I have noticed that instead of one cold sore my lips feel like they are chapped or on fire. My dermatologist prescribed Valtrex and it only cleared it up temporarily and had to repeat a second round only stronger. I noticed day before yesterday I had that feeling again and I know its due to stress. Well, its been two months and no period--but I know its not the end! Pat :?

Hi Pat - Sorry to hear about your troubles..... My husband also suffers with this and last week he did not have any of the antiviral on hand and got so darned sick. He said his lips felt like someone had put a blowtorch to them. He had just come back from a stressful business trip and then WHAM. Worst he has been with this since I have known him. Usually he gets 1-3 per year. He has had problems with getting the meds - since he typically does not get them, so they expire, or he has to ask for them when he is not having an outbreak and the Dr's tell him he doesn't need them. But if he has the Valtrex on hand it never gets real bad like this time. Poor guy was sick in bed for 3 days with a fever and looked so pale. I know that his are not related to menopause - but maybe they are if they are exacerbated by stress (as in my peri) LOL But seriously, I feel so badly for you that you go through this. Are they more frequent for you since you hit the meno/perimeno? When I skipped a few periods last spring I know I felt so stressed I thought I would implode.......like being stuck in PMS. I was very happy to see my periods return, and was like a new woman. Really hoping you feel better soon!!

My sister had lots of cold sores during peri. I haven't heard of her complain of them in post, so I assume they're gone.

I have a cold sore right now....i'm assuming it's due to the stress of holidays coming up.....that's when i always seem to get them. :cry:

STRESS, STRESS, AND STRESS!!! That's the trigger, and peri is sooooooooooooo stressful!! Get more rest!!!

I read somewhere that a cold sore is a virus that stays in out body our whole lives and rears it's ugly head when we are stressed,ill,etc. oh,and i just found this: The following items have each been found to be factors that can trigger cold sores. Many of these events have an association with those time periods when a person's immune system is weakened or stressed. If compromised a person's immune system, which under normal circumstances is able to keep the herpes virus particles in check, is overwhelmed and a window of opportunity for cold sore formation is opened. * Emotional upset and stress. * Physical stress and fatigue. * Illnesses (including a cold or the flu). * Injury to the lips or skin, such as physical trauma or severe chapping. * Injury to the lips from excessive exposure to bright sunlight or ultraviolet lamps. * Menstruation or pregnancy. * An immune system deficiency". (copied from another site)

Hi Everyone, Thank you all for the information and mainly the support! Yes, Marybeth I know what you mean about the Valtrex. My last Rx expired in 2002 then wham, I had one bout--took the Rx then it hit again so the Dermatologist gave me a double whammy of Valtrex and that took care of it, and yes there were some major stressors going on but you don't realize it until you stop and think about what's going on in your life. I felt the chapped feeling coming on last week so another prescription gone. I attempt 7 hours of sleep but from about 2:00 AM then its toss and turn time. Amazingly I sleep well when I know I don't have to work the next day. A few years ago I woke up with Bell's Palsy, what a surprise to see your face drooping on one side! Stress can be a factor in that one also but I'll take the cold sores to Bell's again luckily I don't have any residual drooping so I was fortunate. Glad this website is here I get a feeling that when I talk about symptoms at work my co-workers are going to think I'm a hypochondriac (I'm an RN so I know better). Thanks and take care also, Pat

Herpes, the gift that keeps on giving! If you had chicken pox then you have the herpes virus resting in your body waiting to break out. This is what shingles is all about...that cold sore on your lip may be transferred to anywhere by touch...on your body or someone else's. Herpes IS contagious for some hours before you first feel whatever you feel be it; burning or tingling at the site of the lesion. It remains contagious until there is no scab. Be aware it can go from your nostrils to your mouth to places you certainly will not want it.

Herpes has been shown, in bloodwork, to occur when stress causes a rise in the levels of l-arginine(among other things) in your blood. L-Arginine is an amino acid quite popular as a heart healthy product and found in products that are sold for that purpose and some weight loss stuff as well. On the Other hand, l-lysine is the amino acid that is necessary to counter balance the l-arginine. It is also an amino acid. Studies have shown that it is very beneficial in both staving off outbreaks and helping to shorten them. There are creams with l-lysine as well...My grandmother is 98 and is likely to have a shingle soutbreak any old time. Her geriatic doc has her on l-lysineand prescribed neurontin all the time with a prescribed anti-viral when the lightning strike pains in her head start again.
(She had shingles on her brain when she was 93, in the nerve endings on her face, neck, and ear; that is where it recurs.)

The cold sores are from Herpes I not II. Valtrex does work well for me.