COLD SORES.

[nuttynannie1947]

I am having a real run of cold sores. Is there anyone else out there having the same problem? How serious are cold sores? What should I be doing to help myself? I have been taking Lysine and have cream to put on them but not sure this is helping much. I'm sick of having unkissable lips!!!!! Another question. Is chemo brain a real condition? Does this improve with time? It is 6 months since I finished chemo. I appreciate all the information that is available on this site. It gives me confidence that I'm alote more informed than I could be. Everyone live, love and laugh lots. Nuttynannie

[AussieNeil Partner Administrator]

I can't help you with the cold sore problem, but "chemobrain" is slowly being recognised as real and there is even a possible mechanism that could explain it. It generally does improve over time, but that's little compensation if you are struggling with it. Here are a few past posts on the topic:

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo....

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

healthunlocked.com/cllsuppo...

Nearly all of the research into chemobrain has been done on breast cancer patients that have had chemotherapy, but note that one of the drugs implicated in animal studies is cyclophosphamide, the 'C' in FCR. Also animal studies found that exercise helped.

Neil

[swineherd]

Hi ther e nuttynannie ! Im sorry to hear about your coldsores...they are so painful. I have had trouble with them over the years so know a little bit .also I have been researching shingles ,a related virus ,for an aunt. Yes lysine is good . Do you know to limit your intake of chocolate and nuts as they contain an amino acid which promotes the virus.Can't just recall the name but an internet search should pull up a list of foods to avoid...(It always seems to be the yummy ones ! ) For shingles ...vit b12 is recommended so it may help you too....also olive leaf extract has good antiviral properties. Just check compatability with any meds but it is generally pretty safe I think ..best of luck

[nvp815]

I have a suggestion for your cold sores that you might want to try. Throughout my life, during periods of high stress or illness, that annoying throbbing on my lip would begin and I knew I was in for a week of an unsightly cold sore. Since being diagnosed with CLL, almost two years ago, I have gotten cold sores about three times. I began looking for natural remedies and came upon an article suggesting crushing a clove of garlic and I mean really crushing it well and making a sort of paste out of it. You then apply the garlic paste directly onto the cold sore. Just a warning, this causes a burning sensation, but well worth the slight discomfort, because it works like a charm in drying out the cold sore. Leave the paste on for 5 to 10 minutes and then rinse off with cool water. You can do it twice a day for two days, but honestly I have never had to do it for more than one day. After one or two applications the cold sore is dry, and the throbbing and pain are gone. I wish I had known about this years ago. No prescriptions required - just a visit to the grocery store if you don't have any fresh garlic in the pantry!! Hope you have the same success with this as I have.

[nuttynannie1947]

THANK YOU EVERY ONE FOR YOUR HELP ON COLDSORES AND CHEMO BRAIN. MUCH APPRECIATED.

[ccm47]

I get cold sores every time I get ill with something else. Last winter I went to the chemist for Zovirax but forgot its name so asked for what they had. The chemist questioned me a bit and then told me to go to my doctor and ask for an emergency appointment . I felt a fraud doing this but my doctor was quite content, 3 hours later I had a tube of cream which is double the strength of Zovirax. The sores thus clear up at normal speed. Sorry I can't give you the name, I didn't bring it with me on holiday.

The hospital has also advised me to put Vaseline on my lips whenever they feel dry or am going out in the sun.

[nuttynannie1947 in reply to ccm47]

THANKS ccm47. GREAT TO HEAR WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE.

[nancyjo]

hi nuttynannie,

i too got a lot of cold sores during chemo, mostly in the same place on my lip. at that time i used and use valacyclover (which is zovirax). my prescription is for 1GM three times a day. it works. be careful though if you are getting the sores in the same place as me. i finally went to my skin doctor after chemo because my oncologist who i dearly loved yet he never said anything about my lip when i asked and just gave me the prescription. when i fianlly went to the dermatoligist i found out i had basel cell cancer and had to have thirty stitches! yikes! i had that done by a plastic surgeon. so i would say go to a dermatologist and have it checked out - skin cancer is one of the side effects from CLL and chemo is one of the ways it lowers our immune system to skin skin cancer. i am very prone on my face and have it regualry checked. xo

[nuttynannie1947]

HI NANCYJO. MANY THANKS FOR THAT. I HAVE A MOLEMAP EVERY 6MTHS, SO I WILL CHECK ON THAT. I GET COLDSORES IN MY NOSE TO. THEY ARE HORRIBLE THINGS EH?...YOU TAKE CARE. X

[Cllcanada Top Poster CURE Hero]

Good old Herpes viruses... the plague of mankind... they live in us for life...

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Her...

[Hidden]

my hema-oncologist has me on 800 mg of acyclovir, 400mg in morning and 400mg at night. it's an anti-viral drug. been doing this for 7 or 8 years. seems to work fine and no side effects for me.