View Full Version : Mononucleosis
I was diagnosed with mononucleosis a few weeks ago, at the age of almost 47! I didn't think I could get it at this age.
Anyhow, I took last week off, then went back to work this past Monday and made it through Wednesday morning, but had to go home and am planning on not going back to work until next Monday. I feel absolutely horrible, like I have the flu with no energy.
Does anyone else have experience with it as an adult? Any advice? thanks
Mighty Frugal
9-29-11, 4:31pm
My dh had this in his mid 20s. The only advice I have is to take it easy. It takes quite some time before you feel better. I remember the lymph node at the back of his neck was so big due to the infection. Just baby yourself and you'll get through this. Oh and stop kissing strangers-haha..in my day (I'm 45) it was known as 'the kissing disease'
Gardenarian
9-29-11, 4:34pm
Goodness, how awful! I had it when I was 16 and was in bed for a month.
I have had good luck with herbal remedies for cold/flu - I would think there are effective herbs for Epstein-Barr as well.
I hope you feel better soon!
Sorry to hear this Anne. You really should take a month off, at least. Is it possible that you've had it in the past and it wasn't that bad, and it has resurfaced?
The Epstein-Barr virus is a real pain. You may never be totally free of it causing problems. Just try to eat nutritiously and rest, rest, rest.
Just curious.....what were your symptoms and what tests did they run?
Cathy, I got a staph infection on my hand on September 2nd. I was generally feeling crappy, and then developed an allergic reaction to the antibiotics. When I went to the Dr. on the 11th, I asked if my swollen lymph nodes at the base of my skull, and on my neck and underarms were in any way caused by the staph infection. He said 'No' and drew blood for an overall blood test, and then a test to check for antibodies to Epstein-Barr. The blood test came back a few days later with an abnormally low white count, and the Epstein-Barr came back a few days later. He said it looked like the infection was recent, about a month old.
Besides the swollen lymph nodes, which are now gone, I also have had a constant headache, and a slight sore throat. It feels like I have the flu and I am very tired.
I work a pretty demanding job, but since it is a desk job, I thought I could handle sitting there all day. I lasted from Monday through yesterday morning, but had to leave because I felt so lousy. I'm out the rest of this week and am contemplating taking next week off, too. I sure hope I don't have to be out any longer than that.
crunchycon
9-30-11, 6:11am
I've had this also...my doc said to take it VERY easy, and I felt that I was going through life in slow motion for a good while (I get the feeling lousy). Follow Dr.'s orders to a tee - and no exercise, not that you're going to feel like it, as your spleen's under stress right now.
You have my best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Anne......what kind of symptoms did you have with the allergic reaction to the antibiotics? How do you think you got the staph infection in your hand?
Crunchycon is right about being very careful with your spleen.
Your doc also needs to watch your liver enzymes.
poetry_writer
9-30-11, 9:44am
I had it a few years ago. Developed it after a period of intense stress. I felt horrible, night sweats, terrible sore throat. I took 3 hour naps every day. I felt bad for about a month.
Thanks, Crunchycon.
Cathy, My body broke out in an itchy, painful rash in reacton to the antibiotics. I don't know how I got the staph infection. It was the strangest thing, because it happened in an area where I didn't have any apparent abrasion. I asked my Dr. why I had never gotten a staph infection anywhere else on my body, especially where I have had open wounds. He said infections usually get under the skin through microscopic abrasions. It's all just very weird that both of these things happened at the same time.
Yes, it is all very strange. I guess I would keep an open mind about what's really going on. Having gone through (and continuing to go through) at least 16 years of funkiness which started with the flu and pneumonia, I've almost given up on figuring anything out!
The reason I asked you about your reaction to the antibiotics........I read that a large percentage of people with mono develop a rash to taking antibiotics. I'm just wondering if your mono was festering before you actually got the symptoms, and it affected your immune system and maybe that's why you got the strange hand infection.
My funkiness started when I was about your age too. I think some of us are so dependent on our female hormones for good immune function, that when we go through perimenopause, all sorts of bad things can start happening. After I had a horrible case of influenza and then pneumonia and then ear infections and then IBS and funky nerve sensations, I went into perimenopause, and all got even worse. One of my sinus surgeries showed that I had a staph infection in my sinuses. The ENT said this was a bit unusual.
I soon became so fatigued that I couldn't function. This went on for a couple years. I went to every doctor there was.....including infectious disease. During the worst of all this, we ran Epstein-Barr antibody levels and it appeared that I was just recovering from having mono. (although I didn't have the swollen lymph nodes). Unfortunately most of the docs didn't think this was relevant.....saying everyone has Epstein-Barr antibodies.
Sorry to ramble..........I'm just wondering if your strange infection was from a weakened immune system caused by the E-B virus. I'm not sure how your hormones factor into this, but I do know that some women have major, major physical dysfunction during perimenopause. Just keep that in mind. The stress of the mono may cause an earlier perimenopause. And conversely.....maybe perimenopause weakened your system enough to let the E-B virus take hold. I know of other people who developed a chronic fatigue disorder after having had mono.
But.....just so you don't think its all doom and gloom......my DD had mono (she was 17), and felt horrible/tired for a month, and then bounced back to normal fairly quickly. She had recurring sore throats for awhile, but that is all gone now.
Oh....and did the doc explain why your white count was low? I hope he's going to repeat all the tests in a couple weeks.
Cathy, I think you're right that the mono helped to cause the staph infection. I started perimenopause almost two years ago, so perhaps it has had something to do with it, too.
My Dr. explained that the white count was low due to the mono. The tests will be repeated in a few weeks.
I really worry about how long it will take to get over this. I am the sole wage earner in a household of four, which includes a child with special needs. My husband is a stay-at-home dad. I don't want this illness to affect my standing at work, and feel like I will just need to drag myself in to the office and somehow make it work. I don't know what I'll do if it continues for more than a few more weeks.
I guess there's no reason to worry about it yet (even though I'm sure I probably got you worrying!). Sorry! All you can do is to do healthy things.......eat good, nutritious food, take a good multivitamin, get plenty of rest and try to reduce your stress.
I'll be sending good thoughts your way! Keep us posted on your progress. This is a great place to get emotional support!
Simplemind
9-30-11, 1:39pm
I feel for you. I had it in my late teens and it knocked me to my knees for several months. Towards the end I was getting vitamin B and C shots to boost my energy. Take care of yourself because if you try to do too much too soon you will be right back behind the 8 ball. ((hugs))
Take care of yourself AnneM. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Thank you everyone, for the well wishes.
... I don't want this illness to affect my standing at work, and feel like I will just need to drag myself in to the office and somehow make it work...
Bite the bullet and tell your work what is happening. Bring a note from a doctor. Work to get understanding (and hopefully validation) from your boss, HR, and any on-site medical staff.
It is the only way I know to stave off a slacker interpretation. I saw a co-worker go through this. He looked healthy, so the fatigue sounded suspicious to me. I think overworking just prolongs the fatigue problem.
... I don't want this illness to affect my standing at work, and feel like I will just need to drag myself in to the office and somehow make it work...
Bite the bullet and tell your work what is happening. Bring a note from a doctor. Work to get understanding (and hopefully validation) from your boss, HR, and any on-site medical staff.
It is the only way I know to stave off a slacker interpretation. I saw a co-worker go through this. He looked healthy, so the fatigue sounded suspicious to me. I think overworking just prolongs the fatigue problem.
Yes, for sure get a note from the doctor. Do you have some sick time accumulated?
Sending healing thoughts your way AnneM.
I had a close friend go through Mono at 40 and it knocked her on her hindparts for what seemed like over a month, if not more. Most definitely make work aware of your situation.
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