I have my surgery on 8/27 so just over a week away. Historically I get fever blisters when ever I'm under a great deal of stress or worry. Of couse I've been both stressed and worried while getting prepared for my surgery date. So, the inevitable has happened. I have a monster of a fever blister just below my lower lip. I'm concerned with my surgery being 10 days away. Should I call my doctor and request an antibiotic just to be on the safe side? I am putting topical antiboitic on it now. I just dont want to take the chance of infection. What do you think?

I would call the surgeon. I would be so disappointed to be delayed due to something easily addressed.

I would to try to clear it up before surgery. The anesth. Doc will be fidgeting around your mouth area with his tubes and such and I would just want it gone first. Does taking an antibiotic usually clear it up for you?

You would need a anti viral med... I also get them but they never last more then a couple of days so I think you should be fine, but you should always call the Dr. to be sure.

antibiotic won't help, it's a virus. Talk to your primary MD, there are Rx out there, I believe!

Guess I should have clarified. I'm not really concerned with the healing of it other than the possibility of developing an infection and the having surgery. I've never actually used an oral antibiotic to clear it before. I do put antibiotic ointment on the open sores to try to keep it from getting infected while its healing.

I did go ahead and contact my surgeon and her nurse said it shouldn't affect my surgery. So, I guess just trying to get the sores to heal before then for the sake of comfort alone will be my focus then. I'd hate to have to deal with angry sores while in recovery.

Thanks everyone for the input.

I used to have cold sores every few months, but a few years ago I was so frustrated with them that I started researching how to treat them. I found out that there are some dentists that treat them with lasers. I tried it once (you have to catch it pretty early) and I didn't have another one for about a year and a half. I treated that one and it has been almost two years.

Well that's interesting. I'll have to look into that. I'd love it to not have to deal with them.