Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Cold Sores

*lee-lee*

By *lee-lee*
in Related Issues & Disorders

Recommended Posts

*lee-lee* Enthusiast
*lee-lee*
Posted

i woke up yesterday to feel my lip tingling...i've been getting cold sores for 10 years now so i knew what to do. i applied Abreva periodically all day only to discover the one cold sore turned into a cluster of them by nighttime. UGH! then i ran out of Abreva late last night so i'm off to get more.

does anyone else get cold sores and what do you use for them? my lip is burning and tingling and i feel like i'm talking funny so i don't move my mouth too much.

did i get glutened and this is how it's coming out? i don't feel feverish and i'm not overly stressed (i was 2 weeks ago but not so much anymore) so i'm not sure what else would have caused it. stress or too much sunlight usually triggers cold sores in me but since it's been about 2 degrees for the high temp, i haven't exactly been spending much time outside lately!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


RiceGuy Collaborator
RiceGuy
Posted

A lot of people report mouth sores of one type or another. Sometimes from a glutening, other times from something else. If you haven't been getting them for awhile since going gluten-free, and haven't had anything new in your diet, skin/hair care products, etc, then I'd think it was gluten related. But if you're continuing to get sores at the same rate since gluten-free, then I'd be thinking there's something in your diet or skin/hair care products that is getting you.

*lee-lee* Enthusiast
*lee-lee*
Posted
  • Author

i usually get 3-4 cold sores on average per year. what's strange though is that i specifically remember purchasing Abreva last January so i know i had a cold sore this exact same time last year (before i was gluten free). the only thing different i've eaten lately is the new Strawberry Chex on Saturday morning. i hope i didn't get glutened from them because they're so good!

fedora Enthusiast
fedora
Posted

my daughter was get 3 kinds of mouth sores

cold sores, sores in the corner of her mouth, and white sores in her mouth

the PA said the ones in the corner are from a bacteria/ yeast combo

the white sores in the mouth are associated with celiac, which my daughter does not have

the cold sores are herpes. I thought her sores may have been from gluten, I put her on a gluten free trial diet. I ended up getting her sore swabbed and it was positive for herpes.

I would suggest getting your sores tested.

*lee-lee* Enthusiast
*lee-lee*
Posted
  • Author

i know my sores are cold sores, as a form of herpes. when i had my first outbreak over 10 years ago, i had to go to the dentist and regular doctor because it was so bad. my lips were covered and then they spread to the insides of my mouth and even on my tongue. the doctors confirmed they were legit cold sores and prescribed Denavir (OTC Abreva wasn't on the market yet). it was horrible and thankfully i haven't had an outbreak nearly as bad. i wouldn't wish cold sores on my worst enemy.

jitters Apprentice
jitters
Posted

L-Lysine works awesome for me to hold off those cold sores. It is an amino acid and you can find it in the vitamin aisle at any store. Its way way cheaper than Abreva (which doesn't work for me anyway). I take two pills in the morning and two at night. Believe it or not its made my acne go away too.

I used to get cold sores when glutened all the time, and once in awhile just out of the blue. Lysine makes them way smaller and they don't scab over and heal faster for the rare times I get a cold sore now.

I should add that the bottle suggests taking one in the morning and one at night- I'm taking two now but am going to lower my dosage to what the bottle suggests. If you're taking any other meds, you might want to ask your doctor about Lysine but everything I've read says Lysine is safe.

EmmyLouWho? Newbie
EmmyLouWho?
Posted

I dealt with cold sores for the last 15+ years myself! It's a terrible problem to have. Thankfully, since going gluten-free, I had one small one and that was all. The only thing I found that has ever helped me is a product called "Kanka". It numbs the area (temporarily) so at least I'd be able to get through a meal without so much pain. My cold sore that I'm getting over happened a few days after I got glutened. Coincidence? In my opinion, no way.

Hope you find some relief and that you don't experience any more!

*lee-lee* - I didn't think the strawberry chex were gluten-free. I might be wrong but as far as I knew only the plain rice chex are gluten-free. I hope I'm wrong for your sake!

ETA: My cold sores are always inside the mouth, never on my lips so Kanka may not work for coldsores on the actual lip

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


  • 1 month later...
Nilesrx Newbie
Nilesrx
Posted
I dealt with cold sores for the last 15+ years myself! It's a terrible problem to have. Thankfully, since going gluten-free, I had one small one and that was all. The only thing I found that has ever helped me is a product called "Kanka". It numbs the area (temporarily) so at least I'd be able to get through a meal without so much pain. My cold sore that I'm getting over happened a few days after I got glutened. Coincidence? In my opinion, no way.

Hope you find some relief and that you don't experience any more!

*lee-lee* - I didn't think the strawberry chex were gluten-free. I might be wrong but as far as I knew only the plain rice chex are gluten-free. I hope I'm wrong for your sake!

ETA: My cold sores are always inside the mouth, never on my lips so Kanka may not work for coldsores on the actual lip

I used to get them all the time...big and bad! I just got one the other day, first in a long time. Valtrex and Abreva work great. Valtrex stops mine almost instantly and what is left I simply keep Abreva on it 24/7. I would definately have your Dr get you a rx for Valtrex 1gm, you take two the instant you feel one coming on. I dont mind them anymore because it wipes it out.

  • 3 years later...
wartburg03 Rookie
wartburg03
Posted

I've been getting cold sores since I was 4. I get them on my nose, around my eye, on my lip, and even once in my eyeball! I have had a lot of success with avoiding foids with a high arginine/lysine ratio. This means avoiding foods like nuts, peas, and caramel coloring (plus lots more) as a general rule, but even more so when my system is stressed out. If I do feel one coming on (like right now :( ), I break out the lysine and take 3,000 mg 3-4 times a day. Often that keeps them at bay. I usually take 1,000 mg a day for prevention. Good luck!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. trents
      - trents replied to hjayne19's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Insomnia help

      One thing to keep in mind is that it's pretty safe to take a B-complex since B vitamins are water soluble. You just pee out any excess.
    2. cristiana
      - cristiana replied to hjayne19's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Insomnia help

      Hi @hjayne19 It sounds as if your insomnia is closely linked to your anxiety. I had awful anxiety at diagnosis, and that feeling of doom that you describe. My other symptoms were racing thoughts, and a tangible sensation of a weight bearing down on my shoulders, even if I was feeling perfectly well and happy - it would just hit me. I then got a phobia...
    3. hjayne19
      - hjayne19 replied to hjayne19's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Insomnia help

      Hi @trents thanks so much for the insights this helps alot. These were my metrics at celiac diagnosis. In which my diet has since changed over the past 3 months Magnesium: 0.80 mmol/L Vitamin B12: 1021 Vitamin D (25-OH): 102.8 I would say I do get tired after eating more carbs and the only thing that really helps me fall asleep...
    4. trents
      - trents replied to hjayne19's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Insomnia help

      When you say "vitamin B" was normal? Which vitamin B are you referring to? Typically, physicians will only check for B12 deficiency because it can connect to iron deficiency via something called "pernicious anemia". But all the B vitamins work together in a synergistic fashion. That's why we recommend a high potency B-complex. And D3 is turning out to be...
    5. hjayne19
      - hjayne19 posted a topic in Traveling with Celiac Disease
      0

      Mallorca Guide

      Hi celiac community. Reaching out for some help. I am traveling to Mallorca in May for a cycling trip and would like some recommendations on gluten free safe eats and if there are things in the stores to buy. Let me know what works
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,935
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    riceayedoonlap
    Newest Member
    riceayedoonlap
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Insomnia help

      By trents · Posted

      One thing to keep in mind is that it's pretty safe to take a B-complex since B vitamins are water soluble. You just pee out any excess. 
    • cristiana
      Insomnia help

      By cristiana · Posted

      Hi @hjayne19 It sounds as if your insomnia is closely linked to your anxiety.  I had awful anxiety at diagnosis, and that feeling of doom that you describe.   My other symptoms were racing thoughts, and a tangible sensation of a weight bearing down on my shoulders, even if I was feeling perfectly well and happy - it would just hit me.  I then got a phobia to make things worse, linked to the fact that I had was suffering hypnopompic hallucinations (brief hallucinations on waking).  That was weird but I later learned they aren't all that uncommon, especially with people who suffer from aura migraines.   In fact I felt so unwell that I didn't even recognise it as 'anxiety'.  I remember googling my various symptoms and it was only that that  made me realise I was suffering from anxiety, which was nothing like 'feeling a bit nervous before taking an exam' or , say, making a speech.  This was a whole new ball game. As I came off gluten and healed, the anxiety started to get less and less.  It is not uncommon for coeliacs to have anxiety on diagnosis, so I hope that is reassuring to you.   And deficiencies can make it worse, or cause it, so are definitely worth investigating in further depth if you can.   There is certainly a big difference between 'normal' levels and 'optimum', as @trents says, and this excerpt from a British website and explains how with B12,, for example,  a normal level in one person can represent a deficiency in another: In the UK, normal B12 levels vary slightly by lab but generally, above 200 ng/L is considered sufficient, 100-145 ng/L indicates possible deficiency, and below 100 ng/L suggests likely deficiency, though levels between 146-200 ng/L may still warrant treatment if symptoms are present, as per North Bristol NHS Trust and NICE guidelines In fact, I understand levels are set much higher in other countries, such as Japan.  When I started to supplement B12 with high dose sublinguals I began to feel better, even though at diagnosis my levels were considered 'low normal'.    I too had a lot of muscle twitching which was likely due to deficiencies, but of course if someone has a lot of adrenaline in their system it will only make twitching worse.  I remember reading on this forum one should take magnesium tablets, and it did really help.  As a sportsperson you might like to try throwing a good handful of Epsom salts into a lukewarm bath, and have a soak for 20 mins, as it can be absorbed through the skin.  But be careful as you leave the bath, it can make you woozy! Lastly, to address the anxiety,  I found Dr Steve Llardi's book, albeit on Depression, incredibly helpful.  The Depression Cure: The Six Step Programme to Beat Depression Without Drugs.    Dr Llardi outlines a step-by-step plan for recovery from depression, which focuses on six key lifestyle elements that have largely disappeared in healthy doses from modern life:  physical exercise,  omega-3 fatty acids,  natural sunlight exposure,  restorative sleep,  social connectedness, and meaningful, engaging activity.    The other book (and there is a website) which helped me understand anxiety and recover is Paul David's, At Last a Life, written by a one-time sufferer.  I live in the UK and if I could award a knighthood to anyone in this country, it would be to Paul.  I am so grateful that these books crossed my path.   Anyway, sorry for the length of this post.  I hope something might be of help. Cristiana  
    • hjayne19
      Insomnia help

      By hjayne19 · Posted

      Hi @trents thanks so much for the insights this helps alot.    These were my metrics at celiac diagnosis. In which my diet has since changed over the past 3 months Magnesium: 0.80 mmol/L Vitamin B12: 1021 Vitamin D (25-OH): 102.8 I would say I do get tired after eating more carbs and the only thing that really helps me fall asleep with insomnia is if I eat a banana or a snack. I have a follow up appointment soon so will look into those other B vitamin levels. 
    • trents
      Insomnia help

      By trents · Posted

      When you say "vitamin B" was normal? Which vitamin B are you referring to? Typically, physicians will only check for B12 deficiency because it can connect to iron deficiency via something called "pernicious anemia". But all the B vitamins work together in a synergistic fashion. That's why we recommend a high potency B-complex. And D3 is turning out to be much more important than we ever realized. In many ways, it is a "master vitamin". And in the modern world where we spend much more time indoors than our ancestors did, we often don't get enough of it, especially if we live in northern latitudes. And it's also true that "normal" levels may not be the same as optimum levels.  Ferritin is an iron storage protein. The body can rob from storage in order to maintain immediate blood levels of iron so, yes, ferritin can take longer to rebuild than hemoglobin counts. Your ferritin levels are low end of normal.
    • hjayne19
      Mallorca Guide

      By hjayne19 · Posted

      Hi celiac community. Reaching out for some help. I am traveling to Mallorca in May for a cycling trip and would like some recommendations on gluten free safe eats and if there are things in the stores to buy. Let me know what works 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.