Loading...Q. I have a cold sore, for which my doctor prescribed Xerese. It is a new medicine for cold sores.
I will take it in addition to L-lysine tablets and L-lysine cream. I hope it helps. What should I know about it?
A. This new cream is a combination of two old drugs, acyclovir and hydrocortisone. It should be applied at the first sign of a cold sore to speed healing. Since acyclovir is an antiviral drug active against herpes simplex 1 virus that causes cold sores and hydrocortisone eases inflammation and helps skin heal, it should be helpful. If the sore does not clear up within two weeks, check back with your physician.
Many readers find that L-lysine helps to prevent cold sores, but there are other home remedies. They include buttermilk, acidophilus and lemon balm, along with other home remedies.
Betty
I am 57 and have suffered from cold sores since I was a child. I have tried every homemade remedy and preventative, every OTC med known to man, and while some might lessen the pain of the outbreak, the only sure way to prevent them is going to a real doctor and getting a prescription for Valtrex and Xerese. You must take them immediately at the first tingle to get the best results. Until going to the doctor I used to spend days hiding inside, icing up the sore, applying abreva, witch hazel, peroxide, toothpaste, tea tree oil, salt & water paste mixtures, ear wax, baking soda, aloe, milk, lysene supplements, vitamin E. You name it, I tried it.
None of these things truly worked. THe only thing that really helped was going to a doctor. I used to only take Valtrex, but sometimes I took it too late & the cold sore still was visible. Once that happens, even though small, you always go to that dreaded blister then scabbing phase which is the worst part. But since my doctor prescribed the Xerese, that entire phase is gone. THe cold sore no longer gets to that blister stage & stops growing immediately.
Most of the time, it goes away completely but sometimes I get a tiny raised bump which also disappears in a day or two. Honestly, this duo of Valtrex/Xerese cream is like a miracle to me. Do yourself a favor and go to a dr for these meds. Oh yes & always, always use sun block in the area you are prone to cold sores. For me it can be anywhere from under the nose to the lip.
mindy
I suffer from cold sores on a fairly regular basis and am trying everything I can to prevent/treat them. I read somewhere that L-lysine naturally occurs in Milk and should be taken daily along with L-lysine tablets to treat cold sores. Here’s my question does anyone know if Lactaid contains L-lysine? I am lactose intolerant and don’t really like milk but am more than willing to drink Lactaid if it will help. I just cant seem to find any info.
Kate
I also have and do suffer from years of cold sores, usually once or twice a year before the onset of a cold. I read somewhere years ago, however, that the sores need warmth to grow and applying an ice cube directly on the spot will stop it – and the pain, I might add! This absolutely does work and the sooner applied the better. No medications needed!
DaB
I have had cold sores most of my life and have tried most of the “cures” with no help, except for vitamin C which has made them scarce. I don’t remember where I even heard of zinc oxide (not tablets) for this malady, or maybe I just found it by accident or desperation. Anyway, at first sign of cold sore, I dab on some zinc oxide ointment, which apparently dries it up. In any case, they are usually gone by the next day, without really being visible. I keep several tubes around at the ready, though a tube will last you a life time if you don’t misplace it.
pb
As a long-time sufferer of cold sores, I have it down to an art, and through much trial and error over the years, have confirmed the triple threat treatment. I’ve cut the duration of my sores down from 3 weeks (when I first started getting them they were much worse. My doc says they get less severe over time) to about 4-5 days.
As soon as you feel the sore coming—
a pause here for you sore newbies. “Feeling the sore coming” when you first start having outbreaks is 80% of the battle, and, unfortunately, this premonition only grows sharper over time with more outbreaks. You really have to have a few years’ experience to tune in to this feeling. Sometimes it’s a tingle on the lip. For me, it’s gum pain on the right side of my mouth and a weird sharp pain in my jaw. Anyway, when you get a cold sore, tune in to the first symptom. Early is better. And yes, sometimes you will catch it early enough to keep it from coming up AT ALL, but that is a very rare gift. What you’re mostly concerned about here is shortening duration from tingle to finish. If you follow the plan below, you will be shocked how a sore that threatens to take over your mouth on a Wednesday is actually almost invisible by Saturday.
—start taking lysine. I typically take 2K mg to start and then 1K every 6 hours. I do NOT take a lysine supplement daily, because then your body expects it and if you have to miss it even a day, the drop in level can give you an outbreak. Don’t build up your tolerance by taking it every day, reserve it for outbreaks. There’s no point in taking it longer than 4-5 days. By then you’re just dealing with the sore aftermath. Drink tons of water! Most cold sores are due to dehydration.
Then do the 1-2-3 treatment. 1) ice it for about a minute at least 4 times per day. The cold inhibits the virus.This makes a huge difference. 2) apply Bactine with a cotton ball or Qtip (Bactine has the same ingredients as Viroxyn which costs ridiculous money for 6 tiny vials. Same ingredient, same %, $6–make sure you put it only on the sore or it will irritate the surrounding skin and make it look twice as big) let it dry and 3) skim coat with Abreva. Abreva has two advantages over all other topical ointments—it actually dries and secures the sore to your lip (you want to keep it ON as long as possible, no matter how ugly it gets) and it decreases the swollen look by kind of “shrinking” the skin and muting the bright redness.
The road is tough. I can’t tell you how many times I “forgot” I had a sore and bumped my lip, tearing the scab off and having to start all over. It’s a frustrating malady because you have to wear it right on your face where everyone sees it. Remember, it’s temporary! There are many people on this planet that everyday carry a permanent deformity through life. Don’t be so vain to suffer a dime-sized scab on your lip when there are people starving in this world. Keep it in perspective ;)
Greg B.
A combination of L-lysine, zinc and B-1 has proven for me anyways, a very effective combination for a variety of ailments including cold sores, colds, influenza and shingles if taken soon enough. My theory is these ailments only occur when your immune system is compromised and this combination boost or strengthens the immune system.
The second time I had shingles, I went to my doctor, he confirmed it, prescribed the usual mostly ineffective stuff and I went home and tried this triple combination instead. I did treat it topically with tea tree oil. By the second day, the shingles had disappeared.
MW
Lysine is an essential amino acid: it is not made by humans. You must acquire it through your diet.
A typical dose for controlling herpes is 300 to 1200 mg a day, and restricting consumption of arginine-rich foods (dairy, beef, pork, poultry, game, seafood, gelatin, wheat, oats, peanuts, nuts, seeds, chickpeas, cooked soybeans).
(Altern Med Rev. 2006 Jun;11(2):93-101. Natural remedies for Herpes simplex. Gaby AR.)
BT
I take 1000mg Vit C on a daily basis. If I forget to take it for a few days (usually a week) then I get a cold sore. I think it has something to do with Vit C enhancing the immune system thereby keeping the virus contained.
R.H.
My cold sores have moved from the corner of my mouth outside, to blisters on the roof of my mouth along the side of my teeth in a row. I have been taking Calcium Lactate and it seemed to help except this outbreak it did not. Has anyone else had this problem, Is there nothing topical you can put in your mouth that helps the blisters are very sore and makes it hard to eat normal food.
Thank you R.H.
william Inman
Aloe works for us, it is also great to take the sting out of sunburn…
MJK.
ref/ your column on cold sores, at one time I was bothered with cold sores, on a visit to my dentist, with a very bad one, he had just been at a conference and heard this info. If you use tooth paste without sodium lauryl sulfate it will help. you have to search to find it, but it really works. hope this helps someone. jayne
Barb
I discovered that applying the gel from a freshly cut aloe leaf (a magical plant!)all day long at the first sign of a cold sore knocked it out in a couple of days. Since it’s worked 3 times in a row, I’m seriously interested in knowing if anyone else has tried this. I figured if it magically removes pain and redness from a burn, why not try it on my sore lip, and sure enough, it did the trick.
JAM
Hi! I have had cold sores for the last 20 yrs.(job stress). The dentist had suggested to take a L-Lysine tablet daily,(he said it is an amino acid that the body produces & I don’t make enough of it.) Since, I have taken a tablet daily no more cold sores. A remedy that worked for me is swishing sour kraut & its juice.
I will keep that “Xerese” in mind in the future. Thanks for the info.