Wednesday, December 17, 2008

For all my Fever Blister Sisters- A CURE!

I have suffered many, many years from a horrible virus: the fever blister. You can call them cold sores, herpes {above the neck, thank you very much} or whatever you'd like, but they're awful. Be thankful if you don't have them. They make it hard to eat, they burn and tingle and they HURT. Besides all that, they make you {Read: ME} feel like a monster! You can't lick your lips, put on lipstick, smile/ laugh without pain, kiss your kids or even your husband {if you are still into that type of thing :-}. I place the blame for this disease squarely on my mother- who apparently passed them on to me. If you have never had one then you just don't have the virus that gives them to you. Again- please be thankful for this.
I woke up Monday morning about 4 am and felt it coming. That horrible tingle sensation and then I felt the swelling. DANGIT. {First thought- at least it was after our Sunday School Christmas Party. I am so stinking vain sometimes.} I got up and immediately put on some Denavir cream that I had from the last one and surprisingly was able to go back to sleep. I dreamed that they were small and went away quickly.
Unfortunately, the first part of that dream didn't come true. They were HUGE. I mean big swollen globs on my top lip- 2 of them! I looked like the after picture of Botox gone wrong. Ugh. So embarrassing.
I called one of my Fever Blista Sistas, Beth, to commiserate on the way to pre-school. She told me that another of our FBSs had gotten her a prescription for Valtrex. This particular FBS, who shall remain nameless, works in the medical field and is basically our hook up for anything medical that we need in a hurry or out of regular office hours. She has checked my kids for ear infections on Sunday afternoons, she has called in medicine at 7 pm and she calms my fears at all times! You really need a friend like this if you don't have one.
So, nameless Dr. FBS called in the prescription for me and I was on Valtrex (a pill) and Denavir (a cream) by noon. Here is more information about those medicines. {And, yes, I was at the pharmacy thinking, "Please, please, please don't say over the loud speaker,'Mrs. Dunham, your VALTREX is ready", but they didn't! I saved a smidgen of my reputation. At least now people just think I was in a Botox trial. I don't know which is worse.}

48 hours later- this thing is GONE! BUSTED! I am so pumped. I can almost wear lipstick again, but the swollen and gross portion was gone by this morning and most of the redness has disappeared. Usually these things last a week, so this is like an early Christmas miracle!
I have tried EV-RAY-THANG under the sun to get rid of these boogers and this is the best cure out there- for sure.

For all the other herpes-free sistas out there, please take this unsolicited advice:

  1. Don't point out to someone else if they happen to have one. I guarantee you they know it's there. {Someone did this to me today. Yes, thanks. Really? Didn't know. Hmm. I should take a look at that.}
  2. Act like you don't see it or shocked/ surprised if we mention it. That makes us feel like we're somewhat human, even though we know you're lying. Thank you.
  3. We can tell when you're staring at it. I know it's like a train wreck, but focus on our eyes- or hair- or even boobs would be better. Just please don't drill a hole in our funky lip.
So, I hope this helps any other FBSs out there. Good luck and Godspeed Fever Blister!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

you are too funny. and when i read the heading i was thinking valtrex. i'm glad it worked so dang fast!! now mrs. clause can get in some smoochin on the mister. oh and your kids...if you are in to that kind of thing. heehee.

Anonymous said...

thanks for the advice. i don't have them, but i know several friends that do. i will pass on your words of wisdom.

Anonymous said...

Hey... I get them too, and I have tried Valtrex, but I have not seen it work THAT fast. I have recently tried FAMVIR. Another great med. You take 3 pills at once when you feel it coming on and it does dramatically cut the time down. I know what you mean about them talking on the loud speaker... REally funny read... Thanks! It helps to laugh at yourself sometimes...

Anonymous said...

i'm am right there with you.. just put me in the FBS club. I am just getting over a month long stint with one. it sprang up two days before thanksgiving (stress!) and sort of went away and then came back a week ago (stress!). i used valtrex before, and i can't remember what i took this last time but it didn't work as well i don't think. anyway, i FEEL your pain. here's to a 2009 of zero FBs.

Anonymous said...

I am not sure how I found your blog, but this post has me laughing out loud....I only laugh because I get fever blisters the size of Texas and they are awful! I am going to forward this to my sister as she doesn't get them (which I think is totally unfair) and she will get a kick out of this! I have a friend that will call in meds at any time and I get her to put 'for fever blisters' on the valtrex bottle....so I am not totally embarrassed at Wal-greens (where the pharm. is in my sunday school class!). Love your blog!!!

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