9 Weeks into Glandular Fever & Struggling! Looking for some reassurance

Ears, nose and throat
1

Hello everyone,

This is the first time I have ever posted on a forum but having seen some of the lovely kind words from others sharing the same issues with this horrible virus, I feel as though I could do with some of your kind advice also.

I am a 26 year old male who up until recently was in very good health, I eat well , don't smoke, drink a fair bit and exercise regularly.

I was diagnosed with EBV / Glandular Fever which started after a heavy night out on April 10th 2017 (approx 9 weeks ago) , it started with the typical sore throat with white dots on my tonsils , extreme fatigue, headaches, swollen glands etc.

Being self employed and running a very busy business with 5 employees it has been a real struggle to take anytime off work so after the initail 4-5 days of being very ill I went back into work to get things done but whilst feeling very dizzy, disorientated and generally unwell. 

My role at work though is more mentally straining than physical so I didn't push myself too hard and mainly sat in my office keeping an eye on things and doing e-mails etc.

This cycle continues for the past 8 weeks and I have led a pretty normal life but just feeling constantly tired and slightly nauseous all of the time until the past couple of days where everything has seemed to have got promptly worse. 

My throat has swollen right up again, I have terrible headaches and muscle aches, bad anxiety and extreme exhaustion. I have been at home resting for the past two days. 

Next Thursday, I have a weeks fishing trip planned to my local lake where I can camp out and relax but I don't even think I have the energy to do that. I desperatly want to feel even 10% better just so I have the energy to go fishing but I really do not know if camping for a week is going to make me feel even worse.

My thoughts are that I will be able to relax on my comfy bed chair in my tent and do pretty much nothing for a week so surely that will be equally , if not more relaxing as being at home but the way I feel at the moment I do not know if I can bring myself to even do that.

What do you guys think I should do and does anyone have any idea how long it may take someone of my age / fitness to regain my health? 

Thanks for listening,

Sam

 

2

Hi Sam,

Sorry to hear your still not feeling well. I was diagnosed with EBV/mono in July last year and I still struggle with it, sorry I cannot offer more positive news.

I was also in a position that I carried on going into work when I wasn't well enough and it didn't help at all.

All I can offer is that you look after yourself relax where you can and be healthy.

I have up smoking drinking and I rarely go out anymore other than work my life has been put on hold.

Try and remain positive, I am definitely getting better for longer periods of time and am hoping it will soon. Be behind me. They say it averages a year to get. Back to full health.

Go fishing relax enjoy and do what you feel up to..

It's a struggle but you will get better :-)

Take care

3

Hi Sam, sorry to hear that you too are struggling with EBV. It seems each is a little different even though most of us have quite a few similar experiences.

Just know it can cause so many symptoms and try to keep in mind that your body will get it under control.

Listen to your body. Stress reduction helps as well as physical rest.

Recovering is a process and one we can't rush!

God's grace and mercy has been my greatest help as I am recovering. It has been several months for me but hopefully your recovery will be much quicker.

Rhonda

4

Hi Sam,

Really sorry to hear what you have been going through the last 9 weeks and really do sympathise. I had glandular fever 10 years ago, when I was 25 and very similar to you - I had quite an active and healthy lifestyle and a busy job also.

It was so tough to deal with because I like you keep trying to go as normal for a few weeks (before I was diagnosed), but was struggling badly. Eventually I got a diagnosis and really had to take an extended time off to help with recovery. I know it's hard to take time off, extra hard if you're self employed I really do get it, equally though rest is so important for your body at this time and will help with recovery - sometimes a big mistake people make is just to keep carrying on and it not the quite of virus that you can just fight off or keeping working through, it needs respect and rest unfortunately.

Definitely want to offer reassurance that you will get better Sam, without any doubt at all. Don't panic if it doesn't come right away, it can take a bit of time for me it took a good few months, but it's different for everyone. There is hope though and there is recovery and you WILL get back to your full and active lifestyle again, but need to give your body time to recover and cope. The period you have just went through is most definitely the worst, the intensity can ease a bit after this although as I say don't panic if it doesn't come right away, because it will come most definitely - everyone's story / recovery time seems to be different.

Worth taking some vitamins / herbs to help for sure - I would recommend a good strong multi-vitamin per day, B complex and co-enzyme q10 for energy levels, high doses of Vitamin C (1000mg to 3000mg per day), and immune boosting herbs like (siberian ginseng, oregano or echinicea). Making sure you get enough Vitamin D is important also. These will certainly help your body to cope as best as it can whilst going through the horrible symptoms.

Thinking about you - do what you feel is right about the fishing trip, don't push it if you feel it's going to be too much effort (but do still take the time off at home!) and if you do go make sure it's a relaxing time where you don't do anything much other than enjoy the fresh air and take it easy!

And Rhonda gives the best advice of all (she is such a great person to have on the site and we love her) - put it in the hands of God because He will heal and bring recovery, He's the greatest physician of them all.

Hang in there and remember you WILL get better - there is hope and get rest when you can and just hoping some improvement can come soon.

Craig

5

Hi Sam,

Everyone seems to recover at a different rate, I was diagnosed at the end of October and my daughter a month later. I began feeling better around mid April, I had all the symptoms you had and also worked through it. I am lucky that I can work from home for he most part.

You will make a full recovery, once the nausea goes away things get easier. Use your best judgement with the fishing trip and know that rest is very important, so don't feel bad if you choose to stay home.

 

6

Hi Guys, 

Just managed to login to be greeted by all of these wonderful and reassuring posts. 

This gives me so much hope that their are good people in this world who just want to look out for one another.

It is funny as last week I felt awful but this week I feel slightly better but it seems to be a zig zag pattern of recovery.

It is always daunting when people say 6 months / 1 year for recovery but the way I look at it is that hopefully throughout that time you improve gradually so I am hoping it isn't going to be 6 months / a year of feeling as bad as I have been lately but getting slightly better month by month. Do any of you agree with this theory? 

I literally haven't done any exercise in the past two months but I was thinking about doing some light weight lifting and cardio in a couple of weeks if I am feeling up to it and just gradually trying to build myself up. 

Thanks Craig for your kind words and I have been taking Vitamin B12 , Magnesium, Omega 3 and also about 1000mg of Vitamin C per day. Do you think there is any evidence to suggest that higher doses of Vitamin C per day actually help? 

Haven't tried any herbs yet but certainly will.

Thanks again for all your kind help. Definitely going fishing for a few days and looking forward to it!

Cheers, 

Sam

7

Hi Sam,

Yes, that is how recovery goes, it is a very good sign that you are progressing, I think that the body reacts differently for everyone so six months to a year is not the norm for everyone. The zig zag pattern is a good sign I like to think that on the good days suggest that the immune system is getting a handle on the virus.

8

Hi Sam,

Thanks for the kind words, and rest assured definitely thinking about you and believing in a full recovery for you. I totally agree that the period you have been through, that first 3 months is by far the worst and you won't have to experience anything like that again I really hope and believe. Recovery time is different for everyone, don't look too far ahead and you are still young Sam so lots of hope that it will be quicker.

You are doing all the right things by the sounds of it taking vitamins, etc. I'm no expert so couldn't really say much about evidence of higher doses of Vitamin C, but at the very least I don't believe it will do you any harm.

Just be careful if you're doing any exercise, listen to your body is the key and don't overdo it - even if your body starts to feel a little better a mistake can be to start to overdo it and set yourself back again - as you say it's very much a zig-zag pattern so just take things very slowly. Hoping that your fishing trip goes well and remember just relax during it - the more stress can be removed the better it is for recovery!

Thanks again Mono for some great words of advice too, thinking about you and your family too at this time I know it's been such a hard time for you and still fully believing in recovery for you all.

Take care

Craig

 

9

Hi Sam,

i was diagnosed in dec2016 and it took about 8 weeks for it to properly kick in. I was bed bound for quite a few weeks, it's been a real roller coaster since then. With ups and downs. Just when I think I'm getting better it hits me again. My advice is (I should also listen to myself) to still take it real easy when you feel a bit better.my gp says I should store up the energy, a bit like a grain store. I've apparently used mine all up again, hence being in bed for a week. And it's very emotional! I cry, a lot! 

When im feeling bad I often look back at Craig's encouraging messages  saying how he believes we are going to get better, and it does make me feel better, I know I am going to be better it's just the not knowing when does my head in! Before this I was so active. It's just so hard. Try and not worry and just go with it.....don't make appointments or commitments, be kind to yourself if you can.

10

Hey Caroline,

I totally understand where you're coming from, I went through all the same ups and downs, it's horrible really is. It was just really by the grace of God I was able to get better, and I do believe that is the same for you without any doubt!! I know from personal experience that it's hard to hold onto hope and belief when not seeing any progress, and it can mean a lot when someone else had that hope and belief for you - be rest assured that I do and I remain fully confident that God will bring total healing from this virus for you Caroline and that healthy and happy times are ahead!!

I'm struggling too at the moment with back pain, getting me down a bit and just keeping holding onto hope that healing from this will come too thanks to God. My dad phoned me out of the blue today and said I should read Psalm 40, that really helped. Gives some real hope to those who are suffering, defintely recommending reading this!

Thinking of you Caroline and remember it's normal for the virus to go like this, sometimes 1 step forward 2 back and then a bit forward again, etc. But eventually a stage comes where you will just take a massive leap forward and won't look back, it's just so frustrating that it takes time but it definitely will come and I believe you are much closer to it than it feels like right now - so hang in there, hope is there without any doubt!!!

Thinking of you and just take one day at a time - can't look too far ahead when feeling this way, getting through each day is a massive achievement when dealing with the virus, and you're doing well and each day is another day away from the day of infection and another day towards full recovery!

Craig

11

Hi Craig, it's so kind of you to reply to my messages and to every one else suffering, I appreciate it very much. It would have been all too easy for you to have got over your gf and then forgotten all about it. 

Thank you so much again.

12

Craig- I hope your back feels better soon. Resting often and ibuprofen helps!! Take care.

13

Thanks so much for the best wishes and advice Caroline, I really appreciate it.

Oh listen it's because I remember how hard a time it was when I had glandular fever that I want others to feel hope and encouragement, because I felt very low on it at the time but you will have that marvellous feeling of your body strength returning and recovery soon - hang in there!! Message any time.

Craig

14

Hi Craig,

Feeling a bit better this week, but my appetite is off. Did you experience small setbacks after you had recovered?

15

Definitely Mono, had a number of mini set backs, short term relapses that I thought were going to be long term but turned out not to be. Even once my blood test showed positive for EBV again, thought it was the start all over again, but it's not just a mini relapse.

Key thing is just to remember that when it happens, take plenty of rest early on when you see it happening, and it will pass over. Nothing can ever be like the first time of infection - that is the good news, and your body is equipped to deal with relapses. Hoping you feel better soon.

Craig

16

Hello Everyone,

I thought I would give an update on progress now I am entering entering my 5th Month of Glandular Fever.

I did start to feel marginally better and am able to go to work and do relatively normal things but I am suffering from constant tiredness, a general feeling of being detached from myself or dizzy, weakness lifting my arms and just general exhaustion.

I tried exercising yesterday for the first time since I got ill. I managed all of about 7 minutes of press ups , light cardio and ab work before collapsing onto the sofa and now today I feel absolutely awful that I cannot go to work. I have heard mixed reviews from people about getting back into exercise with GF but I know now to leave this well alone until I start to feel better.

The biggest problem for me at the moment is depression, I am not religious so cannot turn to God for re assurance. I feel as though I am never going to recover from this horrible illness and that I will have to spend the rest of my life feeling like this at only 25% capacity. 

I am taking all of the multivitamins and Siberian Ginseng to try and help , laying off alcohol, eating well and resting as much as possible but just not getting better.

I am trying not to read into things like Chronic Fatigue and stay positive thinking I will recover from this but this has been the worst 4 months of my life and am running out of ideas

Any help / guidance from people who have made a full recovery would be greatly appreciated.. even if it took you a year.. I would rather know the reality from people who have been through what I am going through so I can set goals and stay sane.

Thanks a lot,

Sam 

17

Hi Sam,

You sound like me at five months, I didn't start feeling better until about 6.5 months in and had a minor relapse last month as I tried to do to much, so just rest as much as you can and just know it is a long tough road. I am still not as energetic as I once was. My daughter also has it and is at nine months working, but still struggling with the virus.

The depression is as bad as the virus and I am convinced that it is part of the virus as I had never felt that way prior to this. It will get better though, you will start having periods of feeling normal for a short time, this comes and goes for a couple of months and then the symptoms start to lift one by one and you will start feeling better. All the best to you.

Post any specific questions or concerns you might have and I will answer as soon as possible, This forum is a great resource for people suffering with this terrible illness. 

 

18

Hi Sam Mono gave you great advice.

I am in month 12. I am now having better hours and sometimes a couple of days in a row that I feel fair. Some of my early on symptoms still rotate through. Not as severe or intense.

Fatigue which causes some muscle pain still is my most often symptom. I just lay down and rest when it hits. If I am driving I pull into a parking lot and lay the seat back for a rest.

God will bring you through this. It takes time. I feel most of us agree we will never look at good health the same! I feel it has and is changing me in a very positive way.

The fatigue, depression and anxiety will get better. Hang in there taking a minute at a time.

Rhonda

19

Hi Sam,

again, when I read this, this sounds identical to me.

it has also been the worst time in my life... I think if you knew when you would be better you would be able to cope more?!?!

the depression and crying is a big part too. I have NEVER suffered from anything like this so its definately part of this nasty virus.

chronic fatigue went through my mind but it just takes this long to go, so I've stopped worrying about that.

about month 5 I felt better, did a few dog walks and went back down again.

im now in month 9 and having a week in Italy on holiday and this week has been really really good. A few dips and feeling sicky here and there and tired but I rest straightaway and wait for it to,pass.

i am doing so much better, improvement is happening it's just so slow it's hard to see. 

Just don't rush things, go with it. Do little stuff and then stop when you feel bad. 

Youre not alone!!!

take care, Caroline x

 

20

HI Sam,

It really is an awful experience, just want to reassure you that it is normal for you to feel this way after that length of time, like Caroline, Rhonda and Mono I was the same at this stage and just didn't know when or if I ever would get better, and started thinking about Chronic Fatigue and everything. But remember you will get better, full recovery does come even after month of going through this, so hang in there even though I know it's hard to cope with at the moment - it won't last forever and full recovery will come in time, don't panic if it doesn't come right away because it will still come.

Thinking of you and fully believing in your recovery today.

Craig