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4 Months of Mono...or something else?

Posted , 4 users are following.

johnny48998
johnny48998

Hi Everyone,

First time posting about this.  I have been really struggling the past few months.  I am 32 years old and this is my 4th time with Mono since 2003.  My doctor ran a mono check and my blood tests showed an elevated level which is what she is basing her diagnosis off of.

However, this is the strangest bout of mono I've had.  The previous times I had fevers, extreme fatigue, this time however I have no fever, mild fatigue and swollen lymph nodes in my neck, collar bones, and armpit, sometimes painful (spinal) neck pain, and sore / tired arm muscles.  Since my symptoms are so different I am wondering if something more sinister might be going on, like Lymphoma.

I wonder if anyone here has had a similar experience to me, or if anyone has ever gone from Mono to Lymphoma (as there is some medical evidence to support a link between the 2).

I have a young toddler at home so I try to rest as much as I can, but I'm at that phase in life, where I really just can't take a break.

Any thoughts, advice, shared stories would be very helpful.

Thanks!

 

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • isabelle54481
    isabelle54481 johnny48998

    Posted

    Hi Johnny, 

    I have definitely had those symptoms that you are describing. Swollen lymph nodes in neck and armpit, spinal pain in neck and between the shoulder blades, arm weakness, pain i forearms etc. 

    May I ask, can you see any kind of pattern in the four times you have fallen sick since 2003? Change of work/relationships/physical stress/infections? This is my second time of supposed mono (although doubting the diagnosis) and I am trying to figure out how to stop this from happening again.

    • johnny48998
      johnny48998 isabelle54481

      Posted

      I definitely do find a correlation between stress and occurrence.  First time was the initial infection.  Second time was starting my first professional job out of college, third time was kind of random (had a 103 degree fever, no other symptoms for about a week).  This time, busy at work and chasing a toddler around.

      One thing I intend to do is call doctor and get the actual values.  My understanding is that someone will always test positive for mono once they've had it but they can determine active vs dormant by how high certain values are.

    • lori93950
      lori93950 johnny48998

      Posted

      Now are you getting these bouts for months at a time or are they short lived . Mine has been 6 months now . Doing better since I got a diagnosis and quit working out . 
  • lori93950
    lori93950 johnny48998

    Posted

    4th time ????? 

    I read that once you get it that you don’t get it ever again as your body builds an immunity to it ???? 

    I think that everybody is different . I’m older so I never got the sore throat fever etc . Mine has mainly been FATIGUE  dizziness depression and just an unwell feeling most of the day . 

    • johnny48998
      johnny48998 lori93950

      Posted

      Most people by a certain age will test positive without ever having any symptoms.  An unlucky group will have severe flu like symptoms once and never again.  And a rare group will get mono over and over again.
    • lori93950
      lori93950 johnny48998

      Posted

      Gosh that’s awful I’m so sorry Johnny I cannot imagine how you are coping especially with a baby . I hope this will be your last go around please God . Be sure to keep boosting your immune system with supplements . 

      This has been by far the worst thing I’ve gone through .  I NEVER want to go through it again !!! 

  • craig07920
    craig07920 johnny48998

    Posted

    Hi Johnny,

    So sorry to hear you've been through what sounds like such an awful time with mono four times, goodness you must have some resilience still to be hear to tell the tale as I know once with the virus was enough to floor me completely for a good while. 

    I'm very much hoping this turns out just to be a temporary blip and a minor reactivation of the virus rather than anything major. It is understandable to worry about things of course, remember anything more serious is very very rare and unlikely in most cases, but of course always seeing the doc is wise.

    I know it must be so hard to rest if you have a young toddler, maybe taking some vitamins / herbs could make a difference. Ones that helped me included a good strong multi-vitamin per day, immune boosting herbs like siberian ginseng and echinicea, B complex (for energy levels) and higher doses of Vitamin C (1000mg-3000mg per day).

    Thinking about you and currently going through a tough time myself for other health reasons so empathising with how low and tough things can get - hoping and praying you feel much better soon and this in the grand scheme just proves to be a temporary setback.

    Craig

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