21st June 2006
Jocey,
Herpes Simplex 1 infections never go away. They just lie dormant in the skin's nerves until something triggers it (sometimes sun, sometimes a hit to the mouth, and often stress). A typical outbreak takes 2 weeks to clear up.
You will discover that you get a certain tingling on your mouth that signals the beginning of new outbreaks. A common antiviral called acyclovir (generic name) is very useful in halting the outbreaks if you catch it in time. A large dose of acyclovir at the start of an outbreak will usually make it stop wherever it is in the cycle. For instance, if a few blisters have begun to pop up, you can stop them before they get any bigger. I usually use about 600 mg of Acyclovir (3 200 mg pills) in this manner.
Valtrex is another common antiviral used to treat herpes. Valtrex is essentially an extremely large dose of acyclovir, and it's used preventively, mostly for genital herpes, but it can work the same way for Herpes Simplex 1. People who take it daily have far fewer outbreaks than those who don't. However, since you don't have Genital Herpes, I'd be inclined not to treat yourself everyday - why expose yourself to the meds for just oral Herpes?
Although doctors prescribe Acyclovir throughout an outbreak, I have personally found that Acyclovir is useless once the blisters have matured. I have found this drug is extremely useful in minimizing the growth - but you must take the drug during the early tingling stage. Nothing will speed up the rate of healing once the blisters have formed.
I think that Acyclovir is sold under the brand name "Zovirax".
Also, I have found the Acyclovir cream to be useless. Only the pills taken at the time of tingling are effective.
Herpes Simplex 1 infections never go away. They just lie dormant in the skin's nerves until something triggers it (sometimes sun, sometimes a hit to the mouth, and often stress). A typical outbreak takes 2 weeks to clear up.
You will discover that you get a certain tingling on your mouth that signals the beginning of new outbreaks. A common antiviral called acyclovir (generic name) is very useful in halting the outbreaks if you catch it in time. A large dose of acyclovir at the start of an outbreak will usually make it stop wherever it is in the cycle. For instance, if a few blisters have begun to pop up, you can stop them before they get any bigger. I usually use about 600 mg of Acyclovir (3 200 mg pills) in this manner.
Valtrex is another common antiviral used to treat herpes. Valtrex is essentially an extremely large dose of acyclovir, and it's used preventively, mostly for genital herpes, but it can work the same way for Herpes Simplex 1. People who take it daily have far fewer outbreaks than those who don't. However, since you don't have Genital Herpes, I'd be inclined not to treat yourself everyday - why expose yourself to the meds for just oral Herpes?
Although doctors prescribe Acyclovir throughout an outbreak, I have personally found that Acyclovir is useless once the blisters have matured. I have found this drug is extremely useful in minimizing the growth - but you must take the drug during the early tingling stage. Nothing will speed up the rate of healing once the blisters have formed.
I think that Acyclovir is sold under the brand name "Zovirax".
Also, I have found the Acyclovir cream to be useless. Only the pills taken at the time of tingling are effective.