Bad News...I have mono!

[partytrouble]

Hi all,

So after feeling completely run down for the last week and a half coupled with the worst and longest sore throat I have ever had, I finally trucked it to the urgent care...and found out I have mononucleosis! Bleh. It seems most people get this in college, but by some stroke of luck I didn't. Sounds like I can look forward to another week of the sore throat, and another 6-8 weeks of feeling listless, exhausted, and having zero energy.

Have any of you had mono and can you cheer me up by saying you had oodles of energy and zest after only one week??!! Please!!!!

I also think I am going to have to live on chicken broth and jello until this nasty sore throat subsides...everything else kills.

Wah!

[scaleskl]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

I had it 2 years ago. I also thought you get this in high school/college. I felt better a couple of days after being prescribed medicine ( the medicine stopped the soreness after a couple of hours). I am a high school teacher and I think I probably got it from a student....coughing in my face!!

You will feel better soon.

[Coolabahdee]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

You poor thing. I had it at Uni/ college it was dreadful (we call it Glandular fever here), I slept for weeks, for a few years after everytime I'd get run down, the virus would rear it's ugly head, I had about 3 relapses. Good luck with it, you really need rest right now, you will only exhaust yourself and get sicker if you overexert yourself. Look after yourself.
Dee

[Mickkey]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

Take care of yourself, and gets lots of rest... of course, you'll sleep a lot whether you want to or not. You won't be eating if you're sleeping... so there's a bright spot. My youngest son had it when he was a senior in high school. Sorry to tell you it took him a good four weeks before he had his energy back, but only a couple of weeks of constant sleeping.

You can relapse, so don't rush things, make sure you're over it before exerting yourself in any way. Just lay around, eat bon-bons, watch t.v., order christmas presents off QVC, enjoy the down time. Hope you feel better soon!

[Outback Jess]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

Oh man, how awful....this throws a huge cramp in all your running and training let alone your job! I hope you rest, rest, rest and feel better soon! Keep posting, so we know you are kicking!

[cgdat136]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

i remember having something like that a few years ago......i went on some kind of antibiotic or something that gradually had me improving. it wiped me out though. just relax relax and relax some more. watch television if you are up to that. log onto the computer every once in awhile. this too shall pass. we will all say prayers for you to get well soon

chris

[partytrouble]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

Thanks guys for your support and encouragement. I went to bed at 8pm last night, and here it is 7am and I just got up. And feel like I could get back in bed again! I am going to sit outside in the warm sunshine this afternoon, maybe some of that Vitamin D from the sun will help.

Jess, I am going to have to pull out of the race. It is in 3 weeks and I am so bummed about it. I hope these mopey days are short!

Chris, Mickkey, Dee, and Kassoria, thanks for the well wishes. I too work around coughing kids, maybe that is where I picked it up. Ugh!

[vamps-n-tramps]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

Hope you feel better soon! take care of yourself!!!!

[SandyL2002]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

(((PARTY))) I don't know that there is a Norm for Mono.. My daughter had it when she was 7! Make sure you keep eating right and rest...Will be praying for a quick recovery

[Alexa]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

Sorry to hear you are sick - these guys are right it can really deplete you so make sure you have heaps of rest.

Sorry about the race - but they'll be others

[Evermind]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

Oh, man! That's awful!

I wish it was Valley Fever instead. I got that when I lived in AZ. The symptoms are the same, but they actually have a medicine that kicks you right back into shape. With mono, you just have to wait it out.

The thing is that the more you take it easy, the faster you get through it. Do NOT, do NOT, DO NOT push yourself. DO take walks. DO push the fluids. DO take naps. DO go to bed early.

You might look for herbal supplements that are antiviral. Garlic comes to mind, and milk thistle. (I'm not huge on herbs, but I'd definately go for it if I was you.)

And darned right you aren't doing the race. Mono can cause problems with the spleen, and strenuous exercise can cause it to rupture!

Hang in there, dear. I feel for ya!

[partytrouble]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

thanks guys for all of your support and prayers. i am used to taking care of everyone else, so i am not used the the one being taken care OF, so thanks.

i am planning to try to go for a gentle walk this morning, but only for 15 minutes or so. i promise not to overexert.

i am sure i will be good as new in a few weeks, but evermind you are right, i better not overexert. and i already dropped out of the triathalon....

[misplaced southerner]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

hey girl. sorry to hear about the mono. my son is 20 and he got it this summer, he was sicker than a dog. 6'4", 185 pounds...in bed for two weeks. could barely move. could not eat. we nearly hospitalized him til the last day at the doc, he was given prednisone which lessened the swelling in his throat enough that he could swallow.

he is back at school. his throat still hurts most of the time. sometimes he has outbreaks of what appear to be canker sores in his throat,,,back to the prednisone for 3 days. each time it is less than before so we are hoping that the virus is wearing itself out. it is a virus and therefore not treatable with antibiotics...that is the bummer

he is a huge doses of lysene which fights viral infections, a time released vitamin c tab each day, multi minerals for his immune system...all at the health food store. maybe that would help you get better faster

we will be taking him to either scripps or loma linda over christmas to get some mroe bloodwork done to see what can be done about kicking this. we've been told the symptoms can return and he can expect to feel out of it for maybe a year. ugh.

[partytrouble]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

oh no!!! younger college age/high school age kids get hit the hardest with this, i am so sorry to hear he has been so ill.

the symptoms can return but some people are not out of it for quite that long. you can get his IgG/IgM EBV levels drawn at Loma Linda or Scripps, and the only treatment that MAY help is to get an infusion of IVIG (an immunoglobulin that basically boosts your immune system).

i am very lucky in that my symptoms are not nearly as bad. the swellign in my throat/neck is the worst part, becuase my entire neck/throat ache constantly. i am exhausted, but that is not as bad to me as having the constant neck/throat pain.

i hope he heals quickly!

[PaulaMM]

Re: Bad News...I have mono!

Aw geez, that really stinks! My sister had it and it knocked her on her butt for weeks.

Take extra special care of yourself. I hope you feel better soon!