Glandular fever, or mononucleosis as it is known in the States, is an infection by the Epstein Barr virus which is a herpes family virus. And, like other herpes viruses, it stays in the body even after you have ‘defeated’ it.
Glandular fever becomes dangerous when it causes swelling of the liver and/or the spleen. However, most people get ‘really bad cold’ symptoms for one to four weeks and then it goes away. For the majority of the population, the first time is the only time they will ever have to deal with it.
But I wouldn’t be making this post if I was in the majority of the population, now would I?
About 6% of people get glandular fever more than once. A relapse or recurring glandular fever means that the immune system is less than ideal and needs to be strengthened in to keep the glandular fever symptoms at bay.
The thing that pushes me into glandular fever zone is stress. If I have an Achilles heel, it’s stress. I’m not good with dealing with it, letting things go and all the other coping mechanisms. I have been careful since being laid up for about two months last year and made an effort to keep my stress levels from crossing that line.
Unfortunately, I internalized a lot of stress this week and look! Crimson crescents (a sign of GF) have appeared in my throat along with the exhaustion for no reason and bloody blazing headache.
Greeaaaat. And I was just getting back to normal after being completely healed from gallbladder surgery.
The good news is that I know what to do now. I recognize the symptoms, have caught them early and am now dosing myself with plenty of rest and heaps of vitamin C. Given that I now recognize what’s going on, I have no doubt that I won’t be laid up for as long as I was and it won’t get as severe as it was last year.
It’s always something, isn’t it?
