A while back, a friend of mine was diagnosed with mononucleosis (mono). When I hear that someone has mono, I think teenager. My friend may be so in spirit, but in reality, she is a grandmother.
What is mono?
According to the National Institutes of Health, mononucleosis is a viral infection that causes fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands, especially in the neck. It is often spread by saliva and close contact. Known as “the kissing disease,” it occurs most often in people age 15 to 17. However, the infection may develop at any age.
Mono is usually caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), which is an extremely common virus. Most people will become infected with EBV sometime during their lives, but won’t ever have any symptoms. Up to 90 percent of American adults will have developed antibodies to the virus by the time they are 40.
When older people get mono, they usually have slightly different symptoms than if they were much younger, which can be confusing for the health care provider trying to make a diagnosis.
Mono symptoms in an older person
- NO swollen lymph nodes
- NO sore throat
- NO enlarged spleen
- NO atypical white blood cells
- Jaundice
- Enlarged liver
Often, infectious mononucleosis in older people is confused with lymphoma, leukemia or gallbladder obstruction, or is classified as “fever of unknown origin. Fortunately, the astute nurse practitioner my friend saw decided to get a mono test, just in case.
“For a week before my diagnosis,” she told me, “I felt SOOO tired and achy and flu-ish. I told the nurse practitioner something’s off; I just don’t feel right. And God bless her, she ordered up some blood work and included mono.”
Some people call mono the kissing disease, so of course, I had to ask her who she’d been kissing lately. Her quick response: “I never keep a list of who I kiss. Maybe I should!”
How mono is spread, no matter what your age
- The virus that causes mono lives in the nose and throat. It can be spread when people come in direct contact with infected saliva, tears, or mucus.
- It is usually spread when saliva from an infected person gets into another person’s mouth. It can happen if you share a drinking glass or eating utensils with someone who is infected, or it can happen with a kiss, although a brief kiss on the lips is not likely to spread the virus.
When you are contagious
- The virus can be passed to others for several weeks or months during and after an infection. The virus can also become active and spread to others from time to time throughout your life.
- There is a small risk of spreading EBV through blood products. If you know you have mono, you should not donate blood.
- It takes 4 to 6 weeks for symptoms to develop after you have been infected with the virus. This is called the incubation period.
A little advice from my friend: “If you’ve got unusual aches and pains don’t just “chalk it up to old age,” she advises. “If you think you don’t feel well, you probably don’t —find out what’s wrong!”
And if you get it, the usual treatment is rest, rest, rest. My friend did as she was told and thankfully, healed quickly.
I had mono in college (came down with it about four weeks after a Florida Spring Break…. hmmmmm….. and no, I didn’t keep a list either). My question is, can you get mono more than once? (I don’t feel sick, I’m just curious 😉
So Aimee, tell us more about that spring break!
Here’s some information I found on the Mayo Clinic website:
Question
Can mononucleosis recur? I thought that once you got mono you couldn’t get it again.
Answer
from James M. Steckelberg, M.D.
Most people who have infectious mononucleosis, or mono, get it only once. Rarely, however, mononucleosis symptoms may recur months or even years later.
Most cases of mononucleosis are caused by infection with the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Once you’re infected with EBV, you carry the virus — usually in a dormant state — for the rest of your life. Periodically, however, the virus may reactivate. When this happens, the virus can be detected in your saliva — but you’re not likely to become ill. Rarely, reactivated EBV may cause illness in people who have weak immune systems, such as those who have AIDS.
Mononucleosis sometimes leads to a serious condition called chronic active EBV infection, which is characterized by persistent illness more than six months after the initial mononucleosis diagnosis.
If you’re experiencing signs or symptoms of mononucleosis — such as fatigue, weakness, fever, sore throat, loss of appetite and swollen lymph nodes — and you’ve had mono before, consult your doctor to determine the cause of your current symptoms. Keep in mind that many other conditions, such as hepatitis and toxoplasmosis, can mimic the symptoms of mononucleosis.
I got mono the first time in 2010, I was 33 and student in college, then in Jan 2015 I was diagnosed with mono again at 37 yrs old, I was a lot worse this time around with symptoms and didn’t actually start feeling somewhat better when I left for my vacation at the end of May!!!! My labs were off the charts, but I was told once you have it, it stays in your system for life, and it’s rare to get it again but it’s possible especially if your immune system is down. Hope this helps
I have had mono 4 months. I am 55. In the beginning I had a high fever and my liver enzymes went VERY HIGH ( ALT,AST 352 and 532). I was on prednisone 6 weeks. Liver went back to normal. Had terrible side effects from the drug. I’ve been off it 8 weeks now. I am so fatigued I can’t do much. I run a low fever of just about 99, just enough to make me feel a little achy. My Dr. Finally did the EBV test and it was high and he diagnosed me with mono. I’ve basically been laying around for 4 months. Just wondering how long it will last!! I do have slightly more energy than last month but not much.
Going through this forum and found this post.
I am 50 years old and just diagnosed with mono. Very high antibodies. Feeling crappy (extreme fatigue, body aches, mental fog) for 2 months. How long did yours last? Any tips?
I was wondering if the prednisone delayed my healing since it lowers your immune system. I was on 40 mg a day for a month and 10 mg a day for 2 weeks.
Deanna, You poor thing! I can’t answer your question about prednisone — it’s a good one for your doctor or pharmacist. I have heard that mono symptoms can last several months in some people. It seems like a good sign that you have even a little more energy. Have you considered getting a second opinion?
Both times I had it it took 5-6 months before I was really back to myself again. It varies for each individual, I learned the hard way by not taking the right amount of time to get sleep they are so right the best thing to recover from mono is rest, rest, rest!!!
And I hope you never get it again!!
Hi Diane– my primary doctor sent me to an Infectious Disease specialist and he is the one who diagnosed me. He just said to rest as much as I can ( that’s all I have been doing!), lots of liquids and vitamin C. I guess it’s just gotten a little discouraging that it’s been over 4 months. I feel ok in the mornings, but by noon am exhausted. If I do anything that requires much energy I get the low grade fever and have to lay down. I have been a school teacher for 19 years and just quit this last June. The Dr. Said I could have gotten it from school. I had planned on subbing this year but haven’t been able to. But you were right–all the symptoms in older adults–‘I had every single one– no sore throat, no lymph node swelling, no symptoms except inflamed liver and fever. I guess I just need to pray for patience and keep doing what I’m doing. Thanks so much for what you are doing. The information is very helpful.
Rest, rest, rest! And maybe you could spend some time planning a wonderful restful vacation to a place you’ve always dreamed of visiting!
Deanna:
I was also diagnosed older in life with Epstein Barr. I am 46 and I am also a high school teacher. I have had this virus going on four months. I had not felt well for about six months prior getting my blood tested for mono. I also did not have a sore throat, but my lymph nodes under my arms constantly bothered me. My acupuncturist thought it was just stress. So I went to my primary doctor, and once I told her about the pain under my arms she immediately said Epstein Barr. She then had me take a blood test that tested the three antibodies for the virus. My test was off the charts for the antibodies for Epstein Barr. I am also exactly like you in the mornings and by 11;00 AM I am tired again and I just go downhill. My spleen has given me a lot of pain and seems to get worse with any activity. I suffer with a lot of chills in the afternoon must take it easy. My doctor also thinks I also got the virus from my students. My students often would bring me food from Culinary Arts class which probably helped transmit the virus. My doctor has taken me off work for the entire school year. I have read for older people it takes a lot longer to finally get over the virus. I am also doing the say thing resting, resting, and resting. I am making small improvements but I still also have a long way to go before I cured.
Hi–this comment is for the 46 year old school teacher–is it Kay? (I am technologically challenged.) How are you? You sound so much like my case. I didn’t start feeling a little better for almost 9 months. I missed the whole school year. I am so sorry you are still feeling so badly. School is a great place to get things like that. Are you working this year so far?
I pray you start to recover. I had it 4 years ago, and am totally back to normal. It just takes a while, I guess especially when you are older. lAgain, I am so sorry–It just takes time.
Perfect idea!! I have some fun places in mind! Thanks so much.
Kay and Deanna,
I am a 55 year old school teacher and was just diagnosed with mono. I was actually relieved to finally get a name for the way I had been feeling – lots of aches, extremely tired, fever and chills, kind of depressed. I’ve gained 21 pounds this last 6 months and have been light-headed too at times. My mono is complicated by prediabetes and hypothyroidism. I got all three diagnoses at the same time. I cried . I’m going to have to make some changes in my life, but first, I’ve got to get some strength back. I probably got the mono from school, as I work in a middle school. I hope you both are feeling better soon. I finally don’t feel guilty about resting so much, although I am tired of being tired. This too shall pass!!
Hi Drew — Can you please provide an update to your condition? Do you still feel fatigue, etc.? I hope you’re getting better.The reason I’m asking is because I’m in similar situation and it’s outright depressing since I can’t do much, especially my workload as an engineer. I’m 46 and was diagnosed with Mono in early December 2014 but I believed I had this since early November 2014 as it took the doctor sometime to diagnose. Mid-January 2015, I started to feel better. Then several weeks ago, I started to feel really lousy again then I’ve sore throat which I did not have the first time. I’m extremely fatigue and my throat/neck feels like it’s swollen and have a hard time pulling down food as I feel like tightness in my throat. Perhaps, this is due to swollen throat glands. I went back to my doctor and he did another EBV test recently and the results are “All your labs are completely normal. Your EBV titers are consistent with a past infection.” I had a strep throat test at Walgreens and it’s negative. I’m worry if this is mono which it feels like it’s mono but I’m concern about my throat. Any suggestions or feedback please. Thank You.
I am 32 and was just diagnosed with mono a few days ago. I had always heard how bad your throat feels when you have the infection. While its definitely sore and swollen (my nurse practioner commented “Oooh! Yeah, you got a BAAAD throat!”), I have had much worse with common colds. Worst part is the aches, fatigue, and fever/chills. Interesting that age effects this.
Oddly enough, mine started with what I thought was a migraine. Weird pains in the muscles under my eyes. By the next day, it hurt to move them. Odd pains like this along with the fever is what caused me to go to the doc. My throat was an after-thought. Moody little bug, eh?
Best wishes to all those recovering! 🙂
I hope you feel better soon. Rest, rest, rest!
Hi! So thankful I happened up on this discussion. I was diagnosed with mono at age 45. I was Pastoring and obviously got it from ministering to parishioners. It put me down for about 6 wks…hospital for 2 days from dehydration, enlarged spleen. Since then, I’ve been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. I have had to give up my Pastorate and retire. Now I found out 6 wks ago that I had mono AGAIN I’m now 56 with 5 grandkids I can’t even be with because I don’t want to risk it. My eyes swelled, my sinuses got infected, my head hurt, nausea, achy, fever, but the biggest thing is I’m so so tired. I wake up to just sleep all day. I asked the Dr how long it will take this time. She said with fibro it could take months or years!! Do you have any kind of experience with this? Any hope I can feel better sooner? Thank you!!!
I am 47 and was diagnosed with mono about 3 weeks ago. I had strep throat along with it. I never had a fever or swollen lymph nodes. My symptoms were fatigue, severe headaches and strep throat that didn’t go away with antibiotics. Since being diagnosed, I’ve had swollen eyes, a rash on my chest and abdominal pain. The fatigue hasn’t gone away. By mid-afternoon, I’m exhausted! Hoping to feel better soon!
I am so sorry . Mono seems to have so many different symptoms but fatigue is the main one. I had it for almost 6 months. The other symptoms slowly faded but the fatigue seems to hang on. Just be patient with yourself. Pace yourself and just rest when you need to. It does get better.
I was diagnosed with mono 4 months ago, it took some time to find out, I did not rest completely because I have 2 small kids, some days are good and some are really bad, after a trip to Mexico I started feeling better maybe because I was resting more? but now that I’m back I started to feel bad again, no much of the fatigue, it’s mostly tension on head and it’s not a headache it’s more like tightness in the top of my head especially when I’m resting, or trying to go to sleep, is this normal? dr said that is tension, and I need to get some massage, I did it and it felt better just a the moment, now I have developed HBP which I have never had before
and I feel very frustrated because nothing takes the tension away, and I can’t fall sleep
do you think this is still MONO?
thanks/
Veronica, I’m sorry you’re not feeling well, but I really couldn’t tell you if it’s still mono. That’s a question you will have to ask your doctor. I hope you get some answers and start feeling better soon. Let me know! Diane
I am 55 years old an ex had acute mono and let me tell you, it is no joke!! I am 8 months after being diagnosed still with swollen glands. I had majo r depression but fought it tooth and nail with no medicaton. If you have never had mono when you were younger, you should pray that you never get it.
It really latched on to you, didn’t Joellen? I hope you’re feeling much better soon.
Hi, I’ve just been diagnosed with mono and one thing I can’t figure out is where/how I got it. My Dr. said it’s usually saliva and not through utensils, coughing etc. I’ve read all comments and is anyone else wondering ‘how’ they got it. I’ve been married for 9 years and only pass saliva with my husband. It’s worrying me now.
Hi,
I’ve just been diagnosed with mono and one thing I can’t figure out is where/how I got it. My Dr. said it’s usually saliva and not through utensils, coughing etc. I’ve read all comments and is anyone else wondering ‘how’ they got it. I’ve been married for 9 years and only pass saliva with my husband. It’s worrying me now.
I’m 48 and have been diagnosed with mono. I don’t know how I got it, haven’t kissed anyone for about a year. It started with what I thought was the flu, but knew something else was going on when the fatigue was bad. Have missed two weeks of work and supposed to go on vacation this week. I’m going to grin and bear it and hopefully don’t get worse. It’s worrying me that all the people commenting telling how long it’s lasting with them. I can’t afford to miss that much of work, single mom with two kids. I have begun taking zinc to get my immune system up, prescribed by the nurse practitioner who diagnosed me. I can’t believe how much this virus is affecting me. Wishing everyone to get better sooner than later.
I’m so sorry to hear that. For all the jokes about mono (kissing disease, etc. – trust me, I’ve heard them all!), I have found it to be very serious and debilitating. Take care of yourself and and rest as much as you can! The zinc is a good idea. 🙂
Hello,
I was diagnosed with Mono last year in Feb 2015 and was told I most likely have had it for a couple of months at that point. A year later I still have Active mono, my white blood cells have stayed between 12-16. I have gone to the doctor and all they keep telling me is “you have mono”. Is it normal to have active mono this long with fever and all the symptoms? I don’t know what to do anymore, I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.
Katie, I’m sorry that you don’t feel well. I think in some people, mono can linger. Have you considered getting a second opinion?
I’m going on 8 months with mono and I only feel OK if I do minimal activity. I can work but I’ve found that I cannot do much of anything at night and exercise is out of the question. I would recommend, as stated above, getting a second opinion or maybe talking to an infectious disease specialist. Good luck. I know how you feel if it helps at all.
Thank you for joining in on the conversation Jennifer. I think it’s really helpful when people can hear from someone going through a similar experience.
My dad is 69 and has been sick for 7 weeks. He was diagnosed with mono. He was recently in the hospital and they found 2 ulcers and diagnosed him with acid reflex. He was has been scoped both in the colon and throat. He has had an echo and other tests. He is so tired he sleeps all day and is often nausiated. I feel like it has to be more than mono but after reading Jennifer’s post I just dont know. He has anxiety about being so sick because he is such a healthy person. Any advice?
Charissa, I’m not a healthcare professional, so don’t have any medical advice. Would he be open to the two of you sitting down with his doctor to talk about his/your concerns?
I am 49 years old and was exposed to mono by drinking out of the same glass as my infected 22 year old daughter. No I didn’t realize it was her glass, but I found out 10 minutes later when she came back to get it. So my first symptoms for about 5 days was swollen eyelids. Then I noticed my mouth was sore and it hurt a little to brush my teeth. Flossing caused my gums to bleed, and that never has happened before. I have funny looking, painless lumps on my tonsils and going down my throat. When I do any physical activity my neck, shoulders, and arms become very achy. When more than usual physical activity happens, I am achy down to my feet. I am very active just about everyday so this is unusual to be sore. The urgent care doctor told me my throat looked fine and the spot test showed no mono. My visit to my family physician four days later couldn’t believe urgent care thought my throat looked fine and gave me medicine for thrush, and ordered a mono test, per my request. She told me she didn’t think I had mono, that I should have had it already in my lifetime. The blood work came back today and it shows that not only did I have mono in my younger years, I have it again. My daughter said, “well at least you don’t have thrush!”
It’s good that you pushed for the test so you know what you’re dealing with. We always have to be advocates for ourselves. Get better soon!
I am 48 years old and I went to the doctor today for a throat culture. I was shocked when she suggested I could have mono at my age. We still did not test for it but my first throat culture came back negative for strep. The doctor put me on antibiotics anyway, but if they are not helping I will get a blood test in a few days. My only symptoms are my huge gnarly tonsils and feeling super tired. Six weeks ago I was at the home of a friend whose daughter had mono and I think I sipped out of the same glass as my friend — is it possible she could have been a “carrier” ? I am just baffled at this as my son had mono a year ago and I did not get sick then. I am glad I found this conversation so I don’t feel like such a freak, haha!
I’ve also been surprised by how many non-teenagers get mono.I hope you get better quickly!
Karen, I also have an older daughter that had a severe case of mono 8 years ago and I never contracted it from her. My middle daughter has a mild case of mono and I did get it from her after drinking out of her glass. I’m being careful not to give it to my 16 year old daughter. This web site is what helped me determine that I probably had mono and I was persistent in getting the blood work to confirm it. My mouth is still very sore.
Hi, I’m going to be 31 next month.I just had a baby 4 months ago on 9/11/15. I was diagnosed with mono mid December of 2015, although I had a painless swollen gland in the right side of my neck for about two months before that plus some shoulder and arm joint pain, and sharp shooting pains in my head especially in the back, which is what made me go to the Dr in the first place. So after I was diagnosed i felt pretty good especially knowing I had mono, but the ent Dr that I was referred to that told me I had mono (confirmed blood test) said symptoms take 4-8 weeks to appear so I thought I was in the clear since its been so long. Nope.. This past Monday, the 11th, I started getting worse headaches that were constant and still are, and started getting extreme anxiety and almost depression like feelings, and my throat has swollen more to where it feels like its starting to close a bit and weird muscle twitching inside my throat and tongue and a few other places throughout my body and sometimes feels like my muscles are vibrating. Just today started getting this weird muscle pain in my upper left buttock and earlier this week my calf muscles had sharp pains in them. I have been feeling pretty tired but due to the anxiety haven’t slept much at all, today my anxiety feels much better. But I wanted to mention that when I was 23 years old, so about 8 years ago, I had these exact same symptoms minus the super swollen throat that I can remember. But it lasted a year when I was 23, was very tired all the time, as soon as I wake up from sleep feel very groggy and tired as if I haven’t slept in days, but I was never diagnosed with mono back then, now having it, and being diagnosed I am almost certain that’s what I had back then, and not only that, I developed pots disorder from it I believe because since that time I’ve also never really felt the same again, especially having pots disorder too. But my Dr told me last month that once you get mono, most people never get it again. My question is, can you get mono again because your weakened immune system from being pregnant? Note that I had bronchitis 3 times in my pregnancy and a c section as well. Is this something that I’m going to keep re-living every few years or so for the rest of my life? This is very very hard to deal with especially with a newborn and a 10 and 11 year old.
Melissa,
It’s been a month since you posted your comment? How are you feeling? Better, I hope! I’m not a healthcare professional, but from what I’ve read, people CAN get mono more than once. I don’t know about over and over again. And according to the Cleveland Cinic, “The immune system is lowered slightly during pregnancy in order to stop a pregnant woman’s body from rejecting the unborn baby. Pregnant women might be more vulnerable to infections, such as coughs, colds, and flu.”
Hi I was diagnosed with cmv mono in November of 2015. I felt better in January and tried to go back to work. I had no sore throat or fever just a feeling of being unwell, gi issues like the flu, insomnia, anxiety brain fog and severe fatigue. Wired but tired. I failed at going back to work and instead relapsed. I have had a high hr too through all this and somewhat of a pots syndrome. It’s going on 5 months with no end in site. I am 45 single mom with two girls. This is a serious illness especially in older adults with more complications likely the older u are. I thank God for sites like this to let others know that this is mono in older adults and not that we are crazy or making things up. Pray for healing soon. I need to work!
My husband and I are in our 70’s and we were diagnosed with mono last month. We have no idea where we got this. We eat out alot at buffets and wonder if the utensils everyone touches was the source of infection. Also, people are constantly coughing and sneezing without covering their mouths. The symptoms were subtle for me: lack of energy, feeling weak…that was all. My husband had a sore throat, weakness, no energy and a bothersome pain in his side that prompted him to see our Doctor. He did blood tests on both of us for everything imaginable and all was negative except for mono. The pain in my husband’s side was a swollen spleen, typical in mono. He had this in college…I never had it before. I am feeling fine now…he is almost back to 100%. We are shocked we had this!
I was diagnosed with Epstein Barr Virus at age 65 after experiencing a wide array of symptoms that fit no diagnosis model but became cyclical in nature. Fatigue was secondary to inexplicable hives that itched, hurt,burned, and traveled around my head and face. Ears, eyes, throat and glands were red and swollen. The primary care physician prescribed prednisone and antihistamines assuming the hives were an allergic reaction. The dermatologist suggested allergy, cancer or an unpronouncable dire sounding disease and referred me to a neurologist who tested for EBV. Lost faith in him when he Google Drive EBV and thankfully found a nurse practitioner whose study focus is naturopathy.
What I learned was that the virus has 5 or 6 stages, lives in the liver, surfaces at any time, and can be the underlying cause of many diseases where fatigue is a primary symptom. She recommended I read Anthony William’s book and follow a diet that supports liver health.
After 13 months of fatigue and physical discomfort, I have energy that sees me through the day and minimal burning on my face and head which I attribute to dietary changes, rest and time.
Hello DJ– I had mono, active, from Sept 2014 through 2015. I feel better, although still not much energy. But I still have a hot, burning face all the time, especially when tired. You mentioned this. Even when it is cold, I fan my face because it feels hot, like I put Bengay on it. I can’t figure out why my face is still so hot.
Hi All,
Just wanted to share my story in case it will help someone else. I had mono for the first time when I was 21. It lasted 4 weeks – I had all of the classic symptoms – sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, extreme fatigue. In December 2014, I was diagnosed with mono again (my mono test showed an active infection, not just a past one). My symptoms this time have been MUCH different – extreme fatigue again, but this time, a tightness in my throat, neck, shoulders, and chest so bad it feels like my skin is too tight for my body or like someone is strangling me. It has been 1.5 years and though I am much better, I still get extremely fatigued and feel that God-awful tightness in my throat/neck/chest. It’s not every day, but it’s most days. My upper body also aches from time to time. I never took any time off from work for this, so I don’t think I gave myself adequate healing time. I used to work out 5 days a week/ 2 hours a day, but I haven’t been able to work out since I was diagnosed. I’ve tried clean eating and a ton of different supplements, but no luck so far. The only thing that helps is rest and vacation! I’m planning to revisit my infectious disease doctor who diagnosed me to see if my infection is still showing as active. My advice to everyone? Please let your body rest and heal! I didn’t and I truly believe that’s why I’m still suffering. Good luck and wishes for recovery for you all!
I got mono back in December of 2015 and my doctor said it was just a sore throat. They did a test and found no mono. So with some medicine my sore throat went away but when I tried to workout again I felt very weak so I took another week or so off and began to work out in January. By the end of January I felt weak and sick after my workout to where they said I had mono and it must have resurfaced. So I took a couple months off of working out but continued to go to work everyday. I continued to feel weak though but then a rash on my stomach began to develop. After a couple months it went away then when it began to get warm out I started to have this itching after I would shower and now my skin is all red and blotchy whenever I workout. There are red spots on my back that look like measles. I went to the dermatologist and she gave me some cream but it does not seem to work. I was wondering if this is from the mono and that my immune system is weak or if it is something else. Any suggestions on what to take to help me with this?
I am 53. April 2nd I had what I thought was a bad case of flu. 102+ fever, body aches, sore throat. 2 days later I got the bright red blisters all over my hands. For the rest of the month I went thru every test you can imagine, trying to find my problem. Finally I complained to the doc that I felt like what I heard mono was like. He looked at me funny, and ordered the test, which came up positive. Now we are midway thru June, and I feel no better. I have good days where I can do some things, and days like today where the fatigue is crippling. I got back on the web again, hoping to find something that might help. Even energy drinks don’t help. I have this fear that I will never feel good again.
I am 52 years old and I the last 6 months, I’ve eaten very clean food, started exercising and lost 30 pounds. I was feeling on top of my game, so-to-speak, when I came down with three days of fever, stiff neck on left side, and a sore throat. By day 4, all symptoms were gone and I went about my normal routine. Day 5 found me so fatigued, I went to bed all day. That was almost a month ago. Three doc visits later, I am now waiting on test results for mono. This thread has put my mind at ease, at least for now, because this fatigue is frightening. I’ve got symptoms of sinusitis that have gotten progressively worse. My doc and I have both felt that whatever I have is viral because all blood tests so far show normal results except for a borderline low WBC…which is common for viral infections. However, I decided to take an antibiotic just in case this is bacterial. I still have swollen lymph nodes on left side too.
I’m 45 years old, & last summer I got Mono. For a long time I had no idea what it was, until my Dr. got a hunch that it might be mono & did a blood test. I was shocked to learn that it was Mono. My main symptoms were , of course fatigue–& I mean OVERWHELMING, all encompassing fatigue like I’d never experienced before, & my other main concern was Nausea–nausea nausea nausea, every day. Not once did I actually vomit though. I also had& still have)a bizarre rash that looks like birth marks that started with the mono & still remains today. It took about…3 months for my symptoms to go away completely. It was pretty much a living nightmare, considering there’s really no treatment for the fatigue & nausea.
My 17 yr old was diagnosed with mono, and I completely panicked because we are a family that takes sips of each others Frappuccinos, tastes each others food….so the other three in our 4 person family….my husband & I & our other daughter went in to be tested. The Dr. came in 10 minutes later & said he thought the lab guy was joking…our entire four person family has it at the same time! My 17 yr olds spleen feels huge she said, my husband & I are in our 40’s & he seems to be okay other than exhaustion, but my liver feels huge! My 12 year old has exhaustion. This exhaustion feels like what you might imagine cancer feeling like-& as a matter of fact that’s what I was convinced I had before being diagnosed with mono! The smallest task seems like a great feat! We feel feverish, & getting the pink bumps on our face! This stuff is nothing to mess with…listen to your body! Not too long ago a Gresham, Oregon mom of two young kids died of mono-she had internal bleeding! Sometimes things in your life need to be rearranged to coincide with your current circumstances….& that’s what I’m doing right now-figuring out some things we may need to say no to in order to keep my family safe!!
Hi-
I am a 57 year old single mom, business owner, sole provider and diagnosed with reactivated mono.
I feel exhausted, have terrible headaches and aching neck.
I have no idea how to manage this. I cannot stop working for weeks or months. Thankfully my office is in my home. I work, lay down, work, lay down. My job is creative…and creativity is sparse when you feel terrible. I’m grateful to read about others dealing with this illness.
I would love to hear how other single, family providers deal/dealt with work, laundry, cooking, cleaning and trying to take care of yourself.
I am on an anti viral, am getting accupuncture twice a week, taking anti-viral chinese herbs, large doses of vit c and lysine and following an antiviral diet.
Meanwhile, I’m writing this while laying in bed when I had really hoped to work today.
My heart goes out to others struggling with this! We do not live in a culture that has allowances for 4-6 weeks off, especially if you have to support your family alone!
Hello, I am 49 years old, I was diagnosed 2 months ago. But my Dr. didn’t tell me until 3 weeks later. I had a double ear infection and sinus infection 6 weeks after the blood test. I had and still have terrible aches in my joints. But after eliminating the inflammatory foods from my diet, sugar, Gluten, dairy. I consume bone broth, everyday for 3 weeks, now 2-3 times a week. I eat raw garlic everyday. And I take oregano oil when I feel really sick. No alcohol! I haven’t had a drink in 6 weeks. I feel normal now, I just have the joint pain of an old woman.
We have to educate ourselves on healing. I saw 5 Dr’s in 2 months. The last Dr. finally took an interest in my well being. As all the other Dr’s kept telling me it was stress. Although I had no stress. Find the knowledge to “Heal Thy self”.. Do what it takes to feel better, naturally. Don’t overload the liver with more drugs. Good luck!
I am 53 and was diagnosed this past August with a primary EBV infection. Although the majority of my rotten symptoms have subsided for the most part, I still am having pain in my spleen and terrible nerve pain along with the common lethargy, muscle and bone pain. Originally, I thought I was losing my mind because my laundry list of symptoms seemed so unconnected. Looking back on 6-8 weeks before my diagnosis, I can recall two possible ways that I may have been exposed. One was sharing a birthday dessert with 5 other girlfriends. I have discovered that the other 95% of the world population, who have had prior EBV infections, tend to shed the virus occasionally, thus “sharing” it with those of us who have somehow managed to live without exposure. When 6 people pile into a dessert, albeit with different spoons, the risk of exposure exists. The other way I think I may have been exposed was when a little 5 year old girl asked me to blow up a balloon for her. It wasn’t wet, but she still may have had it in her mouth before me. I may never know. I haven’t kissed anyone in almost 3 years though…
I can say that I have sympathy for all of you. This has been the most miserable 6 or so months of my life. I still get what I call a “roving pain” where one minute my ring finger on my right hand will ache and the next minute my left elbow will hurt. Then my back, toe, or any other random spot on my body will ache. I still feel dizzy, nauseous, or mentally foggy from time to time. This is the strangest illness I’ve ever experienced. I am so glad to have found a group of older adults who can relate. Get well and be well everyone! Thanks for letting me vent!
Angela,
You poor thing. This is Diane Atwood. I don’t have mono, but this is my blog and I wrote the post about my friend who got it in her 60s. Like you, she had no idea how she got it. Thank you for sharing your story. You’re welcome to vent on here anytime!
My daughter who is 31 had fever for over 2.5 weeks between 100 and 101.5. She went to 3 different PCP. She does not have any pain in her throat, fatigue, chills or rash. But her blood showed that she has EBV which is consistent with mono. She has enlarged spleen, cough and shortness of breath. He blood also has low Polys and high Lymphs count. None of the doctors would confirm mono 100% because apparently it is not enough just to show EBV in blood. Anyone has any suggestion where else to go or what to do? Thank you in advance.
I just wanted to make a few observations. Mono is caused by the Epstein Barr Virus. I am 71 and thought I had the flu but wasn’t as sick just very tired and had very swollen lymph nodes in bilateral neck, and I think a few developing in other places. I first noticed this about a month ago and since everyone else had the flu I just thought that was it. I had a headache, eye pain, pain in by gland and tight chest and extreme fatigue. I saw a DR who thought I just had post flu syndrome. I go back to see my doc in a week and will get all the blood tests I need to find out what it is. My daughter who is also an NP mentioned to me that I might have mono. About half the population has a positive Epstein Barr positive test especially us nurses who worked for years in hospitals.. Most of us tested positive for Epstein Barr and CMV virus. We worked with a lot of Hiv patients before they knew what it was. A lot of nurses got sick.. But I don’t think they really know a lot.. but I think we can assume we probably have a problem related to these viruses. This is probably where chronic fatigue came from. I was really sick in my 50’s but got better with diet and rest but had to retire. I now think I probably have mono. I think it is really important to rest and get gentle exercise if you can tolerate it.. Take short walks in the sun to get the vitamin D.. I would also recommend that everyone who has these symptoms go on a sugar free diet.. Important to get off all sugar and fruits and vegetables that are high carbs. Eating a organic high protein diet really helped me.. It is not easy to give up sugar but it is worth it if you want to get better. Bread is very high in carbs and I know this is one of the hardest things to give up.. Lots of greens and berries are very good. You can try a high protein powder drink with lots of just berries it it. Give up all processed foods. Try to eat as much organic food you can afford. I have not been in a fast food restaurant in 10 years but this holiday season I stopped eating well so I ate a lot of sugary desserts and drank alcohol. The only sugar I think is okay is Manuka honey but only a teaspoon a day in maybe tea or hot lemon and Manuka honey. It was after this binging that I got sick. I also think this is related to chronic fatigue disease and fibromyalgia. The fatigue has been horrible and I have huge lymph nodes in my neck for a month now. I have been off sugar for 3 weeks now and am beginning to feel better. I still get tired very easy and can’t do all the things I am use to. I tend to be the person that pushes to get everything done.. when I do this I am so tired I have to go to bed and rest. So all the people who say rest are right.. so rest as much as you need to .. Try to get about 15 minutes in the sun everyday. I hope this helps some.. I know most of us have so much to do and being sick gets in the way of our lives but you have to rest if you feel fatigued and sleep as much as you need. I would try the sugar free ( and that doesn’t mean you can eat fake sugar, they are really bad for you.).. I do take a good multi vitamin, vitamin C and B vitamins.. Give up all alcohol.. Hopefully we will all get better if we do this to take care of ourself. Good luck and hope everyone feels better soon. If you want some ideas you can get a Paleo diet book to help you with what foods are best for you.. This does help. I think all of these are related to viruses but get worse because we are eating food that just feed the viruses and don’t get us healthy. It will take awhile, months or up to a year but you will feel better if you eat right and take you vitamins, get some exercise as tolerated and get lots of rest and a little sun.good luck.
Hi there;
Thank God I found this chat room. I am 55 and diagnosed with mono Nov 2019 and it’s now April 2020! A lot of symptoms have gone but what I’m left with is tingling in my legs and these hot/cold flashes that don’t seem menopause related! The tingling is scary! I haven’t exercised since last Nov and was running around with two jobs and just crashed when I came down with this. I too feel blown away with how long this takes. Now it’s Covid 19 so I’m forced to be home anyway. This is by far the worst thing I’ve ever had to deal with. It makes shingles feel like a cake walk! I just can’t wait to get my life back.
Hi I’m 39 recently diagnosed with mono it has really done a number on my body I have experienced things that I never knew … my body is taking it really hard n taking lots of nutrients from me I’m taking vitiams now and hoping this will help me get my body back to normal … this has even caused tingling in my legs .. this just hit me out of nowhere my gland on the side of my neck got huge… also my spleen and liver were affected I have not ran no fever what so ever… my throat just got huge like my tonsils and thyroid glands .. I’m a single mom of 2 and this has been a experience for us all thank goodness I have my mom that has been taking care of me