AIBU to work from home because of a cold sore?

Judging is different from the ick.
Of course nobody should be judged for having cold sores.

Anybody could be unfortunate enough to get them.

The ick is uncontrollable, though.
It's an involuntary response.

It’s herpes not anthrax

@PoolDepthI'm with you. They are awful and it’s not just how they look it’s the virus with it that makes you feel so shit!

if you can work from home then why not 🤷‍♀️

Team DH!

You’re being vain and overreacting. just dont kiss anybody .

Gosh your workplace must feel so lucky to have someone so dedicated. Sorry if that's harsh but its just a coldsore- some people get them all the time. Ridiculous to not just go to work as normal.

If they are painful as well as looking pretty bad, I’d work from home. We don’t share headsets / mugs / keyboards etc at work so there’s no issue wrt transmission, I’d just feel somewhat self conscious.

Absolutely understandable that you are self conscious about it and want to work from home, but you’re being unreasonable making it into a public health issue. As long as you don’t share utensils, mugs, glasses etc and you don’t kiss anyone at work, plus don’t touch your blisters, then there is no way you will pass it on to anyone.

I was self conscious too last year when I got a really bad bout of it and opted to work from home, but not because I thought I’d be transmitting it to anyone.

No - I don’t think it’s harsh to expect a grown adult not to judge me or find me icky for a minor medical condition.

Would you feel the same about someone with, for example, bad acne? Or a cold? Im asking to try to figure what makes something embarrassing and awful in the eyes of you and the OP.

Oh OP - I actually get you. I sometimes get coldsores that spread from under my nose right over my lip and they are so unsightly that I don't want to go out. It is embarrassing as people do stare. If you can WFH I would and like a PP says, say you are run down and think you have a virus as you have a coldsore and conjunctivitis - they won't want you in the office with two sources of infection......

Lysine as others have said. I suffered terribly - a couple a month until I started taking it. Now if I get a 'tingle' I take an extra lysine. Have probably had 2 in the five years since - and they have been really mild compared to the monsters in the past.

I think you're being a bit harsh.
I get cold sores. I do feel a bit icky and embarrassed by them.
It's irrational but they don't exactly make you feel great, do they?

Insane overreaction

TBH, your colleagues will think you're the worst wet wipe in the land, if you call in sick because of a cold sore.

2 private GP appointments because of a once-in-10-years coldsore?! Madness.

I am astounded an adult finds herpes “awful”, “embarrassing” and ick-inducing.

I get cold sores (and genital herpes outbreaks too!) OP, I’m guessing I wouldn’t be welcomed into your friend group? Fortunately for me, most people are not as judgemental and immature as you are.

In answer to your original question, you say you’re the MD so surely you have the ability to wfh as you think appropriate. Just make sure that all staff have the ability / right to wfh for similarly trivial reasons, that you may not recognise as important but that they feel strongly about, (Acne, bad traffic, bloating, bad hair day, immediate reaction to lip fillers, etc).

Jesus Christ on a fuckin bike

Are you normally this dramatic or is today a special occasion?

Say you have conjunctivitis as it’s contagious and understand why not on camera

Absolutely insane. I work on a supermarket checkout and have chemo every three weeks. I sometimes get cold sores as one of the many side effects of my treatment, I still go to work. You sound about 15 OP.

I never 'feel the tingle', they appear overnight. Zovirax never made any difference either.

Definitely wfh, why not, it’s not going to cause any problems for your colleagues.

I agree you’re being a bit dramatic and if it was office or call in sick, I’d answer differently, but I understand you feel self conscious.

I dont need sun or to be run down, they just appear. Always have done

I've already said that I've a bit of sympathy for the self-consciousness but what a waste of time getting in contact with a GP!

Anyway, any fellow sufferers (sufferers may be too strong a word, I know) actively feel the bloody things tingle when they get stressed if one is already there?
It's like a direct link or something.

Start taking Lysine and continue what you're doing. My cold sores aren't near as bad now but before Lysine they would be on my lips, up my nose, inside my mouth and I felt like shit.
Hopefully you've nipped it in the bud, are you run down or been exposed to the sun without lip protection?

Wow, when I get The Tingle that goes on to erupt, I just sigh slightly.

My boyfriend gets cold sores. I don’t have it. But I don’t hide away from him when he has one. Just keep your face from touching other people! Who cares?

And start taking a lysine supplement everyday. My boyfriend started taking daily lysine about a year ago and hasn’t had a cold sore since, even when run down with a cold or flu. He used to get 3/4 a year pop up and now none.