4 Months and i have Fatigue / Swollen lymph nodes
Posted , 8 users are following.
Hi Everyone,
I had a swollen Lymph node near to my ear In June 2017 and i got an ultrasound done .I didn't have high fever so i didn't take it seriously.I started Antibiotics in July for the whole month but still i had Lymph nodes and extreme Fatigue. My monospot test came negative but my EBV test showed High anti bodies.Now its been 4 months and i still have Body pain extreme fatigue when i go out with lymph nodes swollen but there is no fever.I am worried if this continues it will be difficult to continue with my work as i have taken off from work and will resume next week.Please let me know if anyone is facing the same
1 like, 46 replies
Mzayesha farhan64534
Posted
Hi all
I went for a regular blood test to check my cholestrol level as it was high and I was trying go bring it down. All of a sudden doctor called me into the office as she said my liver function was high and asked me if I was taking any medicines or if I was sick.
I was super worried as I suffer from health anxiety. Doctor had told me not to worry and she ordered additional blood tests for hepatitis, hiv and copper tests.
The 24 hours until the next day, I went through extreme anxiety thinking the worst, I couldn't sleep and lost my appetite. I felt like I was going to die if I had any of those diseases
The next day the doctor told me my results were clear, however I had glandular fever, known as the mono virus, the ebv virus.
Straight away I felt a little relieved however my next phase of health anxiety started... which was, what is glandular fever?
Prior to the diagnosis I felt extremely tired all the time, and the day I went to the doctor I had recovered from one of the worst sore throats I ever experienced, my right side of my tonsils were so sore that they were the size of golf ball in my throat, I didnt think anything of it as another doctor the week before said it's just a viral infection.
I often get the flu and sore throat so I just thought it was another episode. However my liver was detected high in my blood test ,which confirmed I had ebv.
The next couple of months had been a disaster, I often referred to doctor google for answers, and to my surprise they made my anxiety 100 times worse.
My lymph nodes had been swollen from day 1 of glandular fever , however I googled that it only takes 4 weeks to get better. I felt them daily to notice no change, to reassure I was ok, I went to a doctor almost weekly who referred me to a psychologist for my health anxiety. Every doctor told me that sometimes it can take 6 months for the lymph nodes to get better.
So far it's been over 2 months, my lymph nodes are the same size, I have fatigue and also I get a slight sore throat in the mornings daily. My lymph nodes are tender and I feel a heavy sensation in my neck. They tend to hurt, and they would be more painful if I drink any cold fluids. I'm hating life as I think there is something wrong with me as my attention is constantly on them, I just want to recover.
The reason I have even more anxiety is the fact I get married in 4 weeks on 3rd feb and I would hate to be sick or palm off my sickness on my fiance who has been so patient with me. Instead of enjoying my time to the wedding I am left miserable due to my sick ess
I wanted to let all the guys know who suffer from glandular fever that I know your pain, however rest assured , I have been to 3 different doctors who all told me that its common!
One of the worst things we can do as humans is use doctor google. Please note we do not have medical knowledge to self diagnose ourselves, I think the best thing we can do is remain calm and positive and take the advice of our doctors.
Since my lymph nodes didnt go down I started googling lymphoma and what not and started thinking I have lymphoma. In the past 1 month I have thought that I have all sorts of diseases and drove myself almost mental. If it wasnt the lymph nodes it was a freckle on my face where I would think I have melanona and u would google or drive my family mad.
I started the new year to try and diverge my thinking to positivity. I am still really worried about my health and the "what if" in my head, but why should I fear the unknown?. To all on here I want to let you guys know to be thankful for what you have and rest assured mono is one of those diseases that is a trigger for anxiety and depression as it prolongs for so long,sometimes even a year or more hence causing these I'll thoughts in our heads.
I am one of those sufferers with those I'll thoughts, however I want to support all of you guys suffering from this also
craig07920 Mzayesha
Posted
Hi Mzayesha,
So sorry to hear you have been going through such an awful time with mono, really empathising having been through a similarly tough experience with the virus many years ago.
I definitely just want to reassure you that what you're going through is normal, I was told by the doctor too that things should clear up in maybe 6 weeks but in reality it took a number of months - please don't panic if recovery doesn't come overnight or immediately, because it will definitely come. It's so important you just look after yourself at this time and get as much rest as you can and if you need to take a step back from work, studies or anything causing stress. I know it must be so hard if you are due to get married next month, please just look after yourself and take things day by day and slowly if you can, and just listen to your body - this thing does get better but again it's such a nasty virus your body needs rest and time to recover too from this.
Taking vitamins and herbs certainly helped me during recovery - good strong multi-vitamin per day (Immunace Extra here in the UK is a good one), higher doses of Vitamin C (1000mg-3000mg per day), a B100 complex and/or Co-enzyme Q10 vitamin per day (great for nervous system and energy levels) and immune boosting herbs like siberian ginseng, echinacea and oregano. I'm no expert on these things or anything and always wise to check any interactions with other conditions or medications or whatever, but these things whilst not a magic cure certainly helped my body cope much better and work towards recovery.
Also please be assured that the fatigue and the swollen lymph nodes to settle with time too. Right throughout I had a gland on one side of my neck which was sore and swollen, very frustrating but it did go eventually. I went through the same horrible experience of googling and reading the word lymphoma and worrying - but please please be assured that what you're going through sounds very typical and common for mono and that is extremely likely that this is the mono causing all these symptoms and nothing else. Remember they say 90% + of the western world get infected with the EBV virus at some stage, many as children when they don't feel the full effects of mono, but this vast vast vast majority of people get well again and don't suffer any other illnesses or complications once recovered. As a worrier about my health too though I know it's much easier said than done just to stop worrying about it or whatever, but what you describe definitely sounds like mono to me - and remember it is normal for this to be intense and take a little while to get over, but absolutely you will get over it and back to full health again. It was only down to God that I was able to get over it as it hit me so hard too and just grateful for that and believing you are going to get there too - this period you are in right now the first 2-3 months was in my experience the most intense and worst, and the intensity did lessen after that even though it did take a little while to reach full recovery still. And my liver function tests were off when my bloods were checked too, this is normal with mono and it recovered to normal levels again as I started to recover and get better.
It's hard to keep positive and optimistic when feeling so unwell each day I know, just hang in there and cope with one day at a time and remember that the anxiety and depression will lift as things get better - and it's okay to accept that maybe things not perfect today but that they will get better with some more recovery time - be kind to yourself and get plenty of rest, and hoping that you have a suppportive fiance and people around who are understanding, it's so important if you can talk to someone about how you're feeling too because I found that a great help to me also.
Thinking about you and hang in there and remember you WILL get through this and WILL get better with time - I truly believe that. This is a great forum so many good people on here with encouraging words and advice, definitely a good place to come when going through the tough time of mono. Message any time!
Craig
Mzayesha craig07920
Posted
Thanks Craig for your positive and reinforcing words. It's really refreshing to see such a great support network
I'll definitely try out the multi vitamins follow the advice you have given. Any advice is much needed.
I have just has the worst possible last few months. My health anxiety got worse once I found out I had mono.
Now everything seems like a concern for me. I think I should try out these vitamins and follow a clean diet and should stop stressing as it made things worse rather then helping.
I'll let you know how I go!
craig07920 Mzayesha
Posted
Hey Mzayesha,
It's totally understandable to be feeling how you have been feeling, I was exactly the same I worried about so many different things and why things weren't improving at a faster rate and your mind really does go all over the place and take you to some really frightening and worrying places - it's the worst thing in the world I wouldn't wish it on anyone and definitely thinking about you.
But absolutely this will pass and you will get there and get better - I truly believe it Mzayesha given my own tough experience and recovery (thanks to God), it's such a draining and awful virus to go through but it does get better with time and doesn't last forever, even though I know it feels like it and getting through each day is such a struggle when feeling so unwell with it.
Just take each day as it comes and get as much rest as possible and absolutely do keep in touch - you will get your breakthrough with recovery I truly believe that, but don't look too far ahead and just deal with each day as it comes is the best way. God is a great healer I believe that, thinking about you and hang in there - message any time.
Craig