Hi
I’m currently in my 12th week of mono & still have a swollen lymph node in my neck. It’s painless but considering I feel a lot better than I did, I’d have thought this would have gone by now. Can anyone offer any advice on this?
Also, does anyone have any advice on how to increase energy levels? I walked up 2 flights of stairs today & felt breathless & weak. I really dont want to bother my doctor again as i think she thinks i’m a hypochondriac!
Finally, I am convinced this virus thrives from stress, has anyone else noticed this? I am tempted to go on mild anti anxiety pills as I can’t sleep properly & it’s affecting my appetite too. Convinced I’d prob feel better overall if I could control my anxiety better.
Sending positive thoughts to people going through this horrendous virus!
Gill xx
hi Gill,
yes, i completely agree that this virus does thrive off of anxiety and stress! unfortunately the virus itself seems to give people anxiety that they usually would not experience otherwise, making it even more difficult to cope with outside factors.
i had a really tough time with anxiety through the worst of my experience and it really was debilitating. do whatever you think is best for you and if trying out medication to ease the anxiety will make you feel better then i would say give it a go, as long as you go over it with a professional first.
i never had lymph node swelling but ive read many comments from people on this forum that experience it for months at a time.
take care and i hope you get better soon!
Hi Gill, sorry to hear you are feeling unwell. The aches and pains in the body are very common with this virus. The right side of my neck has more or less ached the whole time period which is now 9 months. The fatigue part, which includes many symptoms is the worst part of this...it can literally through you up and down with the body reacting to it in different ways. Do not be scared to go down to the doctors and if you feel like you are not being treated correctly, request to see another doctor. I had trouble with one doctor where he told me he didn't have a magic wand...since then I've requested to see another doctor who has been really helpful and explaining in detail what my blood results show. The anxiety part is horrific, especially as I've never really experienced it before. It's very hard to deal with at the time, the only thing I can recommend is to think that is only temporary and it will go away eventually. I think what helped mine lift Was going back to work after being home bound for 5 months....it was difficult at first, but putting yourself in some social environments might help....but do not push yourself too hard. The key to this is to rest well, eat well and drink plenty of water. The rest is down to your body healing itself.
Hi Gill,
So sorry to hear that you have been going through this awful virus, really empathising having gone through it myself and experienced very similar symptoms and worries to you many years ago.
I had a swollen lymph node in my neck too which was such a nasty symptom through the virus Gill, want to reassure you that this is normal and it does get better with time. It took a little while for mines to settle down, did linger a little but it did settle down with time and just want to reassure that this often is very normal with mono and it will get better - of course always wise to check in with the doctor they did an ultrasound on mine which just reaffirmed that this was normal for mono and a reactive gland that would (and did) settle over time (thanks to God!).
And definitely don't have any concerns about going back to see the doctor as often as you need to, this is a horrible virus and it's wise and sensible to do that, I was there so often when going through this and hoping they can offer good advice and reassurance, although I know sometimes the doctors don't always seem to fully grasp how intense this virus can be and how it can take a little while to get completely over it. Even going along with someone you trust, a close friend or family member can be good, I know it's not easy going to the doctors especially when feeling fragile and it's good and reassuring I've always found to have someone along with me when I'm not quite sure what to say or how to get things across.
It is only understandable to be going through anxiety when dealing with this Gill, it's a draining and horrible experience and it definitely affected my mental health and confidence for sure. But you will get through that Gill, and it is a good idea to discuss with doc any possible medication that might help with this. It is horrible when sleep is affected for sure, I have been on anti-depressants for most of my adult life and I have found these last few years amitrypyline to be very good for helping with sleep, but again not things for jumping onto lightly and only after discussion with doctor / loved ones and consideration.
Key thing I want you to know Gill is that this thing DOES get better. After 3 months I remember feeling very drained and weary and still not seeing much improvement. But you will get there with time, it still took me a few more months to reach full recovery but the intensity does lessen and this phase where you are at just now is BY FAR the worst in my experience, and truly you will get through this and back to full health again - even though I know that's hard to see when in the midst of it sometimes. Just coping with one day at a time and getting through each day, getting plenty of rest and being kind to yourself, removing stress as much as possible is the best thing for now Gill, your body really needs that time for recovery and it is a real achievement getting through each day when feeling that way I know for sure.
Things that helped me in terms of energy levels and immune system was taking vitamins and herbs. A good strong multi-vitamin per day is really good (Immunace Extra here in the UK was the one I took), also a B complex vitamin per day is great for energy levels and nervous system, as well as higher doses of Vitamin C (1000mg-3000 per day) and immune boosting herbs like siberian ginseng and echincea also really helped me. But of course always check with any interactions between herbs and medicines / health conditions, etc, always sensible to do that! I'm no expert on these things just going on my own research and the things that helped me!
Thinking about you Gill and remember there IS hope and IS recovery from this thing - you WILL get better, don't panic if it is not overnight or immediate, because you will get back to full health again with time I truly believe that given my own recovery experience and reading the recovery experiences of many others who went through similar symptoms / hard times with this. Message any time!
Craig
Hi dominika, At what point in your recovery did the anxiety go? I am almost 16 mos in and still suffer with anxiety though it has reduced alot. I just want it to be gone for good. I am 39 years old and never experience anxiety/depression prior to contracting this virus. I do hope I am not stuck with it for life!
Absolutely you won't be stuck with the anxiety / depression forever Kay - my experience was that this thing really knocked my confidence and brought on depression and anxiety, but this cloud did lift as things gradually got better and life returned to normal Kay. It takes time Kay, remember you've been through a traumatic experience, your confidence and peace of mind definitely will come back again, stay with it Kay hang in there and things will come together bit by bit over time.
Craig
yes this virus causes anxiety ! i have valium and xanax and take them to sleep . i realize things will get back to normal soon ....but whatever it takes to get through this . be careeful of anti depressants they domt agree with evertbody and made my abxiety worse
thank you for your kind words Dominika. I'll see how I get on over the next few days. I tried some relaxation techniques last night & had a much better sleep, will try it again tonight. Stress really does play havoc with your body, I've started suffering from upper abdominal pains which i've never had before, think its excess acid! Convinced stress has brought this on! How long did you suffer with mono for?
Thanks for your advice dodge. I am struggling with my doctor to be honest, she told me that my mono has gone & it's just a bit of post viral fatigue but I'm still displaying symptoms so not sure. She also told me I'm not contagious but been told by others that I could be shedding this for a year! The fatigue is awful, I returned to work after 6 weeks, I'm lucky I have a job where I can work from home 3 days a week so I'm just about getting through the 2 days I go into work. Anxiety wise, I've never struggled before but I am now. The constant blood tests etc before I was diagnosed have created some health anxiety for me. I am trying to stop over thinking but it's hard not to with this horrendous virus & the odd symptoms that come with it xx
thank you for your advice Craig. I had a good sleep last night and strangely the lymph node seems to have gone down slightly. I definitely am experiencing anxiety that I've never had before though, I think it's driven by over thinking the strange symptoms of this virus. I'm now displaying symptoms of excess stomach acid/ulcer which I've never had before. Hopefully this will pass soon. I'm trying to be positive. Thanks again for your kindness x
thanks Lori. I am looking into ways to relax but I really struggle at night times. I've woken up in a panic so many times so my subconscious is definitely impacted! X
well the fact you can do 2 days at work is amazing ! many of us can barely make it out of the house . just dont overdo it and rest as much as possible ... try to limit stress and yes this virus does take a long time to go but youll start seeing little improvements every week .
yes thats happened to me also its horrible .can you take an epsom salts bath ? valerian california poppy are good natural products to sleep but failing that try a sleeping tablet . we must get our rest . i didnt sleep well last night and its been months since i slept through the night . not working out is driving me nuts as that made me sleep better but i feel too god damn ill and tired so can just about do a short walk .
hi Kaymono,
I am still recovering actually, but for the most part much better and have been back at my regular routine since september now. I still get a little anxiety from time to time but the worst has gone now. I would say the anxiety really started to die down for me since the end of august, which was around 4-6 months into the experience (its hard to tell exactly when it started) I'm sure you wont suffer with this for the rest of your life, it just seems everyone has different recovery timelines. the anxiety is defintely caused by the virus so i see no reason why it should linger once you feel 100% recovered!
hi Gill,
no problem :) I know even the smallest words of reassurance helped me through my worst moments.
I am still not 100% recovered, but much, much better. Hard to tell exactly when this started but I would say around March of this year is when the sudden anxiety came and i knew something was wrong. the physical symptoms didnt catch up to me until may, so it has been a while.
I'm glad to hear you slept a bit better last night, it can be so up and down. i know in the moment the stress and the anxiety make you feel so horrible and even more sick, and i know it felt like forever to me, but i am here now and can reassure you that once your body starts to feel better the anxiety will go away. the anxiety is just a byproduct of this virus and so many people go through it, you are not alone!
hang in there and take care
how long were you sick for ?
Hi Gill,
Oh it’s so understandable to have anxiety during this, it’s such a draining experience to go through it’s a natural response Gill – but you will get better and stronger, physically, mentally and emotionally – it can take a little while but absolutely I truly believe you will get there knowing how it went for me and reading the stories of others. It’s hard to keep positive when something goes on for a while Gill, but hang in there you will get a breakthrough with this – this thing doesn’t last forever even though I know it feels like it at times.
Hoping so much that these stomach symptoms settle, again these kind of things I think can be common during the virus, for me it just seemed to go through phases of different kind of symptoms. Really hoping and praying this will pass soon, and that that the lymph nodes can stay more settled and have a healthier sleep pattern too which makes such a difference. Thinking about you and hoping for a good and settled weekend ahead – remember take it easy and go at a pace that’s right for you just now! And remember you WILL get through this and get better! I do believe that for sure.
Craig
Bath in epsom salts definitely good advice Lori - something I enjoy too and a good thing in the evening for sure to help your body relax and prepare for a good night's sleep. Hoping you are feeling okay today Lori, still thinking about you.
Craig
Definitely some great advice Dodge! Hoping you are feeling okay today and that everything goes fine with the blood tests and you can get the results back fairly quickly. Hoping for a good and settled weekend - stay strong, God is on our side.
Craig
HI Dominika,
Hoping that you are feeling okay and settled at the moment, and remember as you say any anxiety / panic episodes are temporary and will pass. It takes time Dominika, you've been through a lot this year and things will God willing continue to in the right direction, you have really made a lot of progress this past few months and definitely have shown real heart and courage through such a hard time.
Thinking about you still and still seeing great wisdom beyond your years in your great advice and kind words for others!! Hoping for a good weekend ahead for you!
Craig