Living with Recurring Glandular Fever Many people who c...
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Living with Recurring Glandular Fever
Many people who catch glandular fever (Epstein-Barr virus) recover completely, but for a significant minority, like me, the virus hides from the immune system. I believe that this ability was discovered in the late 1960s. I heard of it in a BBC science programme in the early 70s, and immediately recognised my situation.
I caught glandular fever (without complications) in spring 1967 when I was a youth. Those who are affected by recurring symptoms, will recognise my case, where the symptoms receded imperceptibly slowly. It took about 9 months from being infected before I felt more or less normal again - for a while.
I pass on my experience of coping with this condition. There is bad news and good news.
The bad news is that the symptoms recur throughout life - that is for those who have difficulty clearing the original infection. A cure might emerge, but I am assuming that this will not happen. The good news is that, in time, the symptoms become gradually less of a problem.
The bad news is that one needs to adapt one's lifestyle in order to deal with this. The good news is that one can live a normal life. There are many with other lifelong conditions, who are far worse off.
Any virus illness (cold, 'flu) will trigger the symptoms. Something as common as catching a cold runs as follows. One feels unwell (exhausted), with no symptoms. About 2 days later, the cold symptoms start, accompanied with swelling of the glands in the throat and/or cheeks. The swelling is not very noticeable to others. One has a slightly raised temperature, and feels quite ill. After 4 to 10 days, the cold symptoms and swelling subside, but the feeling of exhaustion remains. This can last 4 to 6 weeks, or 6 months after a bout of 'flu.
How can you cope? There are a number of measures.
1) Smoking exacerbates the symptoms. If you are a smoker, you will be one of those who find stopping smoking relatively easy. You will soon learn to avoid smoke-filled places.
2) Should the symptoms start, treat as for a cold, or 'flu. You will feel exhausted, and a good thing to do is to get a lot of sleep.
3) It is worth getting a 'flu vaccination, if you can.
4) Exercise - you won't feel like exercise, and it is wise to rest while the cold symptoms are there. Once they are gone, and the feeling of exhaustion remains, that is the time to resume vigorous exercise. I think it might be the raised body temperature which helps to fight off the symptoms. In the case where you go to the gym, you will have to force yourself against the feeling of exhaustion for the first time, and even the second time, but by the third time, you realise that you are much fitter. The exhaustion will go. Regular exercise helps ward off the problems, and the fitter you are, the better you will manage.
5) Avoid catching colds. You will find that you have become especially susceptible to colds. There are many things involved here, from a good, varied diet, a daily multivitamin/mineral tablet (don't overdose), cough sweets in the bus/train etc.
The best advice, and perhaps the most difficult and lifestyle threatening, is to follow what (great) grandmother told you, "Wrap up warm!" Think how she would say, "Put on your sweater/scarf/hat/woolly socks before you go out!" You think. "It is not cold outside". You know it isn't "Cool", and you don't want your friends to laugh at you.
If the summer weather is really hot, you can get away with fashionable wear. Otherwise, the bad news is that keeping warm maybe "uncool" but if you ignore this, you will suffer. Ideally, you should keep on the verge of perspiring, and if the surrounding air is fresh and cool, that is the ideal. Avoid stuffy environments. Avoid becoming too hot, sweaty and wet, and then getting chilled. However, if you can arrange to change into dry clothes and not become chilled (as when you go to the gym), all well and good!
I found these lifestyle adaptations very unwelcome. You will have to find your own way to cope. Thinking of these matters will help, and you can lead a normal life, with bouts of extreme exhaustion from time to time. Take comfort in that these will become less severe, and maybe less frequent as the years pass. Otherwise, you are quite normal. You can achieve what you are capable of intellectually, and physically. Face up to the occasional difficulties, and be determined to succeed with your life. Epstein-Barr will not prevent you.
[i:b1201028bc]This message was automatically imported from the original Patient Experience[/i:b1201028bc]
4 likes, 190 replies
Holman34 Guest
Posted
Hello Craig; Let me know what the opticians diagnosis is. Its hard for me to justify a connection w/such eye pain to GF, by in my case at least, the GF seems to exacerbate it. As this latest bout w/GF continues to diminish, it seems to lessen also. One can be afflicted w/different maladies at he same time, further confusing the situation. I believe if medical science were more open minded, the pace of medical discovery would quicken. For instance, not long ago, Oriental medicine, ie: accupuncture, cupping, etc., was considered something akin to "witch doctor". Now its become accepted medical science. My wife is Chinese, & succesfully treats my recurrent back pain w/these methods. Traditional medicine also scoffed at at vitamin supplements, & nutricional accumens, but now are accepted as fact. Perhaps the treatment most scorned by modern science is the most important, spirtuial healing. Miracles! Ones heart beating in ones chest, the birth of a child, all miracles so commonplace as to be dismissed by many in medicine as simply products of evolution. My aunt was one such skeptic. She explained the heart beats by the precise formula of chemical & electrical reactions, no more than that! I asked how do you suppose such a precise formula was initiated in the first place? She couldn't answer. Of course when we pray for healing, we do so adding the disclaimer, "if it be God's will". Oftentimes it is, but trials are are a big part of life, none are immune, & we all die. I've heard, "if it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger"! Well not always physically, but often stronger spirtually, & certianly more humble. Humility, a quality woefully lacking in todays society of swashbuckling super heros. In my youth I was ignorant & full of vanity. God refined most of that out of me to my eternal benefit. Still suffer from some of it, still struggling to attain perfection & my first "million". I hope this helps some Craig. Somehow I perceive your abode is not in my time zone. This time of the week I go to my farm 50 miles distant, & don't return until monday. My internet is limited to my phone @ the farm & that signal is week. Often I can recieve messages but not send until I return to the city. Its rare to coorespond w/someone of like mind. I'm sure your encouragement & prayers have made me stronger, & I pray I've reciprecated. Pardon my spelling, I know I miss alot.
craig07920 Holman34
Posted
Hi Holman,
Your words are a great comfort to me, really been struggling myself this last few days especially. This headache has really frightened me, optician couldn't find much other than a freckle on my eye, doctor says migraine but I'm not sure as none of the medication given seems to have helped much. I would be so grateful if you could pray for me as been getting myself in a bit of a state about it all.
Sorry for offloading with my own troubles Holman when you have been struggling so much yourself, I am keeping you in my prayers and your words do help - it's so important we trust God, I've not been very good in being as close to God as I could lately and just praying for His mercy. One thing I have learned from wise Christians and the Bible of course is that it is God's will for us to be well and to heal us, so let's hold onto that and put our hope in His love, kindness and mercy towards us.
Thanks again Holman and please be assured that I'm standing in faith with you and believing in your recovery - I have some amazingly good and powerful Bible decrees that you can speak over your life if you want, they were sent to me by a dear friend now passed on to the Lord a few years ago and they really have changed my life and helped so much, especially in times of trouble. Just let me know and I can message then to you if you would like them.
Craig
Holman34 craig07920
Posted
Hello Craig: I hope this reply gets through. At my farm I rely solely on my phone & the signal is very week. I'm happy to pray in your behalf. I can't remember encountering such a kind, caring person as yourself. I ask all who follows these posts to pray for your recovery as well! I've known people w/migraines & seen their suffering. Few medications seemed to work. I would welcome any wise advice or Biblical teachings you would have to relate. Forgive me if I come across as harsh in my description of God's dealing w/ us. It's merely been my personal experience. I've felt his wrath as well as his love, suffered the consequences of my mistakes, In many cases I deserved it. Had I not looked @ it as his doing it for my own good, I'd been lost in my despair. But that just me. Oftentimes good folks who don't deserve it have evil visit them. You have a multitude of friends & supporters on these posts. People you have helped mightily w/ your wise & loving counsel, including myself! Know your not alone, as you once told me, hang in there!
ur11403 Guest
Posted
i had glandular fever as a baby and all my life I've struggled with colds and viruses taking way too long to recover from and this information will help me in years to come and has been true in my past 15 years if living