Is it really herpes?

[Lipsticklove92]

Hey all!

I'm really hoping someone can help me out here and I apologize for the long post. I never had a cold sore growing up although some of my family members did. My first symptoms started in March of this year. I noticed one day that my top and bottom lips were burning and stung if I touched them with my hand or even a tissue. They felt very tight as well. I figured it was just very chapped lips, so I started making sure that I had Chapstick on at all times. Well, days went by and they weren't getting better. Since I couldn't touch my lips without severe burning, they would peel and there was nothing I could do! I then started noticing these tiny red dots that would appear on my lips, almost like tiny cuts all over them! I had two spots on my top lip (at the points of my lip) that started oozing a clear liquid and then they would scab over a little until the scab would accidentally be rubbed off and they would start again. I tried everything...medicated Chapstick, Chapstick with spf, organic lip balm, burt's bees lip balm and nothing helped. Usually the symptoms would last about 4-5 days and then start to get better for a day or two and then start all over.

About a month ago I had enough and went to the doctor. Showed him my pictures and symptoms and he said I have oral herpes. Ran a test, which came back positive for oral and negative for genital. He gave me Valtrex, and it seemed like I was finally on my way back to normalcy. I purchased all new chapsticks and sanitized my previous ones. By the end of the Valtrex my lips felt normal again for about 2 days. Since then, they haven't gotten as bad as before but I'm still getting the tight/burning feeling and every now and again I will see a little spot with a cut. I just put abreva on tonight, although it stung like hell.

Obviously, I tested positive so I can't argue that. But I haven't seen much from people who have outbreaks but don't get "proper" cold sores. None of my cuts are raised or look like a cold sore. The Dr said its just how my body is reacting but is it possible that it could be something else and that's why nothing has helped completely? I'm feeling hopeless at this point...I just want this to end! If anyone has any experience like mine and some advice on how to rid this I would more than appreciate it!

Thanks!

[Terrell]

Hey all!

I'm really hoping someone can help me out here and I apologize for the long post. I never had a cold sore growing up although some of my family members did. My first symptoms started in March of this year. I noticed one day that my top and bottom lips were burning and stung if I touched them with my hand or even a tissue. They felt very tight as well. I figured it was just very chapped lips, so I started making sure that I had Chapstick on at all times. Well, days went by and they weren't getting better. Since I couldn't touch my lips without severe burning, they would peel and there was nothing I could do! I then started noticing these tiny red dots that would appear on my lips, almost like tiny cuts all over them! I had two spots on my top lip (at the points of my lip) that started oozing a clear liquid and then they would scab over a little until the scab would accidentally be rubbed off and they would start again. I tried everything...medicated Chapstick, Chapstick with spf, organic lip balm, burt's bees lip balm and nothing helped. Usually the symptoms would last about 4-5 days and then start to get better for a day or two and then start all over.

About a month ago I had enough and went to the doctor. Showed him my pictures and symptoms and he said I have oral herpes. Ran a test, which came back positive for oral and negative for genital. He gave me Valtrex, and it seemed like I was finally on my way back to normalcy. I purchased all new chapsticks and sanitized my previous ones. By the end of the Valtrex my lips felt normal again for about 2 days. Since then, they haven't gotten as bad as before but I'm still getting the tight/burning feeling and every now and again I will see a little spot with a cut. I just put abreva on tonight, although it stung like hell.

Obviously, I tested positive so I can't argue that. But I haven't seen much from people who have outbreaks but don't get "proper" cold sores. None of my cuts are raised or look like a cold sore. The Dr said its just how my body is reacting but is it possible that it could be something else and that's why nothing has helped completely? I'm feeling hopeless at this point...I just want this to end! If anyone has any experience like mine and some advice on how to rid this I would more than appreciate it!

Thanks!

Continue to test for 6 months for clarification.

[november13]

What type of test was it? Was it a swab? If so, then it is def herpes. I've heard of genital outbreaks looking like small cuts so I'm sure oral herpes could look the same.

Are you taking vitamins? You could try taking l-lysine. That's supposed to help. If it's really bothering you, some people take daily antivirals, but you'd have to get a prescription for it.

[Lipsticklove92]

What type of test was it? Was it a swab? If so, then it is def herpes. I've heard of genital outbreaks looking like small cuts so I'm sure oral herpes could look the same.

Are you taking vitamins? You could try taking l-lysine. That's supposed to help. If it's really bothering you, some people take daily antivirals, but you'd have to get a prescription for it.

It was a blood test (I'm not sure exactly what the test was called though). I got a call back a couple days later and they said it came back positive for oral and negative for genital. I'm contemplating going back to urgent care to see the same dr today. Is it possible that I just didn't take the Valtrex long enough? I'm so sick of this!

[november13]

Try to see if you can get the actual cuts swabbed. A blood test would show if you have antibodies but you could've gotten oral HSV1 as a kid and it'd show up in a blood test, totally unrelated to the cuts on your lip. A swab test would tell if the actual cuts are caused by HSV1.

If you took the full dosage, that's all you could do. I've heard that it doesn't work for some people, but it sounds like it was working for you, so maybe you could try another round of it (assuming it is herpes)...