Herpes infections common?

Sweetlady, welcome to my world. I've been plagued by cold sores since I was five years old but they only came a few times a year. Once I started the MTX, which as you probably know suppresses the immune system, I started getting them every day on my face, mostly my chin and lower cheek area and sometimes the lips. I take a prescription called acyclovir for it and it helps a lot, but I don't want to be on yet another drug for the rest of my life so the RD switched me to Imuran. Now I'm on both but will stop the MTX when the Imuran kicks in. Are you on any drugs that are suppressing your immune system? That's what usually makes herpes eruptions worse.

Hi

sweetladyjane;522191 said:

Just wondering how many of you here suffer with herpes infections regularly. I get the infection on my index finger and sometimes in my nose. Before it comes I get the sorest skin. Is this a common ailment suffered by we Lupies??

Click to expand...

I at the moment have got a cold sore on my lip also my index fingers are all cracked and sometimes bleed,for years i have taken it that i was allergic to sustances etc only now i know it is when i am in a flare.
It was very embarrasing when i was younger getting cold sores as people assosiated it with stds, this is not true as like yourself have been plagued since childhood and taking ridicule.
I now do not even try to hide it as it is impossible on your lip to do so.
i hope you get better soon.
Hugs sandy

Sandy, ask your doctor about acyclovir. If you don't want to take it regularly, you could take it a week or two before some important function that you want to look blister-free for. If you take it at the first sign of a cold sore, it stops it dead but it takes longer if the sore has already erupted. I also have the topical cream version but that doesn't seem to help me much.