Mono!! FAce and head numbness ??

Its been a while since I’ve posted, i am in my 7th month of gf and while a lot of my symptoms are gone! I have a couple lingering ones, one that has really been bothering me is I’ve had face numbness and my head as well!! It’s scares me to death and I’m looking for anyone else that may or is experiencing this with mono!! Oh and just my left eye pain comes and goes and sometimes my eye will itch, it’s soo bizarre!’

Thanks guys 

Hi Jennifer

Yes, I've had this symptom too! I'm at the beginning on my 6th month and have had a numb or tingling left foot and in the past couple of weeks I've had tingling in my cheeks and hands. It freaked me out too because I get this sometimes before I faint so I thought maybe I wasn't getting enough oxygen but I think the tingling is just another symptom of mono. 

Thanks for replying!! Has yours been more tingling and mainly in your foot/feet!! Mine has been all on my head and fave and that’s when I get this awful eye pain, but only in my left eye!! I had my eyes checked when all this started and all was normal!’ I hate it and this virus!’ And do you have itching as well?? I had the itching in the beginning on my neck when I had the awful neck pain, which I still have but has improved tremoundsley!’ Seems to come when I’m tired or stressed!

Hi Jennifer,

That's good to hear that a lot of the symptoms are gone, I just want to reassure and encourage that ALL the symptoms eventually do go, including the face numbness and not feeling right in your head. It took me about 10 months to really see a significant turning point, so don't panic if it still takes a bit of time, because things will get better and I believe you will be healed in Jesus' wonderful name.

Craig

Thank you Craig,

Had you experienced this!!

I've had the tingling and numbness mainly in my left foot and only occasionally in my face. I've had some itching in my feet but not my neck. I find the tingling gets worse when I'm feeling most run down and when my other symptoms (tired, dizzy etc) are also bad. If you're worried then the doctor can give you a blood test to see if anything else is going on. My dr said that tingling and numbness can be a sign of autoimmune reaction which you can get a blood test for but she said it's unlikely and that it's probably just the glandular fever.

Wow.. I was diagnosed with glandular fever yesterday and apart from the "regular" GF symptoms I have also had pain, itching, tingling and numbness on the left side of my face for the past 4 months. Also, when the pain around my eye gets especially bad my vision becomes somewhat blurry on that eye (but always goes back to normal again). I also have a radiating pain from a lymph node behind my left jaw / under the ear when the numbness and tingling happens. My theory is that this lymph node presses on the facial nerve so it becomes inflamed and causes those sensations in the face. But it is just a guess. Has it gotten any better since you wrote your post? 

Isabella,

Yes it has gotten better, still there but I went to an internal medicine Dr about this and she tested my B12 level as she said it can cause the numbness, and sure enough it came back that my B12 was extremely low.  I am taking B12 supplements now and go back in June to get re-tested on B12. So we shall see if my level rises and if I am still having the  numbness then it has to be related to the Mono.  Crazy dang Virus isn't it???  I have planned my funeral I cant tell you how many times...  It messes with your head.. But I do feel that I am getting better, but it is a slow slow process and I am learning to live with all these crazy symptoms.  I wonder what normal will feel like again??

Hmm, interesting. I have actually also tested low for B12 and started taking supplements just a few days ago. I just have a hard time believing that B12 deficiency is responsible for all these neurological problems. For me, they came with the mono no doubt. But perhaps low B12 levels makes it harder for the body to heal the neuro-stuff that mono has caused. Let's wait and see what happens after a few weeks on these supplements smile Do you have any other symptoms lingering besides the numbness?

My lingering symptoms which is what I’ve had since day 1, it’s just not nearly as severe!! Neck pain all in the back of my neck and the pain sometimes shoots up my head! That annoying eye pain only in my left eye which comes and goes! Throat problems like I’ve had something stuck in there! In the beginning it was really bad, which I saw an ent and he scoped my throat which was clear! Pain under my left rib cage and I had pain in both arm pits and my groin, but that is completely gone now!! Not to mention the night sweats but I think that is for another reason(girl issues 🙄🙄wink!! What about you?!

Hey Isabelle,

So sorry to hear you are going through these horrible symptoms and have glandular fever. I know it is quite a shock when you get that diagnosis, as it's just something you're not expecting. These symptoms do sound normal for the virus and I do want to reassure you that things will get better and you will get through it - it is frustrating because sometimes it can take a bit of time but remember you will get there and doing the right thing at this stage is very important, getting plenty of rest now and not pushing through (a real mistake most people make, including me, not knowing how the virus can bite!) and removing stress as much as possible is really important.

Taking vitamins and herbs too are great, as Jennifer says, B vitamins are great as it helps the nervous system and mood levels too. Taking a good strong multi-vitamin per day too help me, as did high doses of Vitamin C (1000mg-3000mg per day) and immune boosting herbs like siberian ginseng / echinicea. These things definitely boost your immune system and will help with recovery.

Thinking of you Isabelle and Jennifer too, and remember just cope with each day as it comes with this as there can be good days and harder ones, but key thing to remember is that this is all temporary and recovery will come! Without any doubt you will get better, and remember to be kind to yourself and do something each day that helps relieve stress and take your mind off it that doesn't use lots of energy, even just small things in the house like watching fav tv show, listening to music, having bath, going for a short walk, still talking to friends on phone, etc - these things really can help I know it sounds silly but anything to keep your spirits up is good as I know it can make you feel so down and unwell going through this.

Better times ahead though - hang in there and thinking of you both!

Craig

Thank you so much for your encouraging words Craig. That's the kind of reassurance I really need right now. It feels like I have been sick for such a long time that I am starting to question my bodys healing abilities. I guess the best thing to do is to just relax and trust the process (and stop googling "chronic EBV" is probably a good idea also...). Thanks again! You're an angel. 

I have also had the neck pain that you are describing, and the muscles on the sides of my neck randomly cramping up and becoming rock hard in a matter of seconds. Shooting pains and dizzy spells often came along with it the neck cramping.. Very strange. I have also had pain between my shoulder blades. All of the above symptoms and more disappeared a couple of weeks ago though so I am very thankful for that. My lingering symptoms are extreme fatigue, left ear+jaw+eye pain and slight joint pain and muscle pain. Now as I am writing this I realize I have actually made quite some progress in the last couple of weeks... It's so easy to forget about the symptoms that actually get better and only focus on the ones you still have i guess. I am glad to hear you are feeling better also! biggrin 

Oh I know what it's like Isabelle, you start to question why things are not improving and fear that things will get stuck this way always. Let me reassure you that it won't be, and it won't be anything like chronic fatigue or chronic EBV either - many doctors just try to write people off as having these things if things don't dramatically improve by 6 months. It took me 10 months to really turn the corner with this virus and that was 10 years ago and I returned to full health after the virus, not saying that it's going to be so long for you (it's different for everyone) but I do want to just reassure that it IS normal to take this length of time and sometimes longer and then it is equally normal for you to go on and make a full recovery - so don't be panicked by these stories of a very tiny percentage of people who develop other problems. Remember 90%+ of the western world population have been infected with EBV at some point, usually as a child and don't suffer the horrible symptoms, and these people are walking about fit and healthy! The same will be true for you once over the initial horrible few months of this virus, hang in there!

Craig

I thought I was the only person planning a funeral 😃. This virus is terrible!!!

Thinking of you Brent and Jennifer....hang in there and remember there is hope and recovery on the way, it really is.

Craig

LOl!! I know it’s just awful!! And the worst part is I have no idea where in the world I could have gotten it, esp since I don’t go around kissing random people 😘😘😛😛

Heh Jen I think everyone who gets it just tries to think back as to any situation where they could have got it from, I know I did that too - they do call it the kissing disease but I think it's a bit misleading because that's only one of many more subtle ways in which it can be transferred, things like sharing a drinking glass or cutlery etc can be one too I've heard that is very simple but often overlooked.

Craig

i don't know if people are still posting but I have been having these symptoms too!! I have severe intense health anxitey which isn't good. I am in my 4th month of glandular fever and i have recently had a tingling that started in my left arm and now it is predominantly in my left leg. i am terrified it is something bad but it does give me company others have been through it. help! x

rachel

Thank God I just came upon this chat board! I was diagnosed with mono the end of 2019 Most of the symptoms have gone but I'm still tired and have been having tingling in my legs It's 5 months and you do start to feel like you will never get back to normal!! I can do housework and 10 minutes of yoga stretching and then I'm done for the day!! The minute I get worked up or upset or do too much.... BOOM, the tingling is way worse and I have to lay down all day. I'm learning to manage my stress levels, quite the process. I find one of the worst things is having to explain to people why I'm still not fully recovered. I'm 55 and they dont understand. I wish they read your posts. Thank you all. At least I know now the tingling isn't something life threatening.