Anxiety has taken over

I never tested positive for mono however I did test positive for an active EBV infection. I never had the sore throat or swollen glands in my neck I just had a vast array of very strange symptoms effecting just about everything in my body. The first few months I had horrible anxiety and insomnia. I read a lot of people have the anxiety I don’t know if it’s from the virus or is just caused by worrying about all of the weird symptoms and the length of time it last. I’m almost positive if my symptoms would go away so would the anxiety I think it’s more of a cause instead of an effect. The insomnia slowly got better, but I can’t shake the anxiety and I think it’s because I still experience some pretty strange symptoms. I can totally relate to worrying about more serious conditions I’ve gone from worrying about cancer, MS, rheumatoid arthritis, lyme disease, lupus, lymphoma as soon as I quit worrying about one I start worrying about another. This has been going on for about a year now though I’ve seen good improvement it’s still hanging around. A supplement that I have found to combat the anxiety is called ashwagandha my doctor has tried several times to put me on anti-depressants but I refuse to take them my body doesn’t need dangerous chemicals in it it’s already sick.

100% the anxiety is from the mono. Ive never been anxious but when this first started i felt like i was on another planet for the first month or 2.. Just do your best to calm down. I went to the hospital during one of the attacks and they ran tests and sent me home with no new info just a $4000 bill.

I am 9 months in and the anxiety has been the worst part to overcome to be honest. I take Klonapin occasionally to help but I don't want to become dependent on it. I too considered checking myself in to the hospital for mental problems.....but the meds helped on those days. If you doctor suggests something for the anxiety take him/her up on it. Don't try to be a hero.

Oh and your digestive issues. That was one of my main symptoms. I have stomach pain.....stomach spasms....gurgling etc etc. I was told it was from the EBV and anxiety. I have lost 24 pounds since I had my recurrence 9 months ago. It comes and goes but it makes me freak out because I keep thinking I have stomach cancer. I keep seeing specialists to rule everything out. My blood calcium got really high because I was bedridden for so long but since I have been more active the last few months that has calmed.

yes the anxiety is awful its affecting my life terriblly. i can only drive close to home and if i go further i cant breathe panic just so terrifying. i had ebv before 11 years ago and once i got better the hardest part was the anxiety i never really went back to normal just learned to manage it . now i have it again and its all a nightmare

i had HORRIBLE anxiety! it was my first symptom and it snowballed into the big mess that was this virus. I didn't know what was wrong with me and couldnt ease the anxiousness in my body even though there was nothing to worry about. I really thought i was becoming depressed and had developed some sort of anxiety disorder seemingly out of nowhere. so yes, this virus can cause some pretty weird anxiety and worries that usually would not be the case for us. but, to reassure you, i am writing this now 9 months later and my anxiety is nowhere to be seen. some physical symptoms persist, but they are such a breeze to overcome when i am not worried. i am sure that you will overcome this, everyone does. its just another, horrible stage of this virus and you are not the only one who has suffered with this! please keep that in mind when your mind is trying to deceive you.. you are not alone!

Hi Jenna,

I'm so sorry to hear you are going through this awful time with anxiety. I definitely was full of worry and had some real lows of depression, anxiety and fear when I went through mono. It really is an awful experience and want to know that I empathise.

This virus is so horrible in that the symptoms are so intense and debilitating that it is natural that you start worrying and thinking something else is wrong. Please be reassured Jenna that in the vast majority of cases it is just the mono and that it does get better with time. I too was so worried I had something else and it's when you start googling and everything your mind really can get overwhelmed and it's an awful feeling Jenna.

I do hope that meeting your therapist can help, and of course don't hesitate to go and discuss your fears and concerns with your doctor too, and hoping they can put your mind at rest. Remember this virus does get better Jenna, it can take a little time but you will get there I truly believe it.

Hoping so much you can get much better sleep at night. For the past 3 years or so I've been taking a low dose of amitrypyline at night, which is a anti-depressant which also is used for pain relief, but it really has helped me get good sleep at night and be more relaxed in the evening, although it can leave you feeling a bit more tired in the morning if you take it too close to bed time. It can also help with lifting your mood too, which I know for sure I needed when I went through mono. I know it's not something you would want to jump onto lightly, and of course only anything like that after discussion / consideration with doctor, etc.

Hang in there Jenna - hoping and praying that this tough time you are going through settles down and remember mono does go away and get better with time. Thinking about you and hoping for a settled weekend for you.

Craig

Jenna,

When I read this, i could not believe how similar your story is to mine.

About 2 months from my first symptom and 1 month after diagnosis, I suffered about a week of debilitating anxiety. One night I literally thought I was dying. I swore I had Gillian Barre because my legs were weak and I had a strange sensation. I thought I had SO many different things because I could not believe a virus would cause so many odd symptoms for so long. My doctor threw anxiety meds at me. I never took them because I was scared of them too. I could not sleep for weeks (in fact I posted about that on here). if you were to go back and read my old post, you would see all the same fears that were in me that are now in you.

Heres the good news...it will pass. I had insomnia for about a month. I couldn't sleep, has swollen eyes, looked horrid. slowly my sleeping patterns improved and now I'm sleeping pretty well. It did take time though. I'm also on a ton of supplements.

I still have a lot of weird symptoms and although feeling a lot better, I still have moments that I wonder if something else is wrong.

One thing I want to suggest is melatonin. i had a sleep study a month ago (not because of mono, but because I grind my teeth) and the doctor showed me my brain test. I was having micro burst throughout the night and the doctor said that was due to the virus. he said the nervous system is not working like normal so during the night it sends signals to our brain to stay alert and wake up. I could see it on the test, when the Burst would happen. anyway, he told me to get on melatonin and I told him I tried that. he said its not an overnight fix, but it will assist in getting your body back in to the correct rhythm. he said it was a gradual but successful fix. He was right. Might be worth a try for you.

I truly hope you start feeling better. I completely understand where you are in this timeline and it sucks, I know. but it WILL get better, I promise.