Question:
Hi Everyone,

I'm posting this urgently so that some of you may not have to suffer as I have all these years. For at least 7 years I've been struggling with lip outbreaks that were uncurable... I tried everything from the valtrex pills to the denavir to lysine and vitamin supplements to avoiding sunlight all together and NOTHING worked.

Finally the fourth dermatologist I went to suggested I get a blood test to find out what kind of HSV I had. On Friday I found out that I was NEGATIVE for both types. I don't even have the virus!! Turns out I've just been having an allergic reaction to something and now we're trying to figure out what that is.

An allergic reaction CAN and DOES look like cold sores and can even go through the same stages but is in fact a curable allergy that can be stopped once you find out what's causing it and removing that cause from your life. Treating the reaction is as easy as slathering hydrocortisone cream on the area for a week.

PLEASE if you haven't already GET A BLOOD TEST to be sure. Save yourself from the torment if you can. I can't explain how this feels. It's the greatest thing I could have asked for.

Answer:
Testing negative after a while of not having an outbreak is not all that uncommon. I just hope you don't jump the gun and really do in fact have it and pass it to others in the future baed on a false hope. I just wonder how and when you were diagnosed before.......have you always had these symptoms from time to time? did they just start one day? any pattern to getting them? Just wondering. And hasnt your doctor suggested waiting until next time this occurs and having the blood test during the outbreak or right after to ensure it is the right diagnosis. If in fact you dont have it then that would certainly be wonderful for you but it seems to quick to just run with you dont have it. Id wait till next time it happens, get blood taken immediately and then go by that result before making impulsive assumptions. Best of luck to you.

Answer:
Thanks for your support! I still come back to this site so I can help those in need, since I was helped by this so much in the past.

Just for an update -- my dermotologist suggested I stop using things people are generally allergic too -- whitening in toothpaste (I just use Tom's natural toothpaste now), lipsticks and lip gloss (now I only use vaseline) and SPF (I only use SPF on other areas of my face not around my mouth).

I haven't had any sign of what I thought were the cold sores or anything remotely close to that since!! If you think you might have cold sores try stopping these things and use some hydrocortisone cream on the existing bump or rash. See if it goes away. Of course to be sure, do what I did and get a blood test then you know it's not that and can work on finding the allergic cause. It could be something you're eating as well.