1 year anniversary of glandular fever. A story of this past year.

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Hello people as you know I post monthly updates on here and also see how others are coping with this horrific illness. So I thought as its almost one year ago 23/06/17, since I got it ill share my story in depth or try to anyway. So here goes on the evening of June 22nd 2017 I felt really ill I thought maybe I had caught a cold or something so I didn't think too much of it. Knowing I only had to work Friday I went bed having taken some paracetamol and thought just one day then I can chill. How wrong I was I wake up on the Friday and feel like I have been hit by a train, absolutely messed up I could hardly stand up. I made it to the bathroom had a shower then I collapsed in the bathroom. Amazingly I just still thought it was a cold, I went work and I was suffering all day with what felt like a Flu that was 100 times worse than flu. My eyes were red I ached all over colleagues were saying you look dreadful and I did. That day after work I got home around 4 pm. I went straight into bed not showering or eating and I thought to myself I should be fine if I rest. Wow it just got worse and worse. I went sleep at 5pm on the 23rd and didn't wake up until 6 pm on the 24th. Slept for 25 hours but felt absolutely horrible. I was also now covered in sweat despite the weather not being that hot. My throat was on fire and I could hardly talk as it was too painful. I knew then that this was no cold or flu, on the Sunday I remained in bed all day then around 3.30 I decided to go to my local NHS walk in centre. I was gone I could hardly walk and was so weak. In the waiting room I was sitting there and hoping id be seen soon. I then collapsed in the waiting room and a ambulance was called. I must have blacked out because the next thing I know I was laying on the bed inside the centre. With the ambulance staff asking if I was Okay. They got me a wheelchair as I couldn't physically walk at all I had no energy whatsoever and As I struggled in the chair I couldn't lift my legs on so they were dragging on the floor as they pushed me. In the ambulance I was put on a stretcher where I felt hopeless and just lay there. I was given paracetamol which calmed me a bit. We arrive at Leicester Royal infirmary where I am put in a bay and given blood tests. I thought to myself at least ill be okay here they'll just give me a pill or something to help. Nope they just said I had a small infection and sent me home.

The hell begins from there.

A few days after the hospital visit I felt well enough to go work I knew I wasn't a 100% but I managed. I began to notice very odd things though I developed crippling anxiety and depression however the anxiety was the main problem. id be doing basic things like crossing roads and then it would rush over me and be horrendous despite not ever suffering with stuff like that before. I also had extreme brain fog where I couldn't process any thoughts properly all just a blur. I also had dry skin keep appearing on my nose and forehead constantly. Then the worse thing came along. I developed a sort of vertigo not room spin but it felt like I was off balance or on a boat and this plagued me for months and months. The depression set in wondering why I felt so ill 24/7. At my darkest moments I remember I started banging my head against my wardrobe door until I knocked my self out and woke up in a pitch black house at 2 am. on august the 14th 2017 I went bed having watched a film. One hour later I woke up to I think the scariest night of my life I started convulsing violently and my head felt like it was on fire. It was a panic attack out of nowhere and it lasted throughout the night. I went hospital in the morning so desperate to get help. I had blood tests x rays the lot. after waiting four hours the Dr said all your tests were fine. I was shocked to learn that because I knew I wasn't OK at all. I asked him about the constant dizziness so he prescribed me a stematil pill which all that did was make me feel tired.

I was so down I had to keep going work I never wanted to go on the sick so I suffered more and more. The blood tests came back and revealed my thyroid levels weren't right. I thought wow okay maybe we getting somewhere now. But no the Dr said the level wasn't that bad to require medication but she would give me propranolol to help the anxiety. The first one I took actually gave me a panic attack but hey ho they did help eventually. I still had constant dizziness and I hardly went out apart from going work. In December after multiple blood tests the Dr finally started me on levothyroxine 50mcg.

Christmas until now.

After starting the thyroid medication it was like a revelation, the dizziness went away I felt less tired and my mood lifted. Don't get me wrong I still wasn't well I was around 60% but it felt like finally I was getting somewhere. At Christmas I did catch Flu though which made me bedridden for a week or so. In January I felt more and more of me coming back still got the odd downer though. In February I had a bit of a setback and the dizziness came back. But only for a few days though. March April and May were pretty okay too. Its now June 17th. I feel around 80% better theres still days I feel a bit bad but its nothing like the hell of last year.

I found this site after typing in many of my symptoms and Im so glad I did the support other people give each other on here is brilliant thank you for all your advice and guidance especially the main man Craig. 

Im still taking vitamins but not as many as before.

 

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Posted

    I'm so sorry to hear about your struggles. This virus is indeed a nasty one. Hope you feel better now. May I ask for how long was your throat on fire? I've been diagnosed with glandular fever 4 months ago and my throat has been red the whole time with white patches on my tonsils.

    • Posted

      The sore throat wasn't a long term thing. Although sometimes out of nowhere it would flare up quite bad

  • Posted

    Thank you. Hope you get a 100% recovery. Wishing you the best.
  • Posted

    Thanks for sharing your story Jelley!

    Ugh.. I can relate to you on the blood tests coming back fine when you feel like death... I was very very sick for months too tests kept coming back fine my whole family thought I was having a mental breakdown. The loneliest, scariest, most awful thing I went through. Like you, I’m about 75% better but when I overdo it I feel crummy.. just achey and blah. But nothing like the hell on earth I lived through this year. We got this jelley! And everyone reading this... things will slowly look up. I heard it can take years for people to feel 100%....... geeze. All I know is I’m thankful I’m not bed or house bound anymore... but it took months. 

  • Posted

    Hi Jelley,

    Thanks so much for sharing your story, just reading making it hit home what a terrible terrible time you've had - especially that first period until Christmas. Battling this and the thyroid issue must have been awful Jelley, I'm amazed you were able to keep working at all through this that is a great credit to you. Really glad that the thyroid medication has helped a good deal, it's so frustrating they wouldn't allow you to start earlier.

    I believe things will keep improving for you Jelley, hang in there and remember you are going to get 100% better. I truly believe that and hoping very much your story can offer hope and encouragement for others in a difficult place right now, remember there is hope and recovery.

    Craig

  • Posted

    So sorry your suffering so much ,but thank you for sharing.I too had severe bouts of fatigue where I could barely walk at times ,it’s been 18 months since a blood test had shown I had GF at some stage ;I still today suffer the fatigue regularly.I also have severe bouts of anxiety;but never really thought the 2 were connected;so maybe that’s what is causing mine as well.I also try and avoid gluten particularly white flours as they bring on fatigue severlery.I feel like people think Iam crazy;so I try not to even talk about the gluten thing but I do know know it plays havoc with me,I agree Craig is such a wonderful human being who is so inspiring to be show such concern for others !
    • Posted

      Hi Vicki,

      Oh thank you so much for your really kind words, I wish I was better as a human it's just I have had the extra time and opportunity to be on the forum more lately. Just really want you and everyone else to be well again and know there is hope for recovery.

      You must be so weary after 18 months feeling this way Vicki, it's hard to comprehend I know. All you can do is just take things each day as it comes and remember no matter what people say this is a real illness that is horrible to live through and just because they can't see or haven't experienced it doesn't mean to say they have any right to think they know better! If only they knew how badly this virus can affect they wouldn't be like that and would be more compassionate and understanding.

      I really hope the fatigue settles soon Vicki, remember just take things slow and don't put any pressure on yourself. It's only too understandable you would have bouts of anxiety, I am the same having going through back pain and other confidence-knocking things for about a year it's really affected me and your confidence is really affected. It's horrible because you don't want that but when things keep going wrong or prolong for so long it's hard to keep feeling optimistic I know.

      Sounds like you are doing the right things with your diet and everything Vicki, you're doing things to help yourself and you should be really pleased about that to do that in such a hard time takes courage. And remember God knows the bigger picture, I believe He is going to heal you and take the fatigue and anxiety away and bless you again Vicki and get you back fit and healthy again. I truly truly believe that and just hang in there for now is the message, trusting that God is working and the manifestations of recovery are on their way - I believe that truly.

      Craig

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