Mononucleosis (Glandular Fever) a second time
Posted , 10 users are following.
Hi all,
I'm a 31 y/o male who had Glandular Fever 4 years ago. Two months ago I had normal cold symptoms, then 4 weeks ago I had a terrible sore throat, looked in the mirror and noticed my left tonsil was large.
Went to the doctor and they said it was either tonsillitis or glandular fever, so I did a blood test and it came up "low positive" for glandular fever.
Results were:
Epstein-Barr virus (VCA) igG POSITIVE
Epstein-Barr virus (VCA) IgM Low Positive
EBV Nuclear Antigen (EBNA) POSITIVE
"Previous results noted. Consistent with past exposure to Epstein Barr virus"
I'm now 5 1/2 weeks into this, extreme fatigue where I want to sleep all the time and cannot concentrate at all at work. My sore throat seems to get worse some days and better others. I notice that I get light headed / dizzy at times I guess this is due to the fatigue. I also notice for the last 2 months the ringing in my ears has increased significantly where I can hear it all the time (before only when it was completely silent).
I saw my local doctor a few days ago and she looked at my tonsils and said while the left one is still large she can't see pus (so it isn't bacterial). I don't have a headache or a fever.
Guess I have a few questions:
1) I didn't know it was possible to get glandular fever a second time, I thought the body built up immunity against it.
2) Any idea how much longer I will need to deal with these symptoms? It's getting very difficult with my job and the extreme fatigue.
Thanks.
0 likes, 47 replies
jennifer77004 anthony1986
Posted
Anthony sorry your having these issues!! I e had this since June and different symtomps have come and gone and other have persisted!' There is no set time on how long it takes each person is didfent!
I would recommend a good multi vitamin and i started take b12 in the liquid form every day and I eat only healthy foods, lots of greens and proteins!! I also take turmeric everday, you can get it in the spices at the store if you like milk and can stomach it I put in warm milk and drink it at night or I will put it in my shakes I started making!!
Probably not the answers you are looking for but hang it there you will have good days and bad days the important this to remember is when your having a good day don't push it, I've made that mistake too many times and it always sets me back!!'
Welcome to the mono club😀😀 great people with great advise sharing what they are going through!' Hang in there!'
anthony1986 jennifer77004
Posted
I also suffer from TMJ/TMD and have noticed glandular fever has exacerbated it and I also have constant tinnitus ringing in my ears.
jennifer77004 anthony1986
Posted
Yes it is awful!' My major issues hav been back if my neck swelling and constant throat issues where it feels like my throat is so swollen and talking is almost unbearable, and indigestion causing burning in my throat has been just plain miserable!!' The neck pain is unthinkable, the whole back of my neck feels as though it's full of fluid but I can't feel anything!! And then the lymph nodes in the armpits hurting as well, that has been fun!! NOT!!!
anthony1986 jennifer77004
Posted
That is no good at all.
My current symptoms are:
* Extreme fatigue - sleep 8-10 hours a night and feel like I haven't slept
* Sore throat - not as sore as it normally has been however (does seem to be getting a bit better)
* One enlarged tonsil (left one)
Rarely these days i'll cough / sneeze (although this was bad at the start).
Just hope I am towards the end of this... so hard to tell. Been hard battling the anxiety and depression (feeling like it will never go away).
anthony1986
Posted
jennifer77004 anthony1986
Posted
Yes the depression is terrible!! Just stay positive and know it will get better!! I'm 3 months in and still going strong with it but I do have 1 or 2 goood days so I hold on to those!!
I told another fellow mononite, lol
You have to get through all the rain to get to the rainbow!!!! 🌧🌧💦💦💦🌈🌈🌈 we are just in the rain right now but rainbows are coming our way!! I know thats corny but it's true!!! 🙃🙃🙃
anthony1986 jennifer77004
Posted
jennifer77004 anthony1986
Posted
No you aren't for sure not only!! We are all here for each other hang in there give a shout out anytime you need a pick me up😀😀 lord knows I do nobody understands what we are going through!! My friends think I just don't want to do anything with them and my hubby thinks I should get over this but he's supportive!! Sigh!!!! I guess the 20lbs I've lost isint enough for people to think I've been sick. Ugh!!! Like oh yes I'm making all this up!! Praying for relief for you!!
anthony1986 jennifer77004
Posted
Thank you. My wife is supportive too but she's 'over' me talking about it all the time, so I have no way to really vent.. Thanks.
jennifer77004 anthony1986
Posted
I totally get that!' If I'm not googling this dang virus I'm telling him about it!!! Well come and vent here any time!! We welcome it here😀😀😀😎😎
Shawnatwo jennifer77004
Posted
I love your positivity. I need a little of that. Googling mono or anything associated with mono gives me such anxiety. So I try hard to stay off.
I hope you had a great day today.
Mono_too anthony1986
Posted
I had the tinnitus in the beginning the month before I found out I had GF/mono, it was terrible, eventually it went away. I guess it is inflammation of a nerve in the ear( at least that is what I was told).
I was diagnosed in late October started feeling better in April and had a relapse in July. Feeling a little better again, I guess it can come back with illness or stress though not as bad as the first time. I am learning how to rest! the anxiety, low mood lack of energy and nausea are the worst.
anthony1986 Mono_too
Posted
Glad to hear someone else has loud tinnitis with this too. I do normally have tinitis (high pitched) but normally only at night when its completely silent. Now I can hear it loudly all the time with this.
Good to hear it will go away / go back to what it was....
Just adding to the stress of all of this.
farhan64534 jennifer77004
Posted
Armpits hurting
Lymph nodes
pain in stomach while eating
ears hurt
Shawnatwo anthony1986
Posted
Hi Anthony,
I'm sorry you have mono a second time. I have it a second time supposedly. I don't recall ever getting it before this but the doctor say it reactivated. I would definitely remember something like this.
I've had it for 9 months now. The first couple months were awful. As time has gone on things have gotten better somethings have totally gone away.
I know this is hard being that you are working but you must rest as much as possible and remain stress free. Easier said than done. Take vitamins. As time goes on you will get better and better.
40with.gf. Shawnatwo
Posted
did you know you had gf before?! Was it anything like you have been suffering this time?? X
Shawnatwo 40with.gf.
Posted
Hey Caroline,
I never knew I had this before. When the doctor told me it was reactivated I told him he has the wrong patient. I've never been this unwell in my life. This is something I would definitely recall in my lifetime. You don't just forget. You pray this never happens again.
40with.gf. Shawnatwo
Posted
Ahhhh, OK shawna, that makes sense to me, some people have this without any symptoms so I guess you have just been unlucky for it to reactivate and be dreadful too.. I wouldn't have thought you'll ever suffer like this again. And as Craig says, no where near as long!
Shawnatwo 40with.gf.
Posted
It feeds off of stress and anxiety. I had a lot of stress and anxiety in the beginning. That's why they rest, rest, rest. I wasn't sleeping like you're suppose to with mono. I believe I've caused it linger on this long. The more I remain stress free and not worry with anxiety the better I am.
Many of the recurrent stories, not all, I read are people who started to have major stress in their lives again which brings back the mono symptoms. I'm gathering the more we can remain stress free, as much as possible, for the years to come, until you body has truly healed I don't believe it would effect you again. We have to take care of ourselves because our bodies have been compromised.
Just my thoughts...