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Lysine for Coldsores

Posted , 40 users are following.

frankie59542
frankie59542

I don't know if anyone will find this useful, but for around the last 3 years of my life, I had been getting coldsores monthly, sometimes twice a month. I've always had coldsores for as long as I can remember, but I was beginning to get them more and more often, and although it sounds dramatic, it was really affecting me. I would be waiting for one to clear and as soon as it had nearly gone a new one would appear. I ended up in a cycle of worrying about coldsores which I believe may have brought them on, but because they would then happen it would just make me worry more. I became very paranoid and irritable and irrational, I went to the doctor and had blood tests to try and find out why I was getting them so regularly, but they came back with nothing.

Someone then told me about taking L-Lysine to prevent them. I found Lysine which is a herbal supplement and bought some which I was taking - I wasn't being very commited and I didn't get the result quick enough and gave up. But about 6 months to a year later I was desperate, so I tried Lysine again. It took around 3-6 months for me to notice the difference but now that I stuck to it I would never go back. Lysine has literally saved me from a coldsore meltdown that was taking hold of me.

I take 1000mg a day, and then if I'm feeling tired, run down or stressed I will increase this to around 3000mg a day. Likewise if I feel a tingle or see a mark I increase the dosage, and at times hold ice in the area and they 9/10 times don't materialise.

From the twice monthly coldsores I was getting, I have had around 3 in the last year which is such an improvement.

I used to be so anxious about doing things or, having a late night or going away on holiday in the sun JUST in case it brought one on, but now I will literally take extra Lysine away with me just in case and I've not had a problem.

It is something you have to stick at and its not the cheapest thing (I buy mine from Holland and Barrett in the penny sale and generally get around 120 tablets for around £13,) but it has been so worth it and I would never go back.

I have often read these reviews and not believed them, but I really believe if anyone has an issue with regular coldsores and its getting them down, Lysine is definitely the way forward!!!

8 likes, 43 replies

43 Replies

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  • michelle_53767
    michelle_53767 frankie59542

    Posted

    I'm in my 30's and have been getting cold sores since a teenager. I've tried everything!! The best thing to do is get a prescription from your doctor for acyclovir or valtrex (topical cream or pill). Works the best and your doctor should give this to you without a problem. It's also not embarrassing considering over 60% of people get cold sores. So please don't be embarrassed to ask for it. I prefer the cream over the pills but both work well. I apply the cream anytime I think I feel a tingle and Then I typically never get a cold sore. I hate to admit this part bc I'm also a nurse but if I'm unable to catch the cold sore before my lip gets swollen the following is the best way to help the bealing process go faster; this is when I do take the pills bc once you do have a breakout the cream doesn't work as well as the pills, I use a tiny needle to pop it (put alcohol on the needle first to sterilize), then I apply a tissue to the sore til the liquid stops coming out, then I put a small amount of alcohol on a tissue and hold it on the cold sore for about a min (be careful to not inhale the alcohol as it's so close to your nose and mouth and you may have to do this a coule times throughout the day) these steps help the swelling go down and dry it out so it can start the heeling process. I've done this thousands of times and works the best! I think all of the over the counter remedies are bogus except once I tried Orajel for cold sores (which I believe is mainly alcohol and goes back to my method of using alcohol) and that did work well.
  • bert1121
    bert1121 frankie59542

    Posted

    Thanks for the advice. I use something called Mediviral that I got on Amazon which works pretty well for me. One of its major ingredients is lysine but it has other stuff too.
  • ryan12073
    ryan12073 frankie59542

    Posted

    Lysine works perfectly. How lysine works, is that it prevents another amino acid named Arginine from being present in your body. When arginine is present you will get a cold sore if you have the herpes 2 virus in you. By taking Lysine each day you can prevent arginine from existing in you, and avoid cold sores. Eating nuts, and other high arginine foods will give you cold sores even if you take Lysine daily- so avoid all arginine foods. If you take Lysine daily, and never ever eat any high arginine foods- I garuntee you won't get a cold sore ever again. I was cold sore free for 3.5 years after having them every damn month like the rest of you. I ate 2 bags of trailmix forgetting about avoiding arginine, and I got my first cold sore in over 3.5 years right now. That is why I am back in the cold sore thread lol. SO- take lysine, and avoid arginine. You will never have a cold sore again. Your welcome. Research this topic for a more thorough understanding. 
  • Chiquita
    Chiquita frankie59542

    Posted

    Thank you!! for the information on the Lysine, Frankie.

    About a year-in a half ago, I started dating a guy that has known my family for at least 13 years. Before we were ever intimate in any way, we talked like crazy about our lives and what we wanted in life. Straight out of my mouth, he was aware that I have MS (multiple sclerosis) and other health issues that I was dealing with. Straight out of my mouth, he knew i hadn't been with anyone for over 2 years and that i just wanted a good, solid, open, and honest relationship with someone that cares about my situation and be there through my bad times....Someone I can grow old with. I'm already 48 and I'm just not who I used to be so, this is very serious to me. Not to mention, I'm also raising a 7 year old High-Functioning Autistic child, point being, I already have a lot on my plate! Anyway, I'm now dealing with herpes of the mouth this guy I trusted so much, gave to me! I really don't know how much more I can take! I'm currently dealing with REALLY BAD breakouts and I'm so frustrated, angry, depressed, and more alone now than before!

    I'm going to try the Lysine thing and REALLY HOPE it helps me. Just know, you may have offered information that could possibly SERIOUSLY CHANGE a person's life and I'm very grateful you had the courage to step forward with your experience!

    Is this the same as L-Lysine?

    • alexis22159
      alexis22159 Chiquita

      Posted

      I just recently ordered lysine from amazon. I take 2 pills a day. I hope it works. My face look like pizza from all the herpes scars and I have to wear make up every day to cover them up. This crap is depressing. I wasn't diagnosed with it yet by the doctor but I know my boyfriend gave it to me because he has the same bumps.
    • Mulifacteted
      Mulifacteted Chiquita

      Posted

      Oh sweetie, my heart goes out to you. I am a 52 yr old woman dealing with an extremely rare snd misunderstood severe neurological disease caused by genetic malformation in womb which after almost a literal lifetime i was finally diagnoised about seven yrs ago but in my twenties as a dedicated struggling single mom also fell for the decent well raised boy next door thing after he pursued and convinced me of his good intentions & one yr later in a supposed committed relationship enfed up with genital herpes!!! And he told anyone and everyone i gave it to him!! So that has kept me from really ever mire then an occasional date until i heard of valtrex in recent yrs but am concerned w- the long term use so have been researching and praying for some kind of natural help. But if you ever want to unload or chat i can give you my email. Hold your head high and stsy strong.
    • kiwisoup
      kiwisoup Chiquita

      Posted

      You make oral here's sound like a dirty sexually transmitted disease. It's not. 50-80% of all people have it and as someone who has had them since I was a young child, passed on to me by my family I take offense. Unless the man had a breakout on his lip, I'm sure he didn't purposely give it to you and that doesn't make him untrustworthy by any means. Also if he didn't have a breakout, how do you know it was him? You can easily get it from sharing food, drink, makeup, chapstick, a peck from friends or family...getting it through sexual intercourse is much less likely. I think you need to educate yourself a little more as you're clearly new to this. I feel for you but there's no need to act like its a dirty taboo thing in a thread full of people with it.

    • Woodmano
      Woodmano Chiquita

      Posted

      Hello! I know this is 4 months old but that doesn't mean you won't value an additional opinion based on experience. First off, continue to take the Lysine if you are already. Second, please do not blame the person who gave you this. Statistically, most people contract this virus while they are children, usually by a family relative who is either unaware or simply uneducated about the virus. I received this virus from my grandmother by the time I was 11. A kiss from Grandma, that's right. Third, if you do have another break out, immediately apply ice for the first hour. Go until it is numb and further. Don't freeze your lip off but the colder the better. The virus loves warmth and only spreads while in a warm environment. Once that hour has passed, rubbing alcohol, APPLE CIDER VINEGAR and RAW HONEY (not regular honey). It must be legitimate raw honey because of the nutritional structure. You apply the alcohol until it's dry. This takes some time. Once it's dry (you may have to pop with a pin even though most say do not to speed up the drying) you will apply the apple cider vinegar and follow with the honey. This is by far the method that has made me heal in less than 7 days every time I have a break out, which is rare nowadays. Trust me on this. You will be so happy with the results after just three days you will never go back. Neosporin is fantastic once you get to day 4. This will save you!! I hope this helps.

    • Godsprincess
      Godsprincess kiwisoup

      Posted

      I agree!! I had my first outbreak in 3rd grade, I didn't know what it was, I thought it was from too much sun. My mom would help treat it and it'd go away. It's just a very touchy contagious virus

      I will try the lysine, I normally just use peppermint oil and hydrogen peroxide.

    • kayak65215
      kayak65215 kiwisoup

      Posted

      Thus is true. I got coldsores since I was 8 yrs old. I didn't kiss a boy until I was 18. Pretty much everyone has herpes in their bodies. If you had chicken pox as a child you have herpes. It is just a crapshoot if you get coldsores or not.

    • hope4cure
      hope4cure kayak65215

      Posted

      Very true. I got herpes and shingles in a few months time from stress familymissues and loosing 5 family members in less that a year. Stress also bring on the herpes boater virus. As it stays in the back atea and can raise it's ugly head at any time. 

  • a30568
    a30568 frankie59542

    Posted

    I not only get cold sores when I spend time in the sun but I also get a bumpy itchy rash on my shoulders, arms and legs starting a couple of days after I have spent significant time in the sun  - but not on my back, chest or stomach.  I am fair skinned and consistently use at least 30 SPF when I am out but it doesn't seem to matter.  I wonder if this is attributable to the herpes virus and if lysine will help. Has anyone else experienced something like this?  
  • Higgimonster
    Higgimonster frankie59542

    Posted

    Just came across this article and have read all the comments below and it's a bit reassuring to know that other people are having the same problem and I'm not the only one. I've been suffering from coldsores as far back as I can remember, at least 20 years and to think that I'm still suffering from them at an older age is quite depressing, because basically this virus puts you down for at least 10 days. All the while hoping that another one doesn't surface while the first one is healing. I usually suffer from 2, maybe 3 a year but since the turn of the year I have gotten 3 already and my forth one just came about this week sad

    I use compeed coldsore patches to cover them up, they are brilliant as they stop them from drying out and scabbing but finding this article has me hoping that this might turn my fortunes around. I normally don't believe these articles because you find different opinions and different remedies but i have a feeling about this one.

    I will be purchasing them as soon as possible to begin taking them daily and even upping the dosage once I feel a slight tingle. I hope thhis helps and prevents frequent outbreaks.

    Thanks for posting this, always hard to find what you're desperately looking for but feeling optimistic this time round.

  • fay10288
    fay10288 frankie59542

    Posted

    Has anyone found that lysine helps when you already have a coldsore?
    • Higgimonster
      Higgimonster fay10288

      Posted

      Fay,

      I started using Lysine 5 months ago and I've only had one cold sore since but it didn't last long, the Lysine definitely helped while I had it. I take one a day but the minute I felt that tingle I doubled the dosage per day until it was gone. Quickest turn around from any cold sore I've had. I hope this helps.

    • fay10288
      fay10288 Higgimonster

      Posted

      Yes thank you!! I have one now and I'm fed up of constantly getting them, and the anxiety that comes with them!

    • Higgimonster
      Higgimonster fay10288

      Posted

      No problem! I know they are too painful and the worst is when another one surfaces as the first is just disappearing. Lysine definitely is the way forward, I hope they work for you👍🏼

    • hope4cure
      hope4cure fay10288

      Posted

      yes I take lysine for years and it does help. My doctor referred the supplement years ago. 
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