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
catchthebus sickanon
Posted
Hey, everyone. I'm so glad I've found this discussion. I'm a 21 years old applied math/computer science student from Russia. 2016-2017 was my 3rd year at uni and I've always been a good student. At the begging of 2017 i got a very good part time job as a computer scientist at a big company.
I got sick at the beginning of the February, couldn't get up from bed for a few days, was coughing and had a sore throat. I had some very important stuff at the university that I had to attend, so I laid in bed for a day and started going to university again, feeling sick. Gradually I got better and felt completely healthy by the end of the February. Then in March, I've been extremely overwhelmed in university, was constantly under stress and not getting enough sleep. I started to feel feverish but kinda ignored it and thought it would go away on its own. Also, around that time I started to get night sweats and just felt weak in general. Then I started feeling so weak I couldn't continue going to uni. Also around that time, I developed a sore throat. I felt all that symptoms the whole April; I would attend uni for a few days and then would lie in bed for the next 3-4 recovering. Then finally around the beginning of May, I noticed that I'm not getting any better and went to a doctor. She prescribed me some pills for the throat and some for the immune system. Of course, none of them worked. At that point, I started to get desperate and realized the shocking truth that I'm seriously sick and not getting any better. I decided to call my parents and tell them that I have to come home and get some serious treatment and that I couldn't attend my exams in uni(we have them for the whole June in Russia). They were very hesitant and thought that I was overreacting (It's important to note here that I'm attending uni 9000 km away from my hometown; my mental health was also already shattered at that time from being sick for around two and half months and not getting any better) and that I should just get treatment in the town where I'm attending uni. Finally, after a lot of talking, I convinced them that I need to come home. I came home and basically didn't get any help from the doctors at all. I was p****d off and depressed and went back to the town where I'm studying to work full-time at a job that I worked part-time during the school time (because it was July and I didn't have to attend uni). Well, obviously it didn't work out and after a few weeks I felt too sick to work and quit my job and phoned my parents to tell them that I feel like s**t, I can't work and I can't attend university anymore(I made an agreement with the university to pass the exams that I skipped in September). I have to note that at that point I got absolutely depressed, hopeless and felt extremely suicidal. So my parents didn't want to believe me, started telling me that I'm just lazy and that kind of stuff, which left me completely devasted. I had to threaten them that I will kill myself if they will make me stay here and attend uni while feeling this sick(and I'm sure that I would've done that).
So right now I'm staying home, not really doing anything because i'm too depressed and too angry that i feel sick. I've been sick for about 6-7 months; I'm probably very very slowly getting better, but I'm not really sure. I have constant mood swings that go from "Oh, I will feel normal again, go to uni, etc." to "I will stay like this forever so It's better to just end it now". It also sucks a lot that no one around me doesn't take my illness seriously, not even my parents. Reading this discussion has been a relief because finally I've found people that I can relate to and that can relate to me.
Patient catchthebus
Posted
Hi catchthebus
We note from a recent post which you have made to our forum that you may be experiencing thoughts around self-harm. If we have misinterpreted your comments then we apologies for contacting you directly. But if you are having such thoughts then please note that you are not alone in this, and there are people out there that can help.
If you are having these suicidal thoughts then we strongly recommend you speak to someone who may be able to help. The Samaritans offer a safe space where you can talk openly about what you are going through. They can help you explore your options, understand your problems better, or just be there to listen.
Their contact details are on our patient information leaflet here: https://patient.info/health/dealing-with-suicidal-thoughts, which also offers lots of other advice on how you can access the help you may need.
If you are having such thoughts then please do reach out to the team at the Samaritans (or the other people detailed in our leaflet) who will understand what you're going through and will be able to help.
Kindest regards
Patient
alix_99440 sickanon
Posted
This is exactly me. I am twenty three and in my 5th month. I still have swollen submandibular gland on right now and major fatigue. Have basically become depressed from it. I take Olive Leaf, Honeysuckle and Echinacea Tablets, Vitamin B, C, Magnesium and Glucodin Powder. Would love it if you could tell me how you are going now. I am two weeks unpaid stress leave due to feeling frustrated, angry and tired. I feel like I am getting better and then I am a mess ago. I am also taking Panadeine forte and Valium to help with pain and sleep. A reply would be very appreciated... xx
Mono_too alix_99440
Posted
Hi Alix,
You will recover, as hard as it is to believe right now, I had all these feelings at five months, I didn't turn the corner until my 11 month, this will probably be sooner for you as you are young (this helps).
Monoforever sickanon
Posted
How are you feeling now?
I am in month 6 now and so fatigued to the point my eyes burn every day. Is this how everyone else felt? My glands are also always up when I wake in the morning and if I go out and socialise everything flares up.
My ankles, legs and back still ache and tingle most days. So over feeling like crap.
craig07920 Monoforever
Posted
So sorry to hear things have been so tough Monoforever, really hoping that things improve soon. I went through a phase like this too, remember that things will get better - after 6 months I was like you tearing my hair out but after 9-10 months I seen a real turning point, so hang in there this is normal what you're going through and normal to go on and make a full recovery still. Hoping things pick up soon and hang in there - thinking of you!
Craig
Sweebee craig07920
Posted
craig07920 Sweebee
Posted
HI Sweebee,
Oh sorry to hear you have been going through this for 9 months, really empathising as I went through it for a similar period a number of years ago. Really want to reassure that you will reach a turning point, I had a bit of a relapse with joint and muscle pain especially at the 9 month mark but after 10 months something seemed to change and recovery started to really happen - hoping and praying that turning point is on its way for you, I believe it will be hang in there and remember you will get better and this doesn't last forever and it is normal for this to go on so long and make a full and complete recovery, absolutely it is!
Craig
Sweebee craig07920
Posted
Hi Craig. Thankyou for the encouraging words. I keep having reoccuring sinus infections which require antibiotics to clear. Just wondering if this is also common when recovering? It use to happen every month but Ive gone 3 months (till now) without one. It appears that my body is fighting this current sinus infection where before it wouldnt. Heres hoping it means Im on the way up <3
craig07920 Sweebee
Posted
Hi Sweebee,
I do remember being hit harder with colds and infections as I was recovering, something that might normally not really bother you much became a bit more intense, I think that is normal when recovering from mono. Really hoping the sinus infection clears up soon, it's not nice at all to feel so stuffed up like that and hoping the antibiotics can help. Hoping that is a good sign that you went 3 months before this one, and that this means they are going to start being few and far between from now on and that this one will pass real soon. I've also had some bother with sinuses and I think I did have a bit of bother when recovering from mono too if I remember rightly, it was over 10 years ago now so hard to remember exactly - but just want to reassure you that this whole virus and difficult time will pass over and you will get better! I truly believe that and praying for God's protection and intervention in your life and situation. Hang in there.
Craig