work at a hospital as a nursing assistant, I called off of work tonight because my bottom lip is swollen bright red and has two big lesions on either side. I have been using abreva for years.. It’s no miracle but I guess it’s better than nothing. I also layer Carmex on the rest of my lips to prevent further outbreak. I think this latest outbreak was brought on after spending 4 hours at the quarry sun bathing with no SPF on my lips. :/
When I first noticed the two blisters pop up yesterday I first used another topical treatment called releev, then layered abreva on top of that.. By today, (day 2) the blisters have already crusted over but it has not helped with the pain, itching and swelling. After googling other remedies and treatment for cold sores, I have read about l-lysine on numerous sites, so I went to rite aid and bought 1000 mg tablets of lysine and also I got some cold sore treatment called Herpecin with SPF 30 and also it’s enriched with lysine and lemon balm, which is another natural treatment I’ve read about.
I will be back to comment on whether taking the lysine helps speed the healing time of my current cold sores and also if it helps prevent future outbreaks. Thanks to all who have shared your experiences and best of luck to all!
Ashymay
I have had awful cold sores all my life. I’m only 22. My aunt has had them her whole life too and she’s almost 50 and neither of us have ever heard of using lysine. I have a small one in the ctr and 1 on the lower left side of my lip. I get sad when my bf doesn’t want to kiss me bcuz he’s grossed out and is worried he’ll get one. I just went and bought some lysine pills, hope they help.
In the past I found that putting Orajel on it helps immensely with the pain, usually I use it at night to help me sleep. Mine are very painful by the way. Then what I do is lightly puncture the blister with a sewing needle so the blister could “drain” I rinsed it with hot water and put abreva (worked the best for me, but is expensive), if I couldn’t afford abreva I would use campho-phenique or even peroxide. With the peroxide apply it, let it bubble, it WILL BURN, wipe it off with hot water and repeat a few times. Carmex helps during the day to prevent it from cracking (especially if its in the ctr or corners) and it really helps the pain and moisturizes. Hope everything helps.
cloak
I am barely a teen and I get cold sores ALL THE TIME!!!!! and they completely suck! I probably get about five to ten a year and have tried absolutely everything! l lysine has worked amazingly well! I cannot say how grateful I am for it. I wish I could find a better easier way to take it. I also don’t take it everyday like a lot of people suffering from cold sores do but I’m sure that would help!
I have two cold sores right now. both very big and ugly. I’ve just started using the l lysine and am amazed my cold sores were shrunk literally overnight! Instead of only taking the pills I have also crushed them up and mixed it with a small amount of water to make a paste then dab the paste directly on my cold sore! works very very well!!! I’m sorry for all you suffering from cold sores! trust me I know how terrible they are!!!! (ps I’m a girl. For me that makes it worse but I guess I don’t know!)
KR
Desteny –
Keep us posted if L Lysene works for you. If you are prone to cold sores – then yes take L Lysine daily. If you feel the SLIGHTEST tingle or bump or swelling ice it down CONSTANTLY.
Zovirax is only to shorten the life span I think..
L Lysine
Ice it down if you feel swelling
and if for some reason it does keep swelling, then volley back and forth between icing it and drying it with the little alcohol wipes and use Zovirax to shorten it
I hope it helps!
L Lysine is my lifesaver!!
Desteny
I have had cold sores since I was young. It started when I was about 10 and got them on both upper and lower lip from corner to corner. Since then I’ve had them on my eye lid twice and get them on my nose about 2-3 times a year. I also get them on my lips about 4-5 times a year. They are so embarrassing! I’ve been called Rudolph since I can remember because of the ones I get on my nose. They’ve never been anything CLOSE to small for me.
Well, a friend recently told me about Lysine and I went to get some yesterday and, after reading all of these comments, I WILL be taking it everyday! Anything that will help in the smallest.. I’ll take. I have Zovirax but that only helps once the sore has already popped up. I need something to prevent them!! Hopefully this works.
JMan
About a month ago I got a bump on my lip, it wasn’t too noticeable and it never scabbed. I never did feel any pain or tingling. About 4 days ago I got a small bump (a fourth the size of a pea, maybe smaller) by my lower lip, not on the lip but below it. This has no pain and there was no tingling, it was filled with very little fluid and now it’s starting to go away. I don’t know if this is herpes or what. If it is, I have been eating a peanut better and jelly sandwich everyday for like 4 months, should I not do that?
Bb
No, from my understanding lyisine inhibits the virus’ ability to reproduce. Something about it not being able to maintain its viral shell or something. So I doubt that lyisine will do much for sinus infections. However I have seen no research either way in regards to sinus infections.
Mary
I think most people have heard of Zovirex but we are trying to take things that are more natural and not made by the pharmaceutical industry. Lysine is just an essential amino acid.
ss
I have used Zovirex ( Acyclovir) on my daughter’s cold sores as soon as she feels the initial tingling of it coming on. It has worked remarkably well in both reduction, severity and time of healing. She also takes Lysine capsule daily and we double it when she has an outbreak. I was surprised when reading this website that no on else mentions Zovirax.
KR
Ok I am the person from two sections above and LYSINE WORKS!!
I iced my lip and used alcohol swabs on it at work and took 1500 mg Lysine every 4 hours for the first 2 days. It didn’t erupt.. it didn’t swell at all and the alcohol swabs dried up what little was trying to form. Nothing formed — and my lip was perfectly fine!!
I took Lysine as a precaution for the next 3 days to make sure nothing would try to resurface and it didn’t! it’s FANTASTIC!!
Doris a.
I use 1000- mg L-Lysene everyday otherwise I break out with canker sores inside my lip. If I miss a day I can be sure to have a sore try to get out quickly, so I use a L-Lysene lotion and dab it on all day long. I have no idea why, my son told me to take the L-Lysene and it works.
KR
I started feeling a bump about 2 hours ago at work on my upper lip.. I’ve been icing it constantly and just went to Walgreens to pick up Lysine.. took 1000 mg and will take 1000mg more at the end of the work day and again tonight.
Last time I had a cold sore I was on my way to England for holiday.. started feeling the tingle so I stopped at a pharmacy and bought some alcohol wipes — that is all.
During the whole 8 hour flight I iced my lip constantly and used the alcohol swab on it- then back to icing etcetera.
In the cycle of the 8 hours, it erupted, and with the swabs and ice over and over it basically got reduced down to a little red paper cut. I kept at it until the next day and it was gone.
No Lysine at that time as I didn’t know about it but today, after reading all of the above, I hope it works!!
KT
I use Lysine as soon as I feel the bump and tingle. I take about 6000 MG a day for several days and it seems to stop the eruption. I read that the amino acid in Lysine fills in the space where the virus is trying to manifest, If there is no space for the virus, it will go away. I also use Flamcovir (sp?) from my doctor as Valtrex makes me sick. If I do have a sore that breaks open, I cover it with white toothpaste (any brand) and leave it on over night. It hurts at first, but it really helps to dry up the sore. Mine started coming on yesterday. I took my prescription yesterday, and started the massive doses of Lysine and already it has gotten smaller. Good luck everyone!
lauren
Lysine has never really worked for me, but I take Ibuprofen twice a day and put Abreva on every hour or so. Also, I put ice on it often. Honestly, Ibuprofen works magic. I used it once and now my cold sores are so tiny! I love it!
James
…and just like the rest of you, I too take lysine (and zinc – for different reasons other than to suppress the virus, but found out than that lysine helps prevents and lessens severity of outbreaks). Almost two years ago, my outbreaks were outrageous as I was getting them a week after the last one healed, and that lasted for a good 4-6 months, up until I started taking the Lysine (as I said was for a totally different reason).
I was taking 500mg daily for the last 12 months w/o an outbreak, up until the last month I became lazy and stopped taking my Lysine and Zinc all together… dumb move on my behalf, I’m sitting right now with a big one under my nose and a small one on my lip… never in my life will I ever go without a day not taking Lysine and Zinc EVER AGAIN!
Anthony
I take 1 a day now for years, and it has cut back my outbreaks significantly. My Dr. reccomended it. I take CVS brand, 500 mg tablets. When I do get an outbreak, I take acyclovir tablets, 200mg, I take 3 a day for 5 days, prescribed by doctor. I also load up on the lysine then.
bj
Thank you for responding! I am most grateful! What brand and where did you find capsules of L-Lysine? All I have been able to find in retail here are the LARGE TABLETS :( Abreva is one of my very good friends, too! However, I would like to head these off in a more preventive/proactive fashion.
I believe the Evil Culprit this time was chocolate, as I have been eating very small amounts of very dark chocolate, and am now wondering if that could be the difference (the intensity of the cacao solids, which was making me feel like such a grown up, vs. milk chocolate)…. anyway, I quit (sob) and it’s better today. That being said, I hope to find a balance, as chocolate is a Most Necessary health food (right? on the Mufa list, after all, and other benefits as well… physically as well as
emotionally :) Again, thanks, look forward to more specifics please and thank you.
MM
I use both Abreva and L-Lysine together but I also have difficulty swallowing the pills. I now get the capsules, which are easier to swallow. I also pull them apart and put the powder from the capsules in some yoghurt or apple sauce. You can’t taste the lysine at all. I usually put in 1500mg per yoghurt cup (8 oz) when I’m about to have an outbreak.
bj
My journey with cold sores began with an intense sunburn in Florida many years ago, causing large blisters and ultimately a lifetime sentence to cold sores. With all the resultant scarring, they rarely appear in/on my lips, but manifest as breakouts under my skin on my face (not zits, but like zits). They are triggered by all of the above, used to also be connected to hormones and my menstrual cycle, and now happen with sinus infections.
This week I have two “underground” breakouts on my face and my entire face, scalp/skin is tingling and glands are swollen (my cold sore norm when it gets this big). So. This L-Lysine thing used to work when I could swallow them, but find myself unable to in the past few years. Has anyone found a smaller more swallow-friendly version?
Between their size and texture, I cannot do it, and I’m becoming desperate as it is chronic and exhausting. Can they be crushed? Liquified? All I can find here are huge white “horse pills”. In college, the docs resorted to booster smallpox inoculations and that was amazing, I had no recurrence/outbreaks for years! Research would be nice, a skin patch… Help!
ngr
I have a question, I have oral Lichen Planus and these sores are like cold sores… problem is they never go away, some of them have turned into squamous cell cancer. Then when I have surgery and putting myself under more stress I get more of the oral sores that again, never heal. They have caused me to have 8 surgeries on my tongue and mouth.
Any studies as to whether l-lysine would be of any help with lichen planus. I also get the tingling before a blister breaks out in my mouth or on my back.
ng
Anonymous
Wow, I never knew so many ppl had cold sore problems!
I’ve been getting them for the last maybe 4-5yrs but they occur 3-4 times a year, and they are disgusting, ugly and totally embarrassing! I have one right now, and as always I’m looking for ways to get rid Of it!! I’ve found that dipping a q-tip in rubbing alcohol and applying to the cold sore helps to dry it out, also carmex works well for me too! But lysine seems to be the way to go! Thanks to all of you I’m gonna start taking it daily and hopefully improve my outbreaks! Thanks again!
MR
Dear Brian L-It can take anywhere between 7-10 days to heal. It will heal faster on the L-Lysine but only by a few days. I would say between 5-6 days. It is not a problem if it scabbed over with blood. This is common because when the sore is dry and you move your mouth a certain way, it will crack the healing scab and cause it to bleed. When it does bleed, I find that it take a little extra time to heal but not by much. I would ice it and continue using the L-Lysine and it will heal in no time. There isn’t much else you can do about it so it is best to just accept it. I know how embarrassing it can be to have one. Most outsiders who do not get it, do not care as much as we think they do. There is no sense in being stressed about it since that is one of the triggers anyway. I hope that helps. :-)
Brian L.
I have a question about my cold sore. I’ve had it for about a week, and I’ve been trying to research about how much longer it would take to heal. I’ve seen online that a cold sore scabs over with the yellow crust, however mine scabbed over with blood. Should I be worried, or is this something that makes the healing time longer? Please advise.
Den
I have a question about l-lysine and would appreciate any input. I take warfarin to thin my blood for a stroke that I had in Nov. and the blood test in late Dec. showed that my blood had gotten thicker and the person who tells me how much warfarin to take said that it was because of the l-lysine that I took for my cold sore in mid Dec. had made my blood thicker. Is there any truth to this claim ?
Ken B. T.
When I was six or so the dentist gave me an awful dark orange liquid to cover the lip and protect it from the sun. Not until a pharmacist assistant put me on to L-Lysine did I really find relief. Now I try to remember to take 500 mg of L-Lysine from late Feb til Labor Day and unless I get a very high dose of sun the breakouts are nil If I slip up a triple dose for a couple of days and the a double dose will subside the outbreak. Doubling up if you suspect a fattening of the lip helps too. Good Luck loved this site Ken
C-NYC
L-lysine is a life saver both as a preventive and for treatment, but with the 1500mg I take daily maintenence,(would get CS often, once a month) I also take a good naturally food based multi-vitamin. Food based means the body will absorb certain vitamins and minerals that chem derived vitamins won’t. The body needs that little extra boost, as these little suckers pop up when the body is under emotional or physical(cold/flu) stress. The vitamin B family is very important, as it helps the body deal with that stress, as well as a good C suppliment. My regimen is 3 Super Lysine + pills, Rainbow Light Just Once Multi, and one Ester-C. I haven’t had a cold sore in a few years since I started this, not even a tingle! And I eat all the no-no’s, chocolate, nuts, etc!
BL60
I am just now trying L-lysine. I have always used 100% aloe vera gel before this. It works wonders, you rub a little on the spot from the first tingle and reapply 3-4 times a day. It will keep the cold sore from erupting, it will just get a little scab and will go away.
BV803
I have a cold sore on my bottom lip now and it is driving me crazy. It showed up on Saturday and today is now Friday and it is STILL here :(. 2 of my co workers told me to try taking some Lysine so I came upon this website to do some research and so far these people have convinced me to give it a try. I really hope it works. I will pick some up on my way home from work and see what happens.
C Davis
It’s PECANS I have to avoid. Cold, windy weather also seems to trigger fever blisters for me. Luckily, mega-dosing on L-lysine generally works to push the virus back down, especially if I catch it at the early “tingling” stage.
By mega-dosing, I mean start with 2 or 3 1000mg L-lysine tablets 3 or 4 times the first day, then once the tingling subsides, go to 1 tablet 3 times a day for a couple of more days. This has worked for me for over 15 years.
This winter, however, although the L-lysine kept me from a breakout, the tingling has not completely gone away.
My doctor suggested Acyclovir 400mg 3 times a day, and although the tingling stops for a while, it invariably comes back. So far, though, no break out.
I am so thankful that we’ve found a way to avoid the break-outs. They were just horrible. Just hope those of you out there who are still suffering can find something that works.
terrance
I’ve been getting cold sores since i was a baby thanks to my mom and sister kissing me whom both get cold sores. I’m in my 30’s now and I can attest to diet and proper rest being the number 1 preventor. When I slack and eat a lot of peanuts and chocalate or caffine I get cold sores within a few days.
I started taking lysine a few years ago and didn’t have a breakout for almost 2years. I don’t know the long term-affects of this supplement but I know it actually helps. I have a cold sore now because I’m stressed and haven’t been taking the supplement. If there was a shot I could take to rid my body of this annoying herpes I would take a mortage to pay for it.
Good luck sufferers
NN
Lysine has made a huge difference in the number of cold sores I get. I used to get about 2 – 3 cold sores on my lip per year. I feel so self conscious and gross when one turns up. I last had a cold sore about 21 months ago after which I started taking Lysine (500 to 1000 mg) every day. Today I am getting the tingling on my lip and seeing something emerge and taking a ton of Lysine hoping to ward it off but I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. But if Lysine has got me down to an outbreak almost every 2 years, I can’t complain.
JD
I am 24 I have had cold sores usually 2 to 3 times a year since I can remember. It’s more than just an annoyance. When I have a festering wound on my lip my life comes to a screeching halt. I can’t go anywhere and I work at a restaurant as a bartender so every second is agony. It’s the worst part of my life for sure.
Since I can remember I have been searching everywhere high and low for remedies and I have come across so many different ideas. From regular doses of apple cider vinegar, to regular doses of fresh garlic, to echinacea and goldenseal, some even suggested ether. I used to carry abreva with me everywhere and lysine lip balm and garlic pills and lysine pills.
I used to go to the whole foods market and get raw organic garlic and just eat it whole in hopes of suppressing the virus. Nothing has ever worked as good as what I have been doing for the past year or so.
I have had only one but it was when I tried stopping to see what would happen and it was in a spot I have never had it and of lesser severity than usual. I know this is going to sound gross but for some crazy reason ear wax has been the single solution that I have grown to trust. After me trying everything is desperation to help control my outbreaks rubbing a little of my own ear wax has proven to be most effective.
I also take Lysine in moderation about 500mg a day… double to 1000mg if I feel very stressed or if I get a sunburn or just feel that tingle. I still got them on occasion when I was only using Lysine but now since I use a combination of the two I haven’t had one in at least a year which is a crazy long time for me. Study up on amino acids and how people infected with the HC1 virus produce lower amounts of this amino acid. Also check out http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111130100526.htm
There is hope
TG
I’m 27 years old and I’ve been getting a cold sore every month for the past year. I hate them! two days ago I felt a tingling sensation on my lip and almost cried because I was hoping not to get one before the holidays. I ordered some L-lysine and as soon as I felt the tingling sensation I took two pills, and it works like magic I still can feel the tingling sensation but I didn’t get an outbreak and its almost gone in only two days. I also stopped drinking coffee for tow months and that also seemed to help prevent the outbreaks, but as soon as started drinking coffee again I got an outbreak. So definitely cutting down caffeine intake and taking l-lysine helps a great deal.
Den
Hello, I have been taking l-lysine for years to help me with cold sores and it really seems to help. A month ago I had a stroke and have been monitoring my INR numbers and they have been low 1.6 to 1.8 . My people who are monitoring the amount of warfarin I take to control numbers, want the numbers to be 2.0 to 3.0 and all of a sudden the number is 1.3. I have been taking 1000mg of l-lysine a day for three days to help the cold sore that is trying to develop. They think the l-lysine is making the number lower. Do you have any thoughts on this issue?.
e.p.
I have never had a cold sore until married. My husband doesn’t seem to get sores but gets a really swollen lip, with no sore. His says his previous wife got them all the time and that he didn’t. Yeah, I smell a rat. Meaning, I think he does get them to a degree. Perhaps, not as bad as she or I do–now.
I got the first, a few years ago, around the holidays of winter. Yet again, I have one. For me, the indulging in cookies and sugar seems to have lowered my immune system some. Paired with poor sleep, it was the perfect storm.
Trying the Lysine now. As well as Abreeva. For mental clarity, some red wine. I toast you all with fat lips. It’s temporary. It’s ugly. I’ll live.
Somebody needs to drum up some research grant money and get this annoyance sorted out. It’s 2011.
matt
Really u need 2 use topical abreva liberally and frequently!!!! along with lysine pills. trust me it helps. Keep yourself hydrated w/ drinking lotsa water. Avoid any nuts, bread, caffeine or chocolate. Try 2 find ur trigger for these outbreaks for the future and stick with taking daily lysine 500-1000mg. See a dermatologist 2 for god sakes. I feel bad 4 u. I’m not a dr. Just a paramedic that gets occasional cold sores after getting sick like 2day but I’m already on top of it. :) hope this helps u…. matt- 12/11/11
mary
In the late 1970s/early 1980s, a close nurse friend of mine passed along info a pharmacist had given her regarding l-lysine and the findings of a researcher who had “accidentally” noted that the petri dish that did not continue to grow its herpes virus had been treated with the lysine. My nurse friend found it very helpful in the treatment of her own cold sores, so I joined the band wagon and also had astounding success with dosages exactly like those already reported. The question I have now is whether the lysine might also be helpful in treating sinus infections? Anyone know anything about this? I’d love to hear.
joe g
I have used lysine for over 25 years and it has been very effective to either prevent cold sores or if taken daily to eliminate them entirely.
Also effective is acidolpus. I have not used it recently but it was also very effective.
Of the two I have used lysine more often because it is a tablet… no need to use over the counter or prescriptive drugs unless this does not work.
ps I just used it two days ago and it reaffirmed my belief of the “cure” by using this supplement.
VW
I don’t get cold sores that show on my lips. Instead I get blisters, peeling & rashes in my mouth that makes playing my brass instrument difficult. I didn’t know these symptoms could be related to cold sores until my last breakout when a dentist suggested I try lysine. I took 1000mg at bedtime & 1000mg the next morning & again at noon. I also took large doses of vitamin C w/ bioflavanoids & some echinacea. I had chills & low grade fever until about 3 or 4 PM. By 5PM I was symptom free and able to perform well that evening.
Cath
I am a diabetic and the tablets I take cause very upset stomachs and diarrhea, so have started taking Glutamine, which has been fantastic and a life saver. What I want to know is if Glutamine can cause cold sores, and if it is compatible with L lysine? I have just had pneumonia, and a lot of stress, which usually could cause a cold sore, but just need to check about Glutamine, please
People’s Pharmacy response: It is being studied as a way to prevent cold sores:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00913692
Perhaps by this time next year the findings will be announced and we’ll know if it works for that. No indication it would cause cold sores.
hv
I also get the occasional cold sore. Maybe twice to three times a year. I was recommended to take Lysine by someone at CVS. They said 3000mg on the day you feel it. Then for three days after at 3000mg. I also take 100mg every once in awhile. I never thought about taking 500mg once a day. Lysine is amazing and I rarely get them now. I started getting small cold sores when I was young and wish I heard about lysine back then.
WJA
I am now 44 years old and have had cold sores as long as I can remember. It does make me feel better to read about all of the stories that sound so familiar. My aggravators are definitely stress, sun and I think red wine.
When I was younger, I used to apply the prescription cream zovirax (sp?) which tasted terrible and never really seemed to work. A few years ago I discovered Abreva, and if I was able to apply it right at the tingle, I would almost never have a full blown blister. I would still get the cold sore, but it was not as severe as before (where my whole lip used to swell up terrible with blisters, they were now just smaller red bumps).
I also do believe in the Lysine. I don’t take it daily (but I think I might start), but when I feel one coming on, I will take 1000 mg immediately and then take a 500 mg every few hours. Then I’ll take about 1500 mg for a few days after. I also saw on the comments that ice works, and I think this is true. I was out of town and forgot my abreva once, so I ended up putting ice cubes on the sore for about 30 minutes. I continued a few times afterwards with the ice, and the sore never really erupted. Good luck everyone! I know how much these things SUCK!!
sandy
Hi.
I started taking 500mg of l-lysine a day 2 years ago. I used to get a cold sore almost every month. It didn’t help right away… maybe a month or 2. But after it got built up in my system, I think I’ve only had like 3 of them. Those were when I slacked off on taking it daily and they weren’t nearly as bad. If I start feeling poorly or go through stress, I double up.
L-lysine has worked wonders for me.
Good Luck.
God Bless.
PB
I discovered L Lysine several years ago. I used to get bad cold sores when I was under stress or too much sun or very sick. Now when any of those things are going on I take L Lysine for a day or 2. If I forget and feel the tingling of a cold sore I take 2 tabs, if I am away and don’t have it or don’t notice until I get a blister starting, I get some and take it asap and the cold sore stops in it’s tracks. They used to be huge. Now if I get one at all it is just the tiniest of blisters and never very deep. I don’t care what anyone says, it works, you can believe it.
fg
I’ve have herpes breakouts ever since I started dating my husband, that’s 20 years. Someone I worked with told me about L-Lysine. It’s a wonder treatment!! I take it when I first feel the tingling. I only take 1500 mgs 3 times a day. The herpes never breaks out!! If I miss the signs and I actually get a cold sore, I take it and the healing starts immediately. The sore dries up and stops hurting right away. I recommend this to all my friends and co-workers and now we all swear by it.
RES
I just woke up with the worst cold sore of my life! I have a high level of stress in my life right now so I am guessing that is the cause. I have been a cold sore sufferer all of my life like many of you (28yrs). I get them right on the center of my bottom lip so they stand out quite a bit. Just looking in the mirror stresses me out even more since I have a job that requires me to deal with the public regularly. I have just heard about the L-Lysine formula and I went out and got the tablets as well as the cream. I also was just prescribed valtrex. Hopefully this will get rid of the sore quickly.
Usually I just ride out the sore until it heals itself but that can sometimes take weeks. I decided to be proactive with this one, it’s actually a cluster of sores that have combined into a large one, because it is so gross. I know this site is for remedies but reading these posts actually helps knock the stress out a bit. Hopefully the l-lysine works. I will update if it does to help anyone else who comes across this site. Good luck to all.
SM
Good to read all the comments. I became a cold sore sufferer after I got married!! Thanks hubby!! HA! He has been a terrible cold sore sufferer most of his life, and now, so am I. Mine are not the little blisters on the lip, mine swell up to at least double the size of my lip. I look completely disfigured. About 15 years ago (I am now 50 – I’ve been a cold sore sufferer for 25 years now – married 25 years!), while traveling, one erupted over night.
I was stuck hosting a group of young students on a day trip. In desperation, I went to a small, home-owned local pharmacy looking for something – ANYTHING to help. An old, kind pharmacist came around the counter, took me aside and told me about L-Lysine. I swore I’d take it for the rest of my life. I told my husband about it and in the past 15 years, he has not had one single cold sore!
When he feels a tingle, he, too, at LEAST triples his daily 500mg dosage, sometimes even more and it never erupts. In the last 15 years, I’ve had three. I’m suffering from the third now. All three have come as a result of high stress. I tell anyone who has ears about L-Lysine. But it seems to me the secret is the daily “build-up” of this amino acid.
I had forgotten to take it for the last couple of weeks – dumb in the heavy stress we are in right now. So, I am not surprised I look like ‘The Lip Woman from Outerspace’ today! L-Lysine works for me and my family!
Astbury. C
Hi, I have had Cold sores since I was about 5, I’m now 30 unlike most people I have them either on the inside of my thighs or on my left eye only. As you can imagine I look like I have been boxing when it comes on my eye it turns blood shot and swells awful, I try and stay indoors as people look at my husband like he has hit me very embarrassing.
Well anyway I usually get cold sores every 6 – 12 months but since taking 1000mg Lysine tablet everyday I haven’t had one for 1 1/2 years and I think I only have one now because I am 8 weeks pregnant and have stopped taken them in case it harms the baby. So I think they have worked for me and also I have noticed this time I am 3 days into the coldsore and it is already dead and all redness in my eye in nearly gone, so I think it has also helped with my recovery time. Well recommended for all sufferers to try.
Rer
Hey guys. I feel your pain. I’m 23 but get cold sores almost every month since I was young. One time I even had 4 on my bottom lip, and on picture day no less. I have used everything from over the counter to prescription but nothing works better than ice. Once I feel one coming on I put ice on almost every hour for about 4 hours. Many times I stop it completely but sometimes it still happens but always for a lesser time. I have never tried lysine so I will now. Just remember to drink a lot of water, use tons of ice and keep yourself cool and calm. The more you stress the worse it gets. Good luck :)
Antropia L.
I have also found that lemon balm herb helps cold sores. You can find it as a topical salve or if you have access to the herb you can apply a leaf directly to the sore.
jf
I have a cold sore now. My doctor prescribed Xerese.It is a new medicine that fights cold sores. I will take it in addition to the L-Lysine tablets and the L-Lysine cream. I hope it helps. If anyone else has heard of Xerese please let me know.
PEOPLE’S PHARMACY RESPONSE: THIS IS A NEW COMBINATION OF TWO OLD DRUGS, ACYCLOVIR AND HYDROCORTISONE. THERE’S EVERY REASON TO EXPECT IT TO HELP.
Mary
I have had cold sores all of my life and so I’ve discovered a few tips and tricks on how to prevent them as best I can.
First of all, if you get cold sores often, pay attention to whether you eat a lot of tomatoes or tomato sauce products (e.g-spaghetti sauce, tomato sauce, tomato soup, etc). Cooked tomato types sauces will cause outbreaks. If you have it one evening it’ll be fine, however if you eat let’s say spaghetti sauce 3 days in a row, you will increase your chance at getting a cold sore.
I discovered this when my husband made this delicious tomato soup and for 3 months after that I had never gotten so many cold sores. It was ridiculous. I got one right after another and for me that was crazy because I typically got them 2-3 times a year. So my advice is to stay away from tomato sauce products. You can look it up online as well, because others mention the same thing.
My second treatment is that at first sign of tingling, I hold ice on the spot for 20-30 minutes. This has a huge impact on the virus. It won’t get as big and it will end sooner.
I also take L-Lysine just because everyone else seems to talk about it. I do not know how well this works but hopefully it does something.
I hope this helps some of you. I know how frustrating colds sores can be.
DD
Over five decades ago my niece began getting cold-sores on her mouth and nose. She was a young girl and hated it. Her Dr. gave her a new small pox vaccination and they never came back.
Since that is no longer available, I have had great success with L-lysine and also an ointment with L-lysine directly applied to sore helps to speed up the results. Works great and have some others say that to use ointment and oral L-lysine on shingles really helped. These conditions are a type of virus.
It is my experience that even if the sore is already obvious for some days, the L-lysine and ointment will hasten the healing and ease the pain. If started immediately upon the “tingle”, it has prevented a full blown sore. Best to you all.
Bean
I have a cold sore in the corner of my mouth and have had it for about a couple weeks now, I just recently got two more (one above the first and another in the other corner of my mouth). I’m very interested in this Lysine stuff. But will it work even if the cold sores have been there a while and have already busted open?
sick of sores
I am nearly 32 years old and I have had at least one outbreak a year on my nose. My grandmother said her mother would get them on her nose, however, my grandmother and mother have them on their mouth often. Here I sit, typing this with yet another outbreak. Not just a couple, but 17 small blisters surrounding my nasal openings. I’m so sick of these.
I have l-lysine and I am going to start it. Maybe it’s too late for this outbreak, but I vow before God I will never miss a dose once I start this regimen. Thank you for the posts… Excellent to hear I’m not the only one and best wishes for a speedy recovery for each and every cold sore victim!
LaVonda
th
My 11 year old son gets the occasional cold sore — right under his nose. The one he has now is following a cold. I had him start to take l-lysine yesterday evening (double dose). This goes along with using Abreva and a home remedy of Ivory soap/campophenique (sp?).
The location of his cold sores are very embarrassing because they are under his nose and it looks like a “you know what!” After this cold sore clears up, I plan on having him take one dose a day. God Bless!
DB
I have suffered from disfiguring cold sores since I was a child. Fewer outbreaks now as an adult. I have never found Lysine to work for me. I have a prescription from a dermatologist that I keep on hand to use only if I have an important meeting, event etc as it is a steroid I believe. He advised that although the prescription says to take all the medication, one or two tablets might allay the symptoms right off the bat. Apparently, suppressing the virus is not the best thing to do all the time.
Mary
My husband takes 1000mg daily and it keeps the cold sores to a minimum of maybe one every other month… I only take it if I feel the tingle and a slight bump on my lip, and then take 1000mg for two days and it never erupts, just goes quietly away…
sca
I have been taking L-lysene and B-12 for more than 20 years for mouth ulcers. Was having an awful problem with the ulcers…very painful. Someone I worked with told me that this treatment worked for his wife, so I tried it and it has been very beneficial. I figured that I didn’t need it anymore and stopped taking it for a week and the mouth ulcers came back, so I take it without fail each day.
emily
I was just passing through the site and read your comment: I take 1 dose of 1000mg lysine every morning, cold sore or no cold sore, and I’ve only gotten 2 cold sores for the whole of 2009. So I don’t think it will damage you to take it daily.
WON
I’ve also suffered with cold sores for a number of years now. I seem to get them at the tail end of a cold or flu right on the end of my nose. Not only was it horrible but embarrassing. Like many of you I recently stumbled across L-lysine as a possible solution. The last few colds I’ve had I’ve not gotten a cold sore… knock on wood… so, so far so good. I take 1000mg daily as a precaution. When I get sick (I don’t wait until I feel a core sore coming on) I triple the dosage for the few days I’m sick and then go back to the 1000mg daily. I know it may not be for all but neither is “skydiving”. What works for some doesn’t work for others.
NLA
I have shingles the first time and just heard of L-lysine. Been taking 500mg after failure of the prescription meds, hope they help.
jm
Does anyone else get SUPER self conscious about cold sores? I started getting them after I had mono about 8 years ago. And at first I would get them all the time and now it’s about twice a year, maybe three times. I take L-Lysine every single day because, well, if there is anything that will help, I will try it. I am not sure why it makes me feel icky that I even get them. Any thoughts?
carolinagirl
I have a cold sore now as big as a nickel right under my lower lip. It is as hideous as anything can be. I can’t remember the last time I had one, but I’ve noticed that I will get one at extremely stressful times in my life. I bought some L-Lysine Wed and have been taking 500 mg 2x a day. I hope it works.
I’m also using Abreva. I felt the tingling on Monday and Tue a.m. it was full blown breakout. The bad thing is it was mine and my son’s birthday this week and I will not leave the house so I missed out on our birthday plans :0( Yes, its really that bad.
Bill
Wow! Your comments makes me realize that some people have far worse problems with cold sores than others. I had cold sores from when I was very young. In my case 500mgs a day has worked. Obviously, you have a tougher problem. At least we know that L lysene is a help. Bill
Sandi S.
I am also a fellow cold sore sufferer. I have been taking L-Lisine daily now for the past 20+ years. While it does not prevent an out break, I still get maybe one or two tops, per year and that is better than one a month! I also double up when I feel one coming on. Normally I take 3 500mg tablets a day. I also have the capsules that I use if I should get a cold sore, I open it up and mix with either water or hydrogen peroxide to make a paste and put it on over night, that helps to lessen the life of the cold sore. You can also crush the tablets, it is just easier with the capsules.
Mim
Do you take l lysine every day, even when you don’t have tingling? I had always waited till I felt the sign of one coming on before I started on high doses of l lysene. Am wondering if taking it daily would help have less cold sores. How much should one take on a daily basis when no symptoms are present?
William Murphy
Around 1985, I was at a Doctors office for a checkup. It so happened that at the time I had a cold sore. I asked the Doctor if there was anything that I could take to relieve the cold sore. He told me he didn’t know of anything to relieve it but I should take 500 mgs a day of L Lysene and not to eat any walnuts. I started taking the L Lysene and to this day, I have never had a single cold sore. By the way, I eat walnuts all the time.
etw
I have also found the Lysine cream in a tube to work great! It’s in the lip balm section at the drugstore.
abigail
Lysine is very effective against another form of herpes – Shingles. I have had shingles more than once along different nerve lines. The most effective treatment for me is Lysine. If I feel that odd tingling and itching that precede a full blown shingles episode, I start with 1000 mg of Lysine and then go to 500 mg several times a day.
Use a reliable brand of this amino acid. Avoid foods like wheat, nuts, chocolate and avoid peanut butter. They are high in the amino acid arginine. Lysine in the higher dose, 1000 mg. is also effective against the nerve pain that can follow a shingles outbreak.