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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to work from home because of a cold sore?

133 replies

PoolDepth · Yesterday 11:56

Friday afternoon I started feeling a tingle on my lips and by Saturday morning had 3 small blisters in the corner of my mouth. I immediately applied a Compeed cold sore patch and booked a private GP prescription for Valtrex tablets. Took 2000mg last night, then another 2000mg this morning. Still using the patch too.

I originally got cold sores from a girl in year 2, so forever ago and haven’t had one for over 10 years.

Anyway, I look awful!! The patches make the blisters look white and puffy. I’m so self conscious about it. I’ve booked another private GP call for tomorrow morning to discuss another prescription. At least the patch helps keep the infection sealed 🙈🤦🏼‍♀️

I just mentioned to DH that I’m not going into the office on Tuesday (perhaps at all next week if it doesn’t improve) and will have to say I’m unwell/injured with something else and work from home (we have to go into the office 3 times a week usually, but I can absolutely do my job from home this week). He says I’m being vain and overreacting.

Thoughts please? I think there’s a massive taboo around herpes!! I’d hate to see a colleague with this being in the office and I’d worry about transmission. I’m constantly washing my hands at the moment.

Surely it’s better to stay away from public places with an active infection. I would be too embarrassed to tell my boss or team the real reason why!!

OP posts:
TmahtoTmayto · Yesterday 21:38

People saying go to the office usually have no concept of the excruciating pain. Stay home, wfh, job done. I hope they clear up fast for you. And better to stay home to reduce the chance of spreading it. Good luck, OP.

WouldYouLikeAnyToast · Yesterday 21:48

TmahtoTmayto · Yesterday 21:38

People saying go to the office usually have no concept of the excruciating pain. Stay home, wfh, job done. I hope they clear up fast for you. And better to stay home to reduce the chance of spreading it. Good luck, OP.

I suffer from cold sores. Yes, they're tingly, painful, and bloody sting and drive me crazy. Excruciating pain" that stops you going into work though?! It's a cold sore! Talk about an overreaction.

Iwilladmit · Yesterday 22:24

PoolDepth · Yesterday 19:45

Most people on MN aren’t as vain as me. I don’t care though. I’m particular about how I look, always have been, always will be 😆 I did go into the office with bad Botox bruising once and didn’t care who knew as having poison injected into my face isn’t a secret I keep. I’m open about that.

I have every sympathy for someone with bad acne or bruising. If it affects their comfort coming into the office and impacts how they function, then I’d prefer them to function fully from home instead. There are really only a handful of roles in my company that need to be physically present every day (the reality is that we did 2 years full from home over Covid). The 3 days in the office is a CEO edict, rather than a necessity. He likes being in every day (actually I’d bet his wife likes him being in every day 😂).

I had a team member who had a really bad fall on ice last winter. She looked like she’d been in a crash or a very bad fight. She didn’t mind herself how she looked, but everyone else’s reaction to her and constant questions were so upsetting and traumatising for her that she worked from home for a few weeks.

So sometimes it’s less about how the person themself feels and more about how others react to them! I think that’s my worry deep down. I find cold sores gross, I thought most other people did too 🤷🏼‍♀️

Show quote history

You didn’t really answer my question which was what if one of your team lied to you because they felt uncomfortable coming in for a reason you believe to be trivial.

I’m a bit confused about your comments on being vain. Are you saying that because you are more vain than the rest of us you deserve special treatment?

Iwilladmit · Yesterday 22:26

TmahtoTmayto · Yesterday 21:38

People saying go to the office usually have no concept of the excruciating pain. Stay home, wfh, job done. I hope they clear up fast for you. And better to stay home to reduce the chance of spreading it. Good luck, OP.

OP doesn’t want to work from home due to pain. She wants to wfh due to thinking cold sores are gross and because she is more vain than most of us (her words).

LabsAreTheBest · Yesterday 22:45

Get a grip.

neilyoungismyhero · Yesterday 23:17

BeachTimeIsBliss · Yesterday 17:40

I'm just interested to know how much a private gp phone call costs.

She has already said it's foc.

OnTheBoardwalk · Yesterday 23:34

FFS @PoolDepth is just saying work from home this week. Not being off sick

im very cringe about virus issues and would rather someone being at home doing exactly what they do 2 days a week rather than being at the office

this really doesn’t impact anyone

Toowhiteforawedding · Yesterday 23:39

Cold sores are horrible. If you have one that’s bad enough to make you miserable and if you can do your job from home then I don’t see why you shouldn’t.

For the future, get some acyclovir tablets to keep on hand. Taking them as soon as you feel a tingle can stop a cold sore in its tracks, but the quicker you take them the better. My GP is fine about me having a small supply at home so I’m ready.

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