. Twitter Stories
.Art
.Biography
.Crime
.Current Affairs
.Elections
.Environment
.Health
.History
.Humour
.Incarceration Stories
.Meeting Celebrities
.Memorable Encounters
.Natural Disasters
.Nursing
.Paranormal
.Poetry
.Politics
.Prose
.Religion/Spirituality
.Romance
.Sci-fi
.Short Stories
.Sports
.Survival
.Suspense
.Travel
.War/Conflict
 
 
 
 

The world wants to know your story

 
 

ldn bivirkninger

ldn køb foxvision.dk ldn

female viagra for sale

female viagra

amoxicillin 500mg

buy amoxicillin

ldn

ldn open lav dosis naltrexone

buy antidepressants visa

amitriptyline 25mg link amitriptyline 50mg

buy amoxicillin for uti

amoxicillin 500 dosage

amoxil classification

buy amoxicillin cvs open amoxicillin 500mg for uti

prednisolone weight gain

prednisolone side effects open prednisolone pharmacy

clomid uk sale

clomid uk success rates click clomid london

buy prednisolone for dogs

buy prednisolone

buy amoxicillin liquid

amoxicillin without prescription website amoxicillin online

accutane without dermatologist

accutane without food bollebygdsbil.se accutane without food

How to Take Amoxicillin

buy antibiotics online

buy antidepressants visa

amitriptyline online read buy antidepressants uk

buy amoxicillin walmart

amoxicillin dosage blog.company-pulse.com amoxicillin 500mg side effects

buy amoxicillin for chickens

buy amoxicillin for strep throat bigrobotgames.com amoxicillin side effect

amoxicillin rash

amoxicillin

buy antidepressant

amitriptyline for nerve pain online buy antidepressants

naltrexon

ldn

buy amitriptyline uk

amitriptyline online

buy amoxicillin for strep throat

amoxil classification

clomid uk sale

clomid online reviews link clomid online reviews

accutane without gelatin

buy accutane pills

amoxicillin 500mg capsule

amoxicillin 500mg capsules for humans link amoxicillin rash

tamoxifen uk pct

buy tamoxifen pct jaysmith.us buy tamoxifen ireland

accutane acne

buy accutane 10mg uk muammerbenzes.com buy accutane pills

buy amitriptyline

buy antidepressant

amoxil

amoxil 500mg mijanweb.com buy amoxicillin

buy accutane 10mg uk

buy accutane pills

amoxicillin 500mg pink

amoxicillin 500mg for uti online amoxicillin 500mg cost

lav dosis naltrexon

lav read here lav dosis naltrexon

cheap accutane

buy accutane pills

accutane without blood tests

accutane without food dadm.dk buy accutane malaysia

prednisolone dosage

prednisolone london online buy prednisolone acetate eye drops

clomid uk success rates

clomid london

accutane without gelatin

buy accutane pills

buy amoxicillin for chickens

amoxicillin

accutane without side effects

buy accutane pills

clomid online reviews

clomid uk pct

amoxil

amoxicillin 500mg ajden.towfeek.se amoxil 875

buy clomid pct

clomid online read clomid uk prescription

accutane without blood tests

cheap accutane

buy prednisolone

buy prednisolone acetate eye drops jerryhuang.net prednisolone dosage

buy amoxicillin for strep throat

amoxil classification pankajmishra.net amoxicillin 500mg capsules for humans

clomid uk to buy

buy clomid tablets

buy prednisolone

prednisolone dosage

buy accutane cream

accutane without birth control reddit clujmuenchen.ro accutane without insurance

where can i buy naltrexone

buy naltrexone online chinavisum-service.de buy naltrexone online

clomid uk success rates

buy clomid tablets

amoxil dosage

amoxicillin 500 for uti algera-corridor.nl buy amoxicillin for strep throat

amoxicillin 500mg

amoxicillin

accutane without birth control

accutane without food blog.dastagarri.com accutane without gelatin

buy amoxicillin for dogs

amoxicillin 500mg capsule click here amoxicillin 500 mg

how to buy naltrexone

buy naltrexone

amoxicillin 500 dosage

buy amoxicillin cvs

prednisolone online

buy prednisolone

buy naltrexone without prescription

buy naltrexone

amoxicillin for dogs

amoxicillin 500mg capsule

cheap prednisolone

buy prednisolone

buy amoxicillin for chickens

amoxicillin

accutane without insurance reddit

buy accutane pills

accutane without birth control reddit

accutane without blood tests

buy naltrexone no prescription

can you buy naltrexone over the counter go buy naltrexone from trusted pharmacy

prednisolone weight gain

prednisolone weight gain shouldersofgiants.co.uk cheap prednisolone

buy naltrexone canada

naltrexone buy online canada read here buy low dose naltrexone canada

buy naltrexone 3mg

buy generic naltrexone online

buy prednisolone 5mg

buy prednisolone 5mg uk francescocutolo.it buy prednisolone eye drops over the counter

amoxicillin 500mg

amoxicillin 500mg go buy amoxicillin-clavulanate uk

tamoxifen cost uk

tamoxifen citrate uk

tamoxifen uk

tamoxifen dosage tfswhisperer.com tamoxifen citrate

accutane without blood tests

buy accutane pills link accutane without side effects

medical abortion ph

misoprostol philippines liquidity.com order abortion pill philippines

clomid uk buy online

buy clomid tablets

amitriptyline nerve pain in tooth

amitriptyline pain dosage blog.hologrambirds.com nerve pain amitriptyline

buy abortion pill philippines

order abortion pill philippines

order naltrexone pills

buy naltrexone redirect get naltrexone pills

antibiotics online

buy antibiotics for sinus infection

pregnant coronavirus us

coronavirus pregnancy

amitriptyline nerve pain in tooth

nerve pain amitriptyline

buy low dose naltrexone online

where to buy low dose naltrexone

buy naltrexone no prescription

buy naltrexone

abortion pill philippines

buy abortion pill read buy abortion pill

order abortion pill philippines

abortion philippines blog.caregiverlist.com pregnancy termination in manila

prednisolone online

prednisolone weight gain meteo.marche.it buy prednisolone 25mg tablets

buy antidepressants

buy amitriptyline

buy prednisolone 5mg uk

buy prednisolone liquid click here buy prednisolone acetate eye drops

buy accutane 10mg uk

accutane acne open accutane without birth control reddit

prednisolone cost

buy prednisolone

buy prednisolone 5mg uk

prednisolone side effects

buy amitriptyline uk

buy antidepressants visa click here buy amitriptyline online

amoxil without prescription

amoxicillin prescription no insurance

abortion pill kit

abortion pill online website abortion pill online

usa buy abortion pill

abortion pill online usa

buy naltrexone from trusted pharmacy

naltrexone buy online canada go buy naltrexone no prescription

abortion in philippines

abortion pill philippines

buy antidepressant

buy amitriptyline

buy antidepressant online

buy sertraline 100mg 9925.org buy antidepressant online

amitriptyline 50mg

buy amitriptyline

buy antidepressants visa

amitriptyline and tinnitus link buy elavil uk

buy antidepressant online

sertraline visa blog.meyerproducts.com sertraline mastercard

buy low dose naltrexone online

naltrexone where to buy website buy low dose naltrexone canada

buy naltrexone

buy naltrexone online cheap link buy naltrexone

medical abortion ph

abortion philippines redirect abortion pill philippines

abortion pill ph

abortion pill ph

amitriptyline 25mg

buy antidepressants

how to buy naltrexone

where can i buy naltrexone online

buy antidepressants mastercard

amitriptyline without prescription

pills for abortion

pills for abortion crownlimos.ca pills for abortion

where can i buy low dose naltrexone

buy low dose naltrexone recepguzel.com naltrexone buy

Amitriptyline and Tinnitus

amitriptyline without prescription

buy naltrexone online usa

buy naltrexone online canada blog.analysisuk.com buy naltrexone canada

buy zoloft online

buy sertraline online dollarbillcopying.com buy sertaline usa

abortion pill philippines

abortion pill online philippines blog.icuracao.net abortion manila

buy antidepressant

buy antidepressants visa

medical abortion

where to buy abortion pill in usa click here usa buy abortion pill

buy elavil uk

amitriptyline without prescription

abortion in philippines

medical abortion ph westshoreprimarycare.com abortion philippines

buy naltrexone online india

buy naltrexone

amitriptyline 25mg

amitriptyline for anxiety

buy amitriptyline

buy amitriptyline charamin.com amitriptyline 10mg

abortion manila

pregnancy termination in manila

buy abortion pill online usa

abortion pill usa legal

misoprostol philippines

medical abortion ph patemery.azurewebsites.net abortion pill online philippines

sertraline online

buy sertraline

abortion pill ph

abortion pill philippines

abortion pill online

name of abortion pill in u nguoiviendong.net buy abortion pill online usa

buy sertraline

buy sertraline

buy abortion pill

abortion pill kit mirkamali.ir usa buy abortion pill

abortion pill philippines

abortion in philippines blog.zycon.com order abortion pill philippines

abortion philippines

misoprostol philippines read here abortion pill ph

abortion pill philippines

abortion pill philippines

buy abortion pill

abortion pill usa legal

buy abortion pill philippines

pills for abortion hutoncallsme.azurewebsites.net abortion pill online philippines

 
 

Life In Mono
[ Non-fiction : Health/ ]

Amitriptyline and Tinnitus

amitriptyline 50mg click here amitriptyline for anxiety

Amitriptyline for Back Pain

buy amitriptyline go buy antidepressants uk

clomid uk

buy clomid tablets

name of abortion pill in u

abortion pill online usa

buy sertraline online

buy zoloft online online sertraline mastercard

buy antidepressant online

buy sertraline online website-knowledge.com buy sertraline 25mg

naltrexone buy online

buy naltrexone
Mononucleosis, anyone? Yes, it’s that thing teenagers get – ‘mono’, the 'kissing disease', the one that makes you sleep all the time. It might sound quite fun, but actually I can tell you from personal experience, it’s anything but fun, and in fact, it can ruin your life. The biggest part of this problem is that doctors often don’t recognize or acknowledge the seriousness of this condition. Sometimes they don’t even acknowledge that it exists!

Let me start by explaining a bit about what mono actually is. Infectious mononucleosis is caused by a virus called Epstein Barr, after the guy who discovered it, I think. The virus is also linked to the disease multiple sclerosis and to a lot of cases of lymph cancer. That’s because the germs like to gather and spread via the lymph nodes, which are all over your body, and which form a vital part of your immune system. In England, they call it ‘glandular fever’ although technically, it’s all about your lymph nodes, not your glands.

People with mono may not even know they have it sometimes. It’s passed around in saliva, like the flu virus, and its symptoms can also feel a bit like a cold. Around 30 to 80 percent of all people actually carry the virus (it’s related to herpes, and like herpes, once you have it, it never leaves your system). If your system suppresses it successfully, you might think you’ve just had a cold, or you might not even notice it at all.

The difficulty starts for some people when their symptoms don’t go away after a few weeks. Often the bad cases start with tonsillitis, then headache, fatigue, nausea – you name it. In fact, mono has the widest variety of possible symptoms of any disease, and this is where I experienced my problem with doctors.

Doctors are fantastic human beings, who do their best to help people. But what this experience taught me is that if the medical profession doesn’t understand a disease or sickness of some kind, it has a real tendency to pretend it doesn’t exist. Doctors would often say things to me like “I’m not convinced.” With no further explanation or help. I wouldn’t have minded too much, because I’d already accepted there was no medical cure, but these doctors had to sign me off work, and help with insurance, so there were added difficulties for me if they wouldn’t believe me.

Now, there is a blood test for mono, but it only accounts for the sickness up to six weeks in duration. After that time, if your symptoms carry on, the doctors are likely to think you’re fibbing. Either that, or they think you may be attention seeking, or in some way mentally distressed.

Of course, by the time I’d been sick for several months, I was mentally distressed! But only about having an illness nobody really understands, about why I’d caught it, or what would happen to me. I had no other psychological problems and before my mono, I’d been an energetic, positive sort of person. I had been working night shifts and was really tired when I caught it – presumably that’s why it took hold. But nothing more.

In the end, I spent a whole year in bed, sleeping about 16 hours a day. I literally couldn’t move. Worse than that, my memory completely disappeared. It was like being 95 years old, physically and mentally. I would constantly forget my friends’ names and those of routine household objects. I couldn’t understand what was being said to me, because my head was full of what felt like cotton balls. It was incredibly difficult just to string a sentence together, so needless to say, I couldn’t work. Ultimately, I lost my high-powered career in broadcast journalism (plus my income), a large chunk of my social life, and with these things, my sense of self.

You see, your job and your social life give you a large part of your identity. Your memories and personality give you the rest of it. When you completely change your life overnight, lose your job, hobbies and normal brain power, and you feel terrible, after a few months, it leaves you wondering who on earth you are. It’s not an exaggeration to say it’s changed my life forever.

Remember, I was one of the lucky ones, because I recovered. Some people remain that way for years, or for their entire lives, and nobody can tell them why.

There are positive outcomes to this kind of situation, too. As for me, I changed my career, because once I stopped working, I realized I hadn’t really liked it anyway – I’d just grown attached to the cash and prestige. I began to travel a lot, learn different skills and hobbies and I took a master’s degree in Medical Anthropology because I wanted to learn more about why doctors are unable to help people with mono. These are all things I might never have experienced without my illness.

\What I’ve discovered is that mono is a sickness that responds only when the sufferer really pays attention to what their body and mind wants. For most, that means cutting out junk food, taking exercise in the fresh air, or perhaps doing yoga, and trying to connect your soul with your surroundings. Out go long working hours, alcohol binges, unhealthy relationships and so on. You have to simplify your life, and make your spirit and your body happy. It might have taken me a lifetime to learn these things, if I’d never had mono.

Fortunately, there is an increasing amount of scientific research being done on mono. Hopefully that means sufferers in future will get some better answers about why they’re feeling so terrible. But with any luck, it won’t be at the expense of the valuable lessons being sick can teach us, and the positive lifestyle changes that come from getting off the rat-race treadmill and taking a good long look inside your own mind.

Article views: 69289


Your StoryLeap Username

Your StoryLeap Password

Don't have username / password? Click here to create account

Your Comment

To avoid spam robots from submitting this form, please solve the simple math problem below

Answer:

Comments from Our Readers

  "im glad someone else understands what mono (or glandular fever as i call it as im from england! :-) )feels like! i first had mono when i was 7 and i was sent to hospital as they thought it was mumps! for weeks i was in hospital as the symptoms are endless, and how you feel is unexplainable! so in desperation the only solution doctors came up with was to have my tonsils removed, and since then i have had it about 10 times in my life time! ( i am now 18),i was also told that glandular fevevr takes away some of your immune system as it damages it! so without tonsils and gettin gladular fever a lot, im catching everything else!, for years now im always tired, i have no energy and frequently feel low, this is all down to glandular fever and i deffinately think doctors need to look into it more as its NOT just a virus, it ruins your life! " - holly marie, January 7 2009 - reply
  "my life was ruined after getting mono. i developed CFS and had to drop out of school, couldn't learn, remember, think, or read. i slept all day. this was 17 years ago. 3 years ago, my condition became severe and i could barely get out of bed. now, i am on antiviral therapy under the care of dr. a. martin lerner in michigan. he had the disease himself for 8 years and recovered. he is brilliant. the longer you wait to treat, the harder it is to get better. good luck sue" - sue, February 25 2009 - reply
  "No one ever understands how hard it is to cope with mono (unless they have been in the same situation, of course). The virus has been out of my blood for a year now, but I still experience the symptoms on a daily basis. There is no sympathy from my friends, teachers, and guidance counselors. In fact, some are so inconsiderate that they tease me about being contagious (which I have not been for a year)." - Rose, May 5 2009 - reply
  "this sounds so much like fibromyalgia, or lyme disease,, my doctors can't decide which i actually have, and it is so difficult,, but you are so right, even with any disease, you have to bring your mind, soul and body together to fight it. so glad u have learned that, it has taken me a long time, but slowly i am gaining ground. and of course, the next time someone says 'ITS ALL IN YOUR HEAD' you can say,, "OF COURSE IT IS, MY BODY IS TELLING ME SOMETHING IS WRONG,,,, AND MY BRAIN IS COMPREHENDING,,, WHY CAN'T YOUR'S????"""""""""""" DUHHHHHHHHHHHHH" - jesse_jean57, June 23 2009 - reply
  "I'm so glad there are other people who understand this illness. I have had mono for a couple months now so nothing compared to other posters here but I must say that it is the worst thing ever. I used to be a very positive, energetic person. Now, even my significant other says I'm no fun anymore. I'm so frustrated because I can't enjoy the things I used to love and feel like a different person. Everytime I get the urge to do a little more than just the necessities, I fear the overwhelming tiredness and feverish feeling that follows the next day. I lost all my hobbies and motivation. My wedding day was hampered by mono because I was so nauseated and exhausted. The worst thing about mono is that you become a different person and it is a person you do not want to be--lazy and negative. I keep gaining flab because I can't exercise but at the same time I have to eat large and fatty meals or else I notice I feel sick. Sorry to be a downer but I hope there is a light at the end of this tunnel." - frustrated, October 23 2009 - reply
  "I'm so glad there are other people who understand this illness. I have had mono for a couple months now so nothing compared to other posters here but I must say that it is the worst thing ever. I used to be a very positive, energetic person. Now, even my significant other says I'm no fun anymore. I'm so frustrated because I can't enjoy the things I used to love and feel like a different person. Everytime I get the urge to do a little more than just the necessities, I fear the overwhelming tiredness and feverish feeling that follows the next day. I lost all my hobbies and motivation. My wedding day was hampered by mono because I was so nauseated and exhausted. The worst thing about mono is that you become a different person and it is a person you do not want to be--lazy and negative. I keep gaining flab because I can't exercise but at the same time I have to eat large and fatty meals or else I notice I feel sick. Sorry to be a downer but I hope there is a light at the end of this tunnel." - frustrated, October 23 2009 - reply
  "I think that this is a remarkable story, but I would like to know what year this story takes place in becasuse I think that if it was early in the 1980's or something they might not have done enough research on the mononucleosis disease. I certainly hope they have donce more research on mononucleosis because i have never had it and I don't want it now. I am always tired and i have a cold and have been throwing up for weeks so i think that I might have mononucleosis. Doctors better have a cure!" - Tinkerbelle, March 1 2010 - reply

Digg del.icio.us Reddit StumbleUpon Facebook Google Newsvine YahooMyWeb TechnoRati

 

 
  . GAME OVER
. A Shift of Time
. Lost
. Life In Mono
. Federal versus State Time
. Georgian Gambit
. Barack My World
. THERE IS ALWAYS A REASON
   
 
 
Subscribe to our newsletter

Subscribe to StoryLeap RSS

   
  Home | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact
© 2007 StoryLeap - All Rights Reserved

 

Web Design by blackDot.ca - Web Design Toronto, Web Development & Marketing in Toronto  blackDot.ca