Glandular Fever

[fryingpan]

Who's had it? Anyone want to share their experiences?

 

[jonoman89]

Pretty common these days. Luckily have never gotten it.

Was really into a girl a while ago, and was pretty cut when it went to s**t. Then she got glandular. Everything was rosey again.

 

[Off The Couch]

Had it but didn't realise that's what it was until months after. Glands were up for months and was constantly tired. Finally took myself off to the doctors and a blood test showed that I had, had glandular fever.

It seems I now get these symptons whenever I get run down - don't know if it's an ongoing thing because I have already had the virus or something completely different

 

[Macca19]

Who's had it? Anyone want to share their experiences?

Had it uber bad in 2003. Was taken to hospital after a week long miagraine that wouldnt leave and not being able to sleep for 3 nights. Was told it was the best decision i could have made as if i hadnt have gone, i would have been dead within 48 hours due to a almost-ruptured spleen. An 18 year old girl died of the same thing the day i was taken to hospital. When i went to hospital, it took them 6 times to get blood as my veins had failed and was jaundiced to boot. Ended up staying there for a week.

Had 3 months off work then only went back part time. Took about 12 months to get any sort of regular energy back. Was ****ed. Also had the most insane sore throat for three days, which made it virtually impossible to swallow anything.

My wife was the one who gave it to me, she only had it for 2 weeks, had no time off work and her doc only discovered she had it after the fact by accident.

Wouldnt wish it on my worst enemy.

 

[cplfc]

Was diagnosed with it on monday. All my lymph nodes are up, headache, tired all the time. But the worst thing is the sore throat, i can't swallow anything, not even my saliva. This hot weather isnt helping either

For me this is the worst time to get it. I start my uni exams next friday and im leaving for south east asia at the start of december. I hope mine isn't bad and it clears up soon, otherwsie i will fail and i wont be going overseas. Double whammy!

 

[fryingpan]

Intresting stuff.

I've had it for 2 months now (probably more like 6 months+ but diagnosed 2 months ago) and it's horrible. Unlike a lot of cases, my throat is fine. I had a terrible sore throat for a week a few months ago but that cleared up and now I'm suffering from nausea, headaches, tiredness, sore spots everywhere, pins and needles, tension .. the list goes on. Doc said that you don't need swollen glands to have glandular fever as it can present itself in other ways, like how I've got it! Really struggle at times but because it's so on and off, I never know if I'm well enough to go to work (sometimes get up, feel fine, then at 12 I just wanna go home and die) Social life is slowing down a lot as I don't feel like doing much and when I do I'm not talkative & sometimes feel like I'm gonna pass out. Terrible ****n disease and the only cure is rest which is s**t .. though I'd like to know what people took during their time with GF ?? I'm on centrum & some immune system boosting tablets atm ... its hard to tell if I'm getting better because as I said it's very intermittent!

 

[.Shotties.]

I had it really bad in 2007. Was just shot completely for a week. Was delrious, didn't remember anything that was going on, just snippets, was constantly thirsty but it hurt really badly to drink, random vomiting. After that it was three months of just a constant sick feeling and always tired. I'd get up in the morning, have some porridge, shower and then Id need to go back to bed to nap for another few hours.

Even now I get sick a lot easier and a lot harder than I used to. A cold takes me a full week to recover from and if I'm going to be awake longer than 10 hours, there needs to be a nap in there somewhere.

 

[Macca19]

though I'd like to know what people took during their time with GF ?? I'm on centrum & some immune system boosting tablets atm ... its hard to tell if I'm getting better because as I said it's very intermittent!

Sorry to hear youve got it too panny. It sucks balls.

I took a Mega B, 2 Vit Cs and a centrum everyday for a few years after I had it.

Even now I get sick a lot easier and a lot harder than I used to.

For me, in terms of colds and things its probably been better. I only get a cold once every 3 years or so. But in terms of hayfever, its gone beserk. For 22 years I never once experienced hayfever. Ever since I had GF, ill get it at least once a fortnight, and 9 times out of 10 it will be so bad that if im at work ill have to come home, as my eyes get swollen, I struggle to breathe and ill get in these ridiculous sneezing fits where ill sneeze like 30 times in 3 minutes.

 

[.Shotties.]

For me, in terms of colds and things its probably been better. I only get a cold once every 3 years or so. But in terms of hayfever, its gone beserk. For 22 years I never once experienced hayfever. Ever since I had GF, ill get it at least once a fortnight, and 9 times out of 10 it will be so bad that if im at work ill have to come home, as my eyes get swollen, I struggle to breathe and ill get in these ridiculous sneezing fits where ill sneeze like 30 times in 3 minutes.

Ah yeah, I started getting hayfever too. Not too bad but enough to be annoying on a really hot summer night >_<

 

[Crooza]

Wish you well on the Glandular Fever Mate. Worst I ever remember being sick. I was hospitalised for 5 days from Xmas day until new years when I was 16. I reckon it took about 9 months before I regained all my strength back.

Best of luck

 

[Faithful Hawk]

I had it back in 2003 as well was shocking besides the sore throat I ended up with ulcers all over my throat and mouth so eating was impossible for a cpl of weeks, ended up dropping 13kgs. Took me at least 3-4months before i was functioning properly again. Would not wish it on anyone.

 

[fella1]

Sounds like I escaped relatively easily compared to most. Had it back in September 2007, caught it from some girl who didn't say she had had it. Felt shocking for two weeks, high fever, sweats, couldn't really sleep as I'd wake up every night with the bed drenched, headaches and pains all over. Dropped about 7 kilos in that time, but despite feeling pretty weak and light-headed for about a week afterwards, I recovered alright.

I think I may be more susceptible to colds now thought, get them every two months or so, which is annoying. To anyone who has it, get better soon!

 

[magic_johnson!]

Suck for your partner to get it

 

[Smoooothy]

had it back in 2000 for about 6 months. had it really full on, was in hospital for 2 weeks on a saline drip, because i couldn't eat anything. sweated out the best part of 40kg within a month (went from 110kg to 70kg). my liver swelled to twice the size of normal in this time too, and my kidneys showed signs of shutting down. when GF strikes bad, it can be very deadly.

on top of this, i also developed strep throat, so not only was a rapidly losing weight, sweating constantly and my vital organs not functioning as they should, i couldn't eat!

still am not completely right - probably will never be fully recovered.

since then, anytime theres a cold that goes around work, or family - i get it, and usually worse,

 

[treefingers]

Diagnosed with it a week ago, but I think mine was only a mild case. My doctor told me that most people only get it for 2-6 weeks, and the people who have it for 3+ months are the unlucky ones, as that is the exception rather then the norm.

My only real symptoms have been sore throat and constantly being tired, luckily not as bad as some posters have had it on here!

 

[Upgrayedd]

I had it, For about 2 months, and i ended up in hospital as well, lost 15 kilos

I thought i had the horror story, 6 months? That would ****ing suck

 

[Zarrix]

I thought I had this once when I had a sore throat, swelling etc, turns out it was another virus. I hope I never get this thing, sounds horrible.

 

[Pilchard_Adams]

had it years ago in grade 12. Docs told me lmy liver was shot to s**t because of Glandular Fever and another thing called Cytomegular virus. Apparently they both can harm the liver, and 25% chance I could of died. Completely ruined my exams, missed a whole term of school and the school wouldnt adjust my exams to exclude the stuff I didnt learn.

 

[magic_johnson!]

had it years ago in grade 12. Docs told me lmy liver was shot to s**t because of Glandular Fever and another thing called Cytomegular virus. Apparently they both can harm the liver, and 25% chance I could of died. Completely ruined my exams, missed a whole term of school and the school wouldnt adjust my exams to exclude the stuff I didnt learn.

Repeat?

 

[placebo]

Had it couple years back. Worst I've ever been sick, my immune system has been s**t as ever since and the doc said my immune system will never be as strong as it was before GF. I've also never quite got my fitness back 100 per cent from it either.

 

[TigerGlory]

Glandular Fever is an interesting one, because it is so variable in that it affects some people heaps worse than it does others.

One common pattern that ive found is that people who are active or play sport and stuff seem to have the milder case, which isnt what you'd expect with Glandular Fever making you tired and such. I had it a couple of years ago and didnt feel much of the symptoms at all. I still went to school and even played footy on the weekends and I think it only lasted a couple of weeks. My mate was the same. But I know a kid this year doing VCE who had Glandular Fever and basically missed half of the school year.

 

[Rohan25]

I wouldn't wish Glandular Fever on my worst enemy. It is awful. I remember feeling a bit off color one Thursday night in 2006 and the next morning I was just out of it. I couldn't see straight, I kept dropping things, I barely had the energy to start the car. I muddled through a couple of hours at work before I bailed out, but on the way home I couldn't see the road properly so I had to pull over and close my eyes.

The following night I tried to watch the Collingwood v Sydney game in bed on the couch, but I was pretty much delirious and even when the match finished I couldn't tell who had won.

I went in for a blood test and was told I had mild GF and I would need a week off work. I took 3 days and felt a bit better so I went back to work but quickly deteriorated again. The worst thing about this illness is that you might wake up one morning feeling fine, so you assume you're able to front up for 8 hours work, but that sets you back even further, and the cycle continues.

Eventually my symptoms got worse and worse. My throat closed up completely, I couldn't even swallow saliva. My head ached constantly and I still had no energy at all. I would randomly feel like throwing up for no reason. The same doctor who 3 months earlier had told me it was a mild case, now told me it was one of the worst cases he had seen, and I went into hospital on a drip as I hadn't been able to eat or drink for several days.

The only thing for it is to rest and recover with as much time off as you can. Even when you feel like you are 100 percent better take another month off. When you feel you are on the improve, don't rush it. Limit your exertions to short walks, followed by hours of rest. Gradually build up your defences again with whatever supplements you like at a health food store, I experimented with Astro-Forte, Olive leaf extract, SAM-e, Dhea, and various vitamins.

For a while afterwards, whenever I got a cold many symptoms would return, but that has been a lot better this year. My sympathies to anyone unfortunate enough to contract this illness.

 

[MF]

I had it back in 96 but the full-on symptoms only lasted a couple of weeks for me.

My glands were swollen to the point where I couldn't eat any solid foods, I lived on basically chocolate and milk or anything else that wasn't painful to swallow. I was probably only awake for around 6 or 7 hours each day and even then I was in a confused daze most of the time. Just getting up to go to the toilet or get something to eat was an exhausting experience.

It constantly felt like I'd been up partying for 4 days straight with no sleep. Fortunately, I was pretty much over it within a couple of weeks but I still needed a lot more sleep than usual over the next few months. I still get swollen glands from time to time when I have the flu or a really bad cold but I don't think there are any lasting effects.

 

[fryingpan]

I wouldn't wish Glandular Fever on my worst enemy. It is awful. I remember feeling a bit off color one Thursday night in 2006 and the next morning I was just out of it. I couldn't see straight, I kept dropping things, I barely had the energy to start the car. I muddled through a couple of hours at work before I bailed out, but on the way home I couldn't see the road properly so I had to pull over and close my eyes.

I've pulled over in my car a few times .. but moreso because I felt like I was going to pass out or something. Was really tense and on edge, didn't know what was happening.

The worst thing about this illness is that you might wake up one morning feeling fine, so you assume you're able to front up for 8 hours work, but that sets you back even further, and the cycle continues.

I hear ya. Very hard to take days off work sometimes because I get up feeling a million bucks but then the symptoms come on progressively and all I want to do is go home.

Eventually my symptoms got worse and worse. My throat closed up completely, I couldn't even swallow saliva. My head ached constantly and I still had no energy at all. I would randomly feel like throwing up for no reason. The same doctor who 3 months earlier had told me it was a mild case, now told me it was one of the worst cases he had seen, and I went into hospital on a drip as I hadn't been able to eat or drink for several days.

When you had your symptoms, was the sore throat always there? Because my sore throat is well and truly gone and now it's just tiredness, tenseness and a constant sick feeling all the time. Guess it just affects people differently.

I experimented with Astro-Forte, Olive leaf extract, SAM-e, Dhea, and various vitamins.

I'm on Astroforte now .. how long were you taking it & do you think it did you any good? Or is there a certain one that was more effective?

 

[Macca19]

Personally I only had the super sore throat for 3-4 days, just after I came out of hospital (so two weeks in or so) and that was it. Then month after month of no energy and nausea.