Question: I’m a 45 year old woman. About three years ago I finally got my first cold sore, I had never had one before. My son and I both got one at the same time, and we both got pretty sick with flu like symptoms as well. Fever, aches, headache. Since then neither of us has gotten another cold sore until the last week when we both got one at the same time again. His under his nose, me in the same spot as before on my lip. I got sick again with flu like symptoms, although not as bad and no fever this time. I’m confused because I didn’t think we could “catch” a cold sore from each other once we had the initial virus. Like someone who has already had chicken pox can’t “catch” shingles from someone else? I also thought you didn’t get sick anymore after the first time. So why did we get it at the same time again and also both get sick, although not as severely? Was this actually a different virus? We didn’t have any sores in our mouths, and none on our hands. My son was 11 the first time, and 14 now.