What was your experience with mono like? (your own or your kid's --first hand, please)

[Halftime Hope]

One of my family members was diagnosed last night.  Sheesh: it just keeps coming....

 

I'm very, very thankful the doc was able to work us in yesterday.  Wish it were strep instead...

 

 

 

[mytwomonkeys]

My son had mono when he was two. I can't tell you for sure the symptoms because he had so many other illnesses going on too. He had trouble eating and was tired though, I remember that.

[plansrme]

I had it in college.  My throat nearly swelled shut, so I was hospitalized overnight for IV steroids to bring down the swelling.  That was at the end of spring break, and I had been sick for several days before my mom made me go to the ER.  The ER doc admitted me, but I went back to school on Monday, as usual, and finished the school year without incident.  I was not significantly more tired than usual; I did not fall asleep in class; I continued to work and go to school, and my grades were the same as always.  I know  my experience was probably not typical, but I did have a positive mono test in the ER and was back to normal within a few days.  I mention it only because the bad cases are all you ever hear about, and mine was not like that.  Now, while my throat was super-sore, I was miserable, but that was for 2 or 3 days, tops.

[Paige]

I had mono when I was 13. It was the worst sore throat I have ever experienced and I slept a lot. That's about all I remember. I didn't have any complications and think I was back at school after 2 weeks. I probably could have gone back sooner, but back then 2 weeks was what the doctors ordered. It actually wasn't that bad after the first few days. I got to nap, read books, skip school, chill out in my room, eat ice cream....it was an introvert's vacation.

[kewb]

I had mono.  It sticks around for months.  Mine started with flu-like symptoms and swollen glands.  I slept a lot.  The act of taking a shower led to a 3 hour nap.  It was frustrating when I was feeling better to want to do things but ending up napping for hours afterwards.

[Ipsey]

I had a friend, a sophomore in high school, who was out an entire semester she was so sick. And she was a tough girl too. Ranch-chick.  :)  It took her out for months!

[Alexigail]

My husband had mono when we were first dating.  He slept all the time and fell asleep at odd times.  Other than the lethargy, it wasn't too bad.  I think it depends a lot on the individual and how old they are.

[retiredHSmom]

My middle daughter had mono when she was 11. She had a horrible sore throat and a fever. She also just smelled streppy I took her to the doctor and they gave her a z pack for strep. She felt a lot better 24 hours later but at 48 developed a rash all over her body. Back to the doctor where they diagnosed mono. She was never tired and never napped at all. Just incredibly grumpy because she missed the end of year dance recital (she had 7 dances in it) and summer swim team per doctors orders (her spleen was enlarged).

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

I remember being so tired. I had to climb stairs to get to the bathroom. I'd go up, use restroom, nap, go back down, nap. It was a short flight of stairs but I was found sleeping on them several times.

 

I was back to school pretty quick, 2-3 weeks maybe. But I was dragging for months before I was back to myself.

[milovany]

I had it my freshman year of college.  I was so tired -- slept a lot.  I couldn't get to the dining hall, people had to bring me food.  I don't think I got out of bed for weeks.  I eventually went home for the last week or so to recover. It was a long haul ...

[magnificent_baby]

Dd 10 had it last fall. Began with sudden severe, bright red throat that lasted about 4 days or so. No fever except very low grade temp on the second week for a few days. Very tired, felt miserable for about 2 weeks. By week 3, she began to perk up a bit and back to normal by week 4. Strep was negative, so I just pushed fluids and let her lay around as much as she wanted. She missed several days of school the first week. 

 

Many years ago, Ds (age 5 or so at the time) had his annual check up, his pede found large lymph node in his armpit, so sent him for lab work. It was positive, so sure enough he must have had it around the time of appt, but he had not been sick at all. 

[Lady Marmalade]

I came down with it my first week of school as a sophomore.  Missed two months of school, and everyone thought I'd moved away (except the teachers who sent home lots of schoolwork).  It started with a sore throat that was so bad, I wouldn't even swallow my spit.  After hovering very close to dehydration, my mom finally got me to swallow a painkiller by crushing it and stirring it in Jello.  Once that took effect, I was able to drink and we kept up on the pain meds until the swelling in my throat went down.

 

I slept for almost those whole two months and lost a lot of weight.   When I finally returned back to school, I had a doctor's note to be excused from phys ed for the entire school year because of organ swelling.  Since I hated gym class, this was like the best news ever.    It definitely took a long time for me to return to normal as far as energy goes.

[Happy]

I thought I would have to die to feel better...  :lol:

 

Horrible sore throat/headaches, incredible lethargy, the need to sleep was overwhelming.

 

I was one of the lucky 2% who gets a rash with mono...lots of red splotches on my skin. Then my skin turned yellow because mono effects the liver. I looked like a Dr. Seuss character.

 

I lost quite a bit of weight. It took months for me to recover my full strength. As it was I missed the last six weeks of my college days....but I was able to get back to a full time job by June 1st....I'd go home each evening and go straight to bed.

[momto10blessings]

I had it when I was around 9. All I remember was I couldn't eat/drink anything (actually couldn't swallow) and my throat hurt. When we went to the doctor he wanted to give me a shot (antibiotics, I assume) but I told him I didn't need it. He made me a deal that if I could drink a few sips of water then I wouldn't have to have the shot. I lost and felt much better very quickly.

[DianeW88]

The symptoms completely depend on the age of the victim.  LOL  Teens and older...it's usually awful.  Eight to twelve...bad sore throat and tired for a week, maybe two.  Younger than eight...you hardly know they're sick.  Especially if they're younger than five.

[AlmiraGulch]

I had it in high school, and because I went right back to all of the same activities and didn't allow my body proper time to heal (despite a month off of school!) I became symptomatic again my freshman year of college.

 

Like others, I had the worst pain in my throat, horrible headaches, terrible lethargy.  I slept a lot.  I couldn't eat much.  It was really just awful.  

 

 

[FriedClams]

I had it starting into 5th grade. I was sick during the summer and missed the first month of school.

I did half days for a month or two after that. I was so, so, so sick. I had some huge lump thing in my throat and couldn't eat solids for a long time. I ran a shocking fever for over a month. I watched a lot of TV and slept a lot. I was very sick.

 

Sadly, I doubt my story will help much - except to say that I went on to be totally fine with no lasting effects. I went on to pass many military physicals later graduating from a national military academy for college and serving as a rescue pilot. And - I know ways to drop fever in kids that have come in handy as a mom. :-)

[J-rap]

Both my son and daughter had it, at different ages.  Both had a bad sore throat -- strep actually, and that's how it was first caught.  My son was 8 and was exhausted and slept all the time.  I remember it was over Easter and my husband carried him everywhere on his back.  He was only exhausted for about a week though, and then he recovered pretty quickly.  We did have him take it easy for a month probably.

 

My daughter was 18, and she was really tired, really dragging.  When she got a bad sore throat (which was strep), they also figured out that she had mono.  She never seemed as completely wiped out as our son, but she just lacked energy for a long time.  She was used to running every day and just couldn't do it.  After a couple months, she finally forced herself to start working out again, and it was hard.  A couple months later, she had a relapse and was diagnosed with mono again.  We realized she had pushed herself too early the first time.  This time, we had her take it easy for the rest of the school year.  She was able to keep up with everything, just couldn't work out like she used to.

 

Even the entire following year, she didn't have her normal energy, and kept getting little colds, etc. much more easily than before.  I'd say it took her a complete two years before she really seemed herself again.

[Kathryn]

I had it in high school and was out for two months. I just remember sleeping ALL the time.

[RanchGirl]

I had it in college.  At first a dr misdiagnosed it as strep, and I had the worst sore throat of my life and was exhausted.  I was finishing the semester and moving out of my apartment and it was incredibly difficult to get through.  During my move my throat was so swollen I couldn't speak and had to communicate with a marker board I carried around.  A month later, during summer break, I finally got to my mom's and she took me to a different doctor who confirmed by blood test that it wasn't strep but mono.  But all there was to do at that point was rest.  I got super tan just resting in the sun for another month or so.

[HSmomof2]

I had mono in my early twenties. Sore throat, swollen glands and fever the first week or so. The worst part of it for me was the overwhelming tiredness. I missed two weeks of work, and slept probably 16-20 hours per day. It is the fatigue I remember most....it's really indescribable. The first couple weeks were the worst, but I did fatigue easily for months afterwards. No long term effects though.

[Mergath]

Mine almost killed me.  I had it when I was sixteen, and the sore throat was unbelievable, like trying to swallow shards of glass.  The doctor at the clinic thought it was strep at first, but the antibiotics didn't do a thing so then they diagnosed mono.  My throat was so painful and swollen I couldn't swallow water.  By the time my mom brought me in to the hospital, I was so dehydrated you could pinch the skin on the back of my hand and it would just stay like that.  I spent three days in the hospital, and they told me if my mom had waited another day to bring me in, the dehydration could have killed me.  (How my mom didn't know I was literally a day or so away from dying I don't know, but that's another post...)  They had me on morphine while I was there, and that was the only thing that made a dent in the pain.  I had extreme fatigue, too, the kind that makes you fall asleep sitting up and in the middle of a sentence.

[mlktwins]

I was a freshman in high school.  Like Mergath, I was also diagnosed with strep, but the antibiotics didn't touch it.  I have never had a sore throat so painful and my mom had never seen me so sick in my life.  My throat was so swollen it almost closed up.  Mom took me to the Dr. again and the quick mono screen came back positive.  I started on the correct antibiotics and that helped the sore throat symptoms.  I was out of school for a  month.  It was horrible!!!  I wouldn't wish it on anyone...

[Janie Grace]

It was the summer before my freshman year of college. My molars looked like they had "teeth" because of all the spots on them. My throat hurt terribly and I was exhausted, and I had to quit my summer job. I was sick for about 6 weeks. 

[Stratford]

I had mono my junior year of high school.  It was terrible.  I was horribly sick for about 2 weeks, off school for 3 weeks, and then went back on a modified schedule for about another month (I alternated mornings and afternoons.)  I have never been so exhausted - couldn't even walk up the stairs without taking a break.  The fatigue lasted for several months before I was back to normal.  

 

I wouldn't

[Annie]

I had it my sophomore year of high school. I got it in January. I had a full load of honors classes, and I probably pushed it too hard. I would rotate the classes I would go to, but it was all a blur. I remember very little from that time. I remember trying to read Wuthering Heights and falling asleep six times in the first chapter, lol. Thankfully, my teachers were mostly understanding. I ended up pushing myself too hard to get everything done by the end of the semester, and I relapsed a bit. After my last exam, I remember going home and sleeping for 20 out of 24 hours, and that was six months after I first got sick! It can really take some time.

[Halftime Hope]

Thank you so much for all your replies:  I showed them to my invincible young adult with the reminder that it is very worthwhile to get as much sleep/rest as possible in these early days, to give the body as much help as possible in getting over this.  Part of the difficulty for this kiddo is that this is inconvenient, coming right during mid-terms week, and said kiddo doesn't feel that cruddy--fortunately or unfortunately, having been put on a steroid taper.  The good news is that next week is Spring Break so the demands will be less--rest can continue without that much disruption.

 

Thank you so much!

 

 

[FaithManor]

DD had it in 5th grade...pretty badly too. Her spleen was swollen significantly, so she could not participate in PE or recess. She was run down, tired, etc. Thankfully, she was a good student (attending a Lutheran school at the time), and they really worked with her. Sometimes she even went to the principal's office to lay on the futon and nap!

 

It took about four months for her to come around. We purged her diet of everything that wasn't uber healthy, gave her a multi vitamin, lots of sleep, lots of reading aloud to her while she laid around, books on tape, etc. Very low key lifestyle and no extra curriculars...not even piano lessons, while she got better. But again, she had it quite badly and probably for a while before she was finally diagnosed.

[trulycrabby]

For me, mono is the gift that keeps giving. I don't remember the initial illness, so I must have been young, however, when I get sick or rundown, the mono virus likes to re-activate and cause incredible fatigue, sore throat, and low grade fever. Doc calls it chronic mono. I do not have chronic fatigue syndrome, which some folks believe it is caused by the mono virus (Epstein Barr).

[Scarlett]

Thank you so much for all your replies: I showed them to my invincible young adult with the reminder that it is very worthwhile to get as much sleep/rest as possible in these early days, to give the body as much help as possible in getting over this. Part of the difficulty for this kiddo is that this is inconvenient, coming right during mid-terms week, and said kiddo doesn't feel that cruddy--fortunately or unfortunately, having been put on a steroid taper. The good news is that next week is Spring Break so the demands will be less--rest can continue without that much disruption.

 

Thank you so much!

My dh had it at age 45 and he was very sick. He literally couldn't get out of bed for days on end and any little thing would exhaust him. He didn't work for 3 months. It has been 1 1/2 years and I think he is still feeling the effects.

[PeachyDoodle]

DH gave me mono when we were both 16. :D

 

It was by far the weakest I've ever been. I remember calling my mother at work and telling her I needed to go back to the doctor. (I don't remember why there were multiple trips?) She was annoyed because I had a car and she didn't want to leave work. But I really did not feel like I could get there alone. And I'd only had my license about a month, 5-6 weeks, tops.

 

She told me to take a shower and get ready and she would come home to get me. I literally crawled from the couch to the bathroom and into the tub. It was impossible for me to stand up to shower, so I ran a bath instead. I was so exhausted from that effort (the whole trip was probably 20 feet or less) that I fell asleep almost immediately in the tub. Woke up I don't know how long later, in freezing cold water, dragged myself back out of the tub without washing, grabbed a towel and crawled across the hall to my bedroom. That's where my mother found me when she got home. I was so weak, I didn't have the strength in my hands to squeeze toothpaste onto my brush for weeks.

 

I missed 16 days of school. It took me at least 2-3 months to come anywhere close to full recovery, but I was able to start on my make-up work before I went back to school for full days. I don't remember much else, except that I was thoroughly ticked because I was sick over my first-ever Valentine's Day with a boyfriend. It was a big deal because back then, boys would send flowers and gifts to the school, and if you got something you had your name announced over the PA at the end of the day to come and pick up your gift. The things that worry you when you're 16, right?

 

DH did come visit me on Valentine's Day... bringing two of his friends with him. Unannounced. I was in my nightgown (really an oversized t-shirt) and no bra. :glare:  Not exactly the romantic experience I'd been hoping for.

 

DH had mono first, but a very mild case. He didn't miss but a day or two school and wasn't even diagnosed (we put two and two together after I came down with it). So I think it does affect people in different ways.

[Χά�ων]

It was hell. DS was very young and it triggered life long complications that are not uncommon given his age at the time. May your experience be nothing like my DS's.

[mumto2]

I had it freshman year the first time. Then on my auditing internship. I also had it on my wedding day. Any time I got stressed and neglected myself I got sick with mono for years. I know you are only supposed to be able to get it once but I was tested for it and diagnosed by three different doctors. After I married I started taking much better care of myself thanks to dh and no more mono.

 

I had an incredibly sore throat with a really yucky slimey buildup that almost closed my throat each time. Extreme tiredness. The first two times I pretty much collapsed and was unable to do anything other then lay around and sleep. The last time I was a somewhat functional sick. I kept working and simply tried to rest when possible. I had no clue I had it, thought it was really bad strep until the dr pushed on my stomach which led to the blood work

[lmrich]

I was a freshmen in college. It was the first three weeks of school so I Ignored my symptoms because I had to be successful. I Tested negative for strep three times but just kept going. By the time i had a mono test I was yellow from the large spleen and liver my eyes wer yellow really yellow.. I had boils over my back and had lost 12 pounds in 2 weeks. I looked horrid. My mom freaked out when she came to pick me up at school. She took me straight to my doctor who demanded I go to the hospital. I sobbed and begged to go home. I do not know why but he let me go home, and my mom took me back to him every two days. I went back to school in a week against doctor orders. I was sick on and off for three years. I caught every virus. I hope your young adult can learn from my mistake. I can tell you another story about my stupidity and crutches if you want.

[Lucy]

I had mono when I was 24.  It started with a sore throat - painful! - with little white patches on the inside of my mouth.  They tested me for strep and then send me home.  A few days later I went back in because I was so wiped out and couldn't swallow - no food or water for days - it was like swallowing knives.  Diagnosis:  mono.  After  couple more days I went to the ER for dehydration, when I would cry - no tears, no peeing, dry mouth.  By the time I got to the ER, I was  bit loopy and was saying/doing things I wouldn't normally do.  They gave me an IV with fluids and steroids.  Boy, if you can get steroids, I highly recommend it.  I actually asked my mom for a hamburger on the way home!  I was out of school for 2 weeks, only one week after the steroids.

[SwallowTail]

I was 14 when I got it, and it took around 15 years or  longer for me to actually recover my immune system and health.

 

When I first had it, I had migraines, extremely sore throat, uncotrollable vomiting, extreme fatigue, fevers, swollen liver, extremely swollen spleen.  I missed maybe 4-6 weeks of school?  But I just never recovered.  I had chronically swollen tonsils after that, and every time I got overtired, I would get very sick. 

 

I have read some books on the subject, and it seems that super good immune support while in the initial throes and truly sufficient recovery time/convalescence can help in true recovery.

[Halftime Hope]

Thank you so much for those who added your stories.  I'm very grateful for the time you took to post them. 

 

We are now in the second phase of this, YA is feeling pretty good, and being cooped up in the house is getting very old. 

 

We talked this morning about planning to continue to get a lot of rest next week, while starting to get back into the swing of things, but your stories of really needing to continue to rest for a full recovery will be very helpful. 

 

THANK YOU!

[Incognito]

FWIW, viral shedding increases when they are feeling better - so they should be careful not to share their disease when they are feeling better.

 

 

[Joyofsixreboot]

I had it in high school. I was very sick, missed two weeks of school I never got caught up on. I remember getting gamma globulin shots. I was very run down for months. Conversely a kid in our church had it and hopped right back after only feeling bad a week.

[shawthorne44]

I had it in High School.  I rested and napped a lot for the first week.  My boyfriend had it too but he ignored it and it was much worse for him.  He got the gamma globulin shot(s) and it seemed to help.   

[Ameena]

For me, mono is the gift that keeps giving. I don't remember the initial illness, so I must have been young, however, when I get sick or rundown, the mono virus likes to re-activate and cause incredible fatigue, sore throat, and low grade fever. Doc calls it chronic mono. I do not have chronic fatigue syndrome, which some folks believe it is caused by the mono virus (Epstein Barr).

Same here.

 

 

I got it when I was 4. Spent a week in the hospital, 2 months out of pre-school until summer came, then went to kinder 2-3xs a week alternating days for the next whole year as tolerated. Had to get blood work done monthly at first, then every 3 months, 6 months, etc for years to check something in my blood related to the mono - not sure what it was. I was one of the lucky ones {NOT} who had their throat swell shut as well. It was my only symptom at first. Mom looked down my throat with a flashlight & couldn't see an opening - scared her terribly!

 

I will be 30 this year, and I STILL struggle with extreme tiredness / fatigue, a terrible immune system, and get sick very easily. I have no idea if some of the sicknesses I've had were relapses or not - never could get Dr. to test for it again. I was strongly warned as a child that relapse was highly possible & to NOT OVER DO IT - EVER.

[Melissa in Australia]

I think what you guys call mono we call Glandular Fever.

 My brother had it when he was 13. he was ill for about 5 months, then he got Chronic Fatigue that lasted until he was about 18. he still gets relapses. My father got it around the same time. He wasn't as sick and didn't get Chronic Fatigue. He gets relapses, a bit like Malaria Sufferers.

[mumto2]

I think what you guys call mono we call Glandular Fever.

 My brother had it when he was 13. he was ill for about 5 months, then he got Chronic Fatigue that lasted until he was about 18. he still gets relapses. My father got it around the same time. He wasn't as sick and didn't get Chronic Fatigue. He gets relapses, a bit like Malaria Sufferers.

Just wanted to confirm that mono and glandular fever are the same for you.

[Melissa in Australia]

Thank you

[mom@shiloh]

My dd had it in high school.  She had flu-like symptoms for about a week, such as achiness and lethargy.  Then she was extra tired for several months after.  She was able to continue with life pretty much as normal except needing extra sleep.  

[Pippen]

I never knew I had it until I was diagnosed with reactivated mono in my mid-40's.