Mono in pregnancy
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi everyone, I have been reading these forums for some time in order to gain some moral support for this hideous journey I am now part of. But admittedly, I have never commented. I'm in month 7 since my EBV diagnosis and for the first 5 months I coped reasonably well. The symptoms since the beginning were strange and unlike any other bug I'd ever had, but I could still function fairly well and the symptoms would come and go. Then I found out I was pregnant....Yay, over the moon! then came the mono, with an absolute vengeance!! Night sweats, inability to settle during sleep, like a constant discomfort in my whole body. Aching legs, constant tummy pain, a vile sensation in my head, that feeling you have when you know you're coming down with something, like just a horrible yuk, I feel Ill feeling that you can't pinpoint, but you just feel dreadful. light headedness, sensitivity to sound and freezing cold feet, all of the time! It's no easy feat being pregnant, especially the first 12 weeks, and with such a severe mono flare up, I'm at breaking point! I'm terrified that my baby will be born and I'll still be so ill that I won't be able to enjoy being a mum, it feels like I'm going to have this awful virus forever, I feel like it has stolen my life and all of my happiness from me. Has anyone else had experience of this virus actually getting worse as time goes on?? are all of these symptoms normal?? thank you in advance for any advice, my GP is of very little help, they seem to know very little.
0 likes, 17 replies
Tinabear martine25248
Posted
Hey Martine
Congratulations on the pregnancy. I'm sorry you're going through all this - I of course am just guessing here, but I would say this is a mix between pregnancy symptoms and mono symptoms. I feel like a lot of people here who have long term mono symptoms are actually going through a kind of autoimmune response to having a virus - so the body is work on overdrive to get rid of the the virus, but virus may not be active anymore and the body doesn't know this. So you being pregnant the body could have gone into even more of protection mode to protect the baby maybe? A lot of what we think are symptoms of an illness are actually our body's response to the illness.
Some years my mono incident I got a cold that triggered me to have loads of symptoms for months afterwards, so in that instance I did get worse as time went on. But it was just the exhaustion and autoimmune response of the body I think.
maybe look into some foods and herbal supplements that are called adaptogens - they help the body adapt to stress, so stops it from over reacting . also systemic enzymes are amazing, i like the ones from the brand called 'wobenzym n' you can buy it online. it helps reduce inflammation in the body (most virus symptoms are inflammation of something in the body to stop a virus from affecting that area) .
it will get better don't worry, the body is amazingly resilient! Xx
martine25248 Tinabear
Posted
thanks for your kind response Tinabear, it's hard to know where the pregnancy symptoms end and the mono starts, or visa versa haha! during my previous pregnancies I felt nausea and a bit tired, but never really really ill. I feel like this virus is in my nervous system somehow, it seems to affect everything. like having the aches and fatigue of flu, but with a side order of brain fog, lightheadedness, and strange sensations in my brain like a really bad drug trip or something. I've tried sambucol (black elderberry lozenges) as well as garlic, vitamin d and vitamin C, all in an attempt to stimulate my nervous system, but sadly to no avail! and I'm a little limited on other things due to the pregnancy. I honestly just don't see why it seems to be getting worse at this stage rather than better. It's like a long physical and mental endurance test with no clear finishing line.
Tinabear martine25248
Posted
id go to see a nutritonalist or herbalist, who has a good reputation and they can tell you exactly what kind of diet or supplements you can take. the systemic enzymes i mentioned are safe to take in pregnancy.
in my experience knowing exactly what to take and keeping up with it will start showing results in about 10 days, if not then 1 month. there are so many things we can take that really have dramatic impacts on us.
pf course speak to a specialist /someone who knows, but i think for you focussing on supplements and a diet that helps to calm your mervous systsrm and inflammation will really help ❤
lori93950 martine25248
Posted
yes i was ok the first 5 months not great but i had good days and could deal with it . i got diagnosed at 5 months and then stopped exercising .... this is when it got really bad .im now in month 10 .
doing lots of vitamins gwtting loads of rest celery juice in the am ....
what an awful time for you cannot imagine how youre dealing with this ...it will get better its just a very slow moving virus .
martine25248 lori93950
Posted
Hi Lori, thank you for your reply, I must admit I have followed your story on these threads for a couple of weeks and I noticed that you had experienced a similar pattern to me. The first 5 months for me were like background noise, annoying and feeling low with the occasional horrid flare up that would last just a few days before it would go back to being an annoyance that I could cope with. I was able to continue to work with the exception of a few days off here and there. But when I hit the 5/6 month mark the symptoms just exploded, new ones added and it became unbearable! It's been a 2 month long flare up, and I've been completely bedridden. Symptoms are dizziness, brain whooshing (not sure how else to describe it) jittery/giddy feeling, unable to relax/restless uncomfortable feeling inside, hideously painful legs and cramps, shaking, no appetite, painful stomach, restlessness at night, vivid unsettled dreaming, night sweats, brain fog, freezing cold feet, breathlessness, the list goes on. I know that this is not pregnancy symptoms, but possibly the pregnancy changes in my body is allowing the virus to thrive, I don't know, but it really does feel like this is my new reality with no end in sight, I don't even have enough room for pregnancy joy, I'm so consumed by the suffering in my body.
lori93950 martine25248
Posted
oh gosh i am so sorry for you .... yes i explain it like my skin is crawling cant get setlled in bed . its all a nightmare with so many different symptoms . its been absolute hell ! i too had twerible hands shsking that was so noticeable to others . yes and dizzy all the time .
maybe being pregnant may help you recover quicker all those extra hormones .
im at month 10 now and seeing some light if thats any help to you .
praying that you get over this soon so that you can at least enjoy your pregnancy and look forward to the birth. hang in there loads and loads of rest ! Even if youre not sleeping just lie down as much as you can !
martine25248 lori93950
Posted
It is a help Lori, thank you, any stories of long term suffering with this thing, that eventually turns into a happy ending is definitely what I need to hear right now, I'm so glad to hear you're getting there now, from some of your older comments I've read of yours, you've been in that horribly dark place I'm currently inhabiting and have experienced the worst this virus has to offer too. Did you ever feel like it was really never going to end, it's been so long now, that I'm terrified that the finishing line just moves further and further away.
lori93950 martine25248
Posted
dont worry love it will end it just takes longer than we would like . ive been through this before 11 years ago but with different symptoms .. no fatigue that time around but still awful.
youll start to see things taper off like the shaking and other symptoms... its just so bloody slow .
id say the first year was the illness the 2nd year was getting over all the trauma and reintroducing yourself back into life and the third year i got my life back where i could travel again and feel normal.
everybody is different and this time around i hope its quicker ... doing more this time to help this recovery along with celery juice many vitamins etc. more rest.
craig07920 martine25248
Posted
Hi Martine,
Congratulations on your pregnancy and just sorry to hear that you've been going through such a tough time with mono rather than being able to enjoy this phase of your life. Of course as a man without any children it is very hard for me to comment on pregnancy and its effects, but most certainly I do empathise regarding mono having went through a very tough time with it myself many years ago, and just want to encourage and reassure you that what you're going through from a mono point of view sounds very classic symptoms and a normal course for mono (not that this makes it any easier to cope with) and that things do and will get better Martine, they really will - and that's coming from me who was in a similarly low and stagnated place with the virus after 7 months too.
It can also be normal for the virus to have a zig-zag road too, it can maybe at some stages feel a little more settled and then all of a sudden things feel worse again and it's so hard mentally as well as physically to cope with this and the longevity, and I of course with your pregnancy I can only imagine how your worry and anxiety with all this is heightened.
Everyone's recovery story and time frame with this is often very different and unique to them, but for me Martine thanks to God only I saw a real turning point around 10 months or so, and really started to feel much better after that. It still took some time to get back to full strength again don't get me wrong, but was able to live a much more normal life and was just so grateful to be feeling more human again and for these intense symptoms like the fatigue, low grade fever and different aches and pains to have subsided. My experience was that the first 6-7 months were the most awful and intense and the intensity did lessen after that, and God willing praying you won't have to go through anything as tough as this again. And Year 2 in my experience was one of real recovery and breakthrough, so hang in there, there is hope and better times ahead.
You will get there Martine, and I truly believe you will get through this and be able to enjoy many happy and healthy days ahead as a mum. I hope and pray for that and remember just take it very easy at the moment, rest as much as you can and need to and put your health and the baby's wellbeing as priority of course.
Things that helped me during recovery included taking vitamins and herbs, a good strong multi-vitamin per day (I take Immunance Extra here in the UK), extra Vitamin C (1000mg to 3000mg per day), a B100 complex vitamin per day (great for energy levels and nervous system) and immune boosting herbs like siberian ginseng and echinacea. However I'm no expert on vitamins and certainly no expert on taking supplements when pregnant, so please be sure to check with doctor / research if there are any things you shouldn't be taking when pregnant before starting anything, and watch for any interactions with other medication / conditions before starting anything. I know of course there will be on the market many good multi-vitamins targeted for people during prengancy so that may be a something to look for.
It's so hard when the GP is not of much help either, I do empathise with that too Martine and it can make you feel very alone and not sure where to turn and what to do next when going through this. For me my faith in God and help and support from family / friends were my rock and couldn't have got through it without these things and God's mercy and healing and help.
Thinking about you Martine and remember this thing DOES get better and you WILL get through this - I remember thinking and feeling particularly at the same you are at in the virus now that I was struggling to see my body resilience returning or my body ever being able to cope with stress or normal activity levels again - but believe me Martine your body resilience does return, it just takes time to get fully over this thing and of course you are also dealing with pregnancy too so just remember to look after yourself and truly I believe you are going to be feeling much better and that this is going to be a year which gets better as it goes on for you, and one of hope and recovery.
Hang in there Martine and message any time - let us know how things are going and thanks for taking the time to post.
Craig
martine25248 craig07920
Posted
Hi Craig, thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement. I'm sorry it has taken so long for me to respond to your post, I've had an awful few days, been totally bedridden, just in and out of sleep all day and night. The doctor has given me some medication to knock me out and help with the pain, not ideal whilst pregnant, but honestly I couldn't cope much longer without sleep or food. It is definitely testing my strength, I'm having to dig deep here. I know in my heart that this cannot last forever, but it just feels like it is never ending. This forum is my only solice right now! Martine. x
lori93950 martine25248
Posted
i too am taking pills to sleep dont feel bad about it ... its only temporary and we need our sleep thats when our body can do some healing . once we get this virus under control we will have a more peaceful sleep .
please GOD we can all get over this soon its an incredible nightmare that nobody should have to go through !
craig07920 martine25248
Posted
Hi Martine,
You have absolutely nothing to be sorry for, I remember only too well how awful this virus is and there are days and spells where it is so hard to do anything and just being able to get out of bed is a massive achievement on those days.
I'm so sorry to hear it's been such an awful few days for you, your body is dealing with a double whammy in trying to cope with the mono and the pregnancy so just keep remembering this is a storm that will pass and you are not always going to feel this way. I really hope so much that what the doctor has provided is helping and just rest as much as you need to right now Martine, I TRULY believe in my heart you are going to get through this and back to full health again - this thing is AWFUL and it just takes time, for me (and without pregnancy of course) I was still finding thing so hard after 7 months but really by a few months further down the line things really had started to improve significantly so please hang in there things will improve they really will!! Just cope with each day right now and my other experience during this spell 6-9 months was that there were periods of quite intense setbacks / relapses, but that they become less often, less intense and less long as time goes on.
Hoping today can be a better day for you and of course message any time, will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
Craig
jenna26081 martine25248
Posted
Wow Martine I can relate! I have had mono around 8 weeks now. I wasnt diagnosed til arkh d week 5 so my anxiety got insanely high not knowing what was wrong. I thought hitting the 2 month mark I'd start feeling better but I feel worse and I don't know if its anxiety or mono or both. My sleep this whole 2nd month has been awful. I'm tired and I want to sleep but every night about an hour after I fall asleep I wake up startled feeling and kind of panicky and very hot sometimes my chest and the back of my neck are sweaty. The last week of dec/ first week of January I woke up I think it was only 2 nights but it was drenching night sweats. I had to change my pants and shirt. I only had 2 of those nights but now I just wake up hot sometimes clammy/lightly sweaty every night an hour after I fall asleep. I have bad health anxiety and I keep thinking I have lymphoma. My mono didnt even swell my glands but i keep inspecting my body every day expecting some huge lymph node to suddenly be there bc I can't get it out of my head that this is more severe than mono. I feel very restless and jittery too, my stomach is a mess from the constant anxiety and I lost a ton of weight from feeling too much nervous stomach to eat and that scares me too into thinking I have some awful disease. I am wondering if others started feeling really crappy with fatigue/insomnia and sleep troubles during their 2nd and 3rd month of mono?!?! My muscles have been so tense in my sleep I have had horrible upper shoulder and neck pain in the last week as well. I took an ativan yesterday and most of my anxiety went away but I still woke up an hour after I fell asleep, anxious and hot. But I fell back asleep and I always wake up not sweaty in the morning but still anxious. I dont want to get hooked on benzos so I do not want to take anymore ativan and I believe I have a headache today bc now its left my body and I am very medicine sensitive. I did start a CBD hemp oil on Friday which has helped as I only wake up once or twice now as opposed to almost hourly. I'm just going crazy wondering is this mono..something much worse, or anxiety. Mind you I had the classic mono onset...sore throat, fevers, chills, exhaustion and I got the lovely upper eyelid edema for about 2 weeks...couldnt figure out why my eyelids were so swollen bc I didnt know I had mono til the acute symptoms were mostly gone! My sore throat was the persistent symptom, 7 weeks it lasted. It went away last week which has me hoping I am heading towards recovery but i dont know...sore throat stopped and now intense fatigue has hit! I had twins 16 months ago and I felt so awful during my pregnancy I feel so bad you have this while pregnant.
craig07920 jenna26081
Posted
Hi Jenna,
I remember also going through an awful period of worry and stress when I had mono thinking that it could be something more serious, it really is an awful thing to go through and googling can cause so much scare mongering because it's only the scare stories that are posted on there in the main rather than the 99.999% of people who make a full and complete recovery from mono after time.
This is so common I've come to learn Jenna, the symptoms and whole mono experience is so awful and intense it can make you think that something else is going on, when in actual fact it is in the vast vast majority of cases the mono and nothing else causing this. I think it's because it's like a virus most of us have never been through before when we get it that it only naturally causes so much stress and distress, especially when it goes on for a number of weeks and months - but please be assured that this kind of course is normal for mono Jenna and that things will get better, it just takes a little time with this for most people unfortunately.
The other thing regarding the EBV virus that I found helpful to remember is that they say 90% + of the western world population gets infected with it at some stage, many when they are children or babies when they don't experience the full horrible effects that adults do. This is encouraging because remember that the vast vast majority of these people get over it and live healthy and normal lives and do not develop anything more serious or sinister. It's so hard not to worry I know and always worth discussing concerns with a good doctor if at all possible, and hoping that can offer some reassurance too and put your mind at rest.
Craig
martine25248 jenna26081
Posted
Hi Jenna, I can totally relate to the sleep issues, I can't remember the last time I had a settled night. I toss and turn, I can feel pain all night, I sweat, hot cold, can't get comfy, nightmares, vivid half awake dreams, it's dreadful!! I feel depressed, but it's kinda more like an inability to feel anything good if that makes sense, like there is something wrong with my brain that I just can't put into words. like a horrible numbness in my moods. The physical symptoms for me have been brutal too, just no respite from all of the weird symptoms, jittery, restless wired ill feeling, kinda like having too much caffeine but with a horrible dizzy feeling mixed in. Oh and the tummy pain, jeez the tummy pain!! like having a stomach bug without the vomitting and diarrhoea! then there is the muscle aches, the shaking, breathlessness, crippling fatigue, freezing cold feet, the list goes on. But honestly be reassured, it really is just Mono, it really is that bad, and you don't have anything sinister, just this evil, brutal virus!! honestly, we all know what you're going through!! x