Long term consequences of Glandular Fever
Posted , 14 users are following.
I'm a twenty three year old woman. I have been sick with Glandular Fever for almost four months. All symptoms still present with no improvement, sore throat, swollen glands, fatigue and muscle pain. I got a diagnosis quickly as my best friend had Glandular Fever so I knew to ask for the blood test. While she has returned to full health (guess who infected me and made me sick due to her carelessness) I am not getting better. Unlike some people whose stories I've read, I have not been bed bound and have continued working without informing my employers of my illness. However, living with this disease has made my life a daily struggle. Anytime I'm not working I am resting in bed. I hardly ever socialize anymore and spend most my time alone. Even before I became ill, I never drank or smoked, and I ear healthy. However, I am worried about developing Chronic Fatigue or MS as I am not recovering. I am afraid in the long term I will lose my job to this disease if it becomes a chronic illness. I have been to GPs and they can't tell me how long more I'll be sick or if I'll get better. I fear that I missed my only window of recovery because I continued to work and didn't quit my job when I was originally diagnosed. I'm now facing the prospect of being sick for the rest of my life. And the thought of that makes me wish I was dead.
1 like, 142 replies
sickanon
Posted
Another update. Woke up this morning with my left side (under my ribcage) feeling tender. (Kinda like a stitch.) Suspect that my spleen is swollen again, after my own doctor told me in April that it was back to normal. Going to a local GP tomorrow to double check. My mom also called my own GP and he said it's likely my spleen again and it's normal for it to swell up and down. I'm concerned though that it means my health is deteriorating rather than improving. And until it's confirmed for definite by the doctor tomorrowx there's the possibility that something else horrible is wrong with me! Did the spleen swelling coming and going happen to anyone else here?
craig07920 sickanon
Posted
Hi Sick Anon,
I remember having all sorts of aches and pains around that area, key thing is not to panic because the spleen is an area full of glands so it can be normal for it to be painful when going through this, but definitely wise to get it checked by the doctor, they should be able to tell if it's swollen or not - but just to reassure it definitely doesn't mean things are deteroriating, remember it's all a bit zig-zag and up and down with this, sometimes just weird aches and pains come but then they will go again equally and overall each day is still a day towards recovery.
I do still fully believe in your recovery today Sick Anon, hold onto hope and I believe God will bring healing for you. Thinking of you and hang in there.
Craig
40with.gf. sickanon
Posted
Hi sickanon, yes, I agree with Craig, I've had loads of different symptoms, which change. I never suffered sore throats in the beginning but have a constant one now! With ulcers. def go to gp though, it's great to talk to someone even if it's just to reassure you that it's all 'normal' as part of this virus. I haven't had spleen ache or pains but everyone suffers differently. Xx
sickanon
Posted
Thanks for all the support everyone. Latest update, my spleen isn't swollen. So it's just the usual GF aches and pains. My doctor has recommended a reasonably affordable psychotherapist who lives locally. At this stage, I figure it's worth a shot. My doctor reckons that my stress and anxiety around this whole illness is hindering my recovery, and that if we worked on that, my physical health would improve.
craig07920 sickanon
Posted
Hey Sickanon / Caroline,
That's good to hear that your spleen isn't swollen Sickanon, take that as reassurance because I know that can be really worrying in terms of even how you move and everything - so hoping that can help you feel a bit more settled. And remember those weird pains in that area can be normal with the virus, and that they come and go, and will go again and will get to a point where they will disappear completely and won't return.
Yes anything like that is worth a try, it helps to talk to someone for sure, be that a therapist or a family member / friend - the important thing is you don't carry all this yourself, because it's such a traumatic experience to go through it really helps if someone can listen, the folk on the forum here are good in that respect but it's even more important to have someone to speak to in person.
And most important to you Sickanon and to you Caroline and everyone else, I still fully believe in your recovery and remember even in the darkest moments when it seems like there's little hope or improvement, things DO and WILL get better, it is normal for it to prolong like this unfortunately but most importantly it is equally normal for you to make a FULL AND TOTAL recovery after having went through that - and today is another day away from the day of infection and another day towards full recovery. Don't panic if it doesn't come right away, because it will come, I fully believe in that!! God will heal!!
Craig
sickanon
Posted
Another update from me. I have been having a very bad flare up over the last three weeks. I have been experiencing acute muscle pains all over my body, but particularly in my head and back. Also a painful pains and needles all over, but especially in my arms and legs. Painkillers don't give me any relief. (Parar and Ibuprofen). Has anyone else experienced symptoms like these from post viral fatigue? I am going back to the doctor again, but mu appointment isn't for another fortnight.
sickanon
Posted
*paracetamol and Ibuprofen
40with.gf. sickanon
Posted
Hi, gosh, yes, I had the pins and needles feeling in both arms and legs, when I was at my lowest. As I'm slowly getting better it does go and occasionally it will be just my arms that ache. I've also suffered from three really painful stiff necks. I am going through a good stage right now, but progress is so slow, it can sometimes be hardly noticeable!! I'm 8 months in now..... And I was really frustrated at my last setback, thb, I thought it wouldn't happen to me, but I'm improving again.
Mono_too sickanon
Posted
I had the aches and pains too and a strange weakness in my arms and legs, it is such a vicious virus, I have been feeling better, but still get low enegy days from time to time, It will get bette.r as hard as it is to believe when you are going through it. How long have you been sick? I didnt start to see improvement until six and a half months and even then it was not consistent.
Mono_too sickanon
Posted
sickanon
Posted
I'm now in month seven. I had experienced some of these symptoms in the early stages of my illness, but never to this extent or for consistently this long. The pain I've been having over the last two weeks is the worst it's ever been during the course of my illness. Up until now the pins and needles came and went. Now I have it 24/7. Rather than improve, it feels like my health is deteriorating. I am going to ask my doctor to prescribe me a stronger painkiller, because over the counter painkillers no longer seem to be working.
Mono_too sickanon
Posted
My daughter is going through the same long term feeling of illness she has been sick for eight months now, I hope it lifts soon for each of you, an awful virus for sure.
Mono_too sickanon
Posted
Her friend was sick like this also and it turns out he had lyme disease, he has recovered. i think people should be tested for this also as the symptoms seem very like mono.Â
40with.gf. sickanon
Posted
I think it's really hard as you feel like you're going backwards and not improving, it doesn't seem to be consistent either. Hopefully this episode will be the last bad one for you?! If only we knew when we were going to be better then I think we would probably be able to accept it. And it would be easier.
i am keeping a diary and It helps as I can look back and see how I felt and see my good days and bad days. I've even done a chart in colour to chart my progress!!!
craig07920 40with.gf.
Posted
Hi guys,
So sorry to hear folk have been struggling with all these aches and pain, it's so hard to cope with I know. I remember vividly after struggling with the virus for about 9 months, I had a terrible flare up of weird joint and muscle pain, in different places all over my body, started getting a few bruises and things too, just couldn't comprehend what was happening to me. This went on for a few weeks, maybe 3 weeks or something.
But you know what, after that was the time that I really started to fully recovery. i almost feel like that was a phase that started to kick the virus out of my body, and this may be what's happening here with you too. This was only relatively short term, a matter of weeks, although it feels like a lifetime, but in a way looking back it was like my body finally kicking the virus out for good - I'm really hoping and believing that is the case for you Sickanon and 40withgf, thinking of you and hang in there - there is hope and this could be the beginning of the end of the virus with God's help (hoping and praying that is the case).
Craig
sickanon Mono_too
Posted
I was tested for a whole pile of different illnesses in the process of being diagnosed, including Lymes disease. Whatever is wrong with me, it isn't that.
40with.gf. sickanon
Posted
Hello, I have also had tests and scans and all have came back clear, which is good. It just goes to show what a horrible virus this is. I take one day at a time and rest when I'm tired, I am sure I'm slowly getting better, my recovery time after relapse seem quicker....you will get better sickanon. Sometimes I've felt like I would never get better, but I am very slowly. I'm sure of it.
thank you also Craig for your info on how you felt, it helps to relate to it and makes me feel what happening is normal!
craig07920 40with.gf.
Posted
Hi Caroline,
You're most welcome, I just remember how hard it was to go through and wouldn't wish it upon anyone. You are right all you can do is take it one day at a time, and this most definitely will pass and you will make a full recovery. It is a good thing that the scans and tests are back as clear, frustrating as it is because your body doesn't feel right, but that's a classic thing with glandular fever everything after the initial infection showing up in the blood test generally shows up as good even though the symptoms linger and last for such a long time.
Sick anon, Caroline is right - you will definitely get better - hang in there, just make sure you are getting plenty of rest and things will come right again - don't panic if it doesn't come right away, it will come hold onto that hope and faith today.
Craig