re: Cold sore remedies...any way to stop one once it has already gotten going?

Rub lemon wedges on it when you feel it coming on.

Congrats to you as well for the visible sick

Abreva sucks. I had a prescription of some cream that I always kept, but my primary care doc retired and I had run out. Got some Abreva and it didn't do a fricking thing for it. Used it several more times on later cold sores with shitty results.

And it's ridiculously priced. Esp since it doesn't work at all.

ETA: Zovirax was the cream. That stuff is awesome.

Some people say tea tree oil directly on the spot can help if it hasn't broken out. Can't confirm, if you have Abreva would probably work better. But I wouldn't advise tea tree oil once they break out... that seems to anger them. (I haven't had cold sores, but was lucky enough to get shingles (I believe the same virus) on my face last year when I tried the tea tree oil.)

If you don't stop it in time and it blisters, I do recommend bentonite clay... I tried that a day or two later than the tea tree oil and it practically dried them out overnight and they healed quickly from there. (Note: you're supposed to mix the clay in water with wood or plastic spoon, or your finger; should't use metal spoon as the clay is supposedly highly ionic and contact with metal draws electrons out & diminishes effectiveness.)

Clorox bleach on a q-tip twice a day. It will dry it up and not blister.

get a script of sitavig. It is an oral buccal tablet that dissolves into the antiviral into the tissue.

nothing works. just got to deal with it for 2 weeks.

Kerosene or pine tar.

I read one time to put honey on it. I figured I'd just take a spoonful of honey everyday with my coffee since honey helps with allergies and pollen (local honey only). I haven't had one in a couple of years and even when I do feel one under the skin it never becomes a blister. This might not help with your current one but will save you from getting one in the future.

Valtrex