It's just the worst. Maybe it's picture day at school, maybe you have an important business meeting, or maybe you have a job interview... and you wake up with a cold sore. Yep, all those things have happened to me. I've been getting cold sores, also known as fever blisters, since I was in the 5th grade and while I realize I'm being slightly melodramatic, they are the WORST!
No, this is not a glamorous topic to blog about, but I really wish someone had shared this information with me a long time ago. I've tried just about every over-the-counter drug and home remedy out there and nothing worked for me... until a couple years ago. Oh what a glorious day. My sister-in-law told me she takes something called Lysine and hadn't gotten a fever blister in several years.
The next time I got that awful tingly feeling in my lip, I ran to the drugstore and picked up a bottle of Lysine (found in the Vitamin and Herbal Supplement aisle). I was shocked and so relieved by the results. Did it magically make my cold sore disappear? No. But it did drastically speed up the healing process. I am by no means a doctor nor do I know much about who should or shouldn't be taking Lysine.
What I do know is Lysine is the only thing that has worked to heal my fever blisters quickly.
The recommended dosage is 1000 mg per day if you're taking the supplement over a long period of time. While that would probably prevent the recurrence of fever blisters, I don't have the discipline to take it everyday. As soon as I start feeling one coming up, I take three (yes, three) 1000 mg pills with each of my meals. While 9000 mg a day may seem a bit over the top, the research I found confirmed that it was completely safe in order to treat the herpes virus.
I also found this Lysine balm to treat on contact in addition to the supplement. While I haven't noticed much of a difference by applying this, it does help sooth the irritation, and you can apply it liberally as needed.
When I used to get cold sores, the total time it lasted was nearly two weeks, from the first tingly feeling to no signs of a scab. Two weeks ago, I got my first fever blister in two years, and it lasted only 5 days. On the 6th day, there was no sign of a scab or anything.
I would recommend checking with your doctor before consuming a large amount of Lysine, but this is the only thing that has worked for me. I hope it works for you, too!
xoxo.
