Feb 24 2009
Epstein Barr symptoms – fatigue, diarrhea and nausea
When you are infected with Epstein Barr virus, your body mounts an immune response in order to clear the virus from your system. As well as symptoms like a sore throat, coughing, fever and swollen glands (which we discussed in an earlier post), you can also experience debilitating fatigue, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Let’s have a look at these symptoms in more detail.
Fatigue
Fatigue is your body’s way of telling you to slow down, go to bed and sleep! In order to fight Epstein Barr you need to rest your body, so any energy can go toward healing your body.
I understand that committments to work, study, family and sport can be important, however it is vital that you rest your body in the early stages of this illness. If you continue to push yourself, you will prolong your illness or suffer from complications.
One of the Scandinavian countries enforce a mandatory rest period of a few weeks after people are diagnosed with mononucleosis to ensure the symptoms do not become chronic. It would save a lot of suffering if this practice was adopted worldwide!
Diarrhea
Diarrhea speeds the evacuation of bugs and their toxins from the gastrointestinal tract. If you have diarrhea it is advisable to rest your gastrointestinal tract by consuming only water or fluids like broths, until the condition clears. Medication like Lomotol can stop diarrhea temporarily but may worsen other symptoms like nausea or abdominal pains as the infection is not being eliminated. Medication can also prolong the length of the illness.
Nausea and vomiting
These symptoms are the body’s way of emptying the stomach of dangerous substances or bugs. Nausea can also indicate that your liver has been infected with the Epstein Barr virus.
The best approach for nausea and vomiting is to cut down your food intake – preferably by doing a liquid only diet or a light diet of dried toast, broths and soups with no fats, dairy, alcohol or sugar. This will ensure that less energy is needed for digestion, more for fighting the infection. To quell the nausea, ginger, peppermint or spearmint tea may be drunk. If you are vomiting regularly then an electrolyte replacement drink may be needed. Avoid taking medications that suppress the symptoms and allow you to eat. These medications may prolong the healing process.
Epstein Barr treatment
If you have been diagnosed with Epstein Barr, it is important to rest your body, drink plenty of pure water and support your immune system with vitamins, minerals, herbs, an immune-boosting diet and lifestyle improvements. These natural treatments for Epstein Barr are discussed in detail in the e-book “Nature’s Amazing Mononucleosis Cures” by naturopath Elizabeth Noble.
128 responses so far
When a doctor performs a test for mono, would they check for other diseases such as turbercolosis andother diseases associated with mono? Can the mono test be wrong. Meaning, it is another disease or is the test is very accurate. Thank you
Hi Bob,
Thanks for your question re testing for mono. Like most pathology tests you can get false readings when doing these tests. For example the mono spot test will often give a false negative if taken during the first week of infection or when used in children. A second test or further antibody tests may need to be ordered. If your doctor suspects you have mono he/she can perform a range of Epstein Barr antibody tests to ascertain what stage of the illness you are at or if you had contacted the infection in the past.
If the results for mono all come back negative then your doctor should then test for other infections which may mimic Epstein Barr. These include cytomegalovirus, mycoplasma, Lyme’s, TB and other conditions like anaemia, low thyroid, hypoglycaemia, sarcoidosis etc. I hope this answers your question.
Regards
Elizabeth
I was wondering, is it common for mono to inhibit itself with slightly different symptoms every day? The day before I had fatigue, slight fever (100.5 tops), a bad headache, throat pain, neck stiffness, swollen glands, and loss of appetite. Yesterday all of these symptoms were a bit better, and I had my appetite back, but some nausea started. Today I have slight throat pain, headache with some difficulty breathing and with nausea (and hunger) and quite honestly I can’t seem to differentiate my nausea from any abdominal pain I have, but I don’t have a fever and I feel better compared to the days before. I haven’t gotten tested for Mono yet because my doctor said I need to wait a few more days until I can get tested without a high possibility of a false negative.
Does mono sometimes feel better, but still be there, or could it be that I didn’t have mono?
Hi there,
It is not unusual to have symptoms that fluctuate from day to day with mono. Your symptoms do sound typical of a mono infection but the only way to confirm it is by a blood test.
Your doctor is right about waiting a few days. The mono spot test usually gives a false negative in the first week of symptoms appearing. In the meantime rest your body, drink
plenty of fluids, eat a light healthy diet and start on some immune-boosting supplements like vitamin C, zinc, garlic, echinacea etc.
Elizabeth
This blog is extremely informative; I was diagnosed with mono Januuary 25th, was told I was two weeks into the infection, and ever since, I have felt like my body is just “falling apart.” It started with white tonsils, low grade fever, extreme fatigue et al, but now, a month later, I’m dealing with the nausea. I was afraid the nausea was due to something else, but now I understand that mono can give rise to other complications, and can take longer than a month to recover from this horrible viral infection.
Honestly, mono is crippling. I’ve never been this sick for this long.
Thanks again for the helpful information.
Hi there,
Sorry to hear you have been ill with mono. It can be debilitating.
The nausea is often due to liver involvement so I would recommend you drink plenty of pure water, ginger and peppermint tea.
Eating small, frequent low fat meals can also help. When you are a bit stronger you can try some gentle liver cleansing with some
lemon juice in warm water or a more potent tonic from your health food shop or naturopath.
Best wishes for a fast recovery,
Elizabeth
Hi,
My husband has been having very similiar symptoms for about 5 months now and we are so tired of tests and just want some answers. He has these ‘spells’ every couple of days where he gets very nauseous, tired, and has diarrhea. He has enlarged lymph nodes in his chest which were found via an xray from his primary care doctor who then sent us to get a CT scan and see a pulmonologist. He had his ACE levels tested which were very high and is consistent with Sarcoidosis in the chest; however, he isn’t having any of the normal sarcoid in the chest symtoms so the doctor doesn’t want to treat the Sarcoid in his chest at this point. He was tested for Lyme’s disease which came up negative. He was also tested for mono, which came up negative now, but it did show he has had mono in the past. He was also seen by a couple different ENT’s who weren’t able to give us any answers either. Is there any chance this could still be mono? Or do you have any ideas to other conditions/diseases this could be?
Thank you for your time!
Hi there,
Sorry to hear your husband is not well. Elevated ACE levels are usually caused by sarcoidosis. The symptoms of sarcoid like enlarged lymph nodes, nausea and fatigue are similar to those of recurrent EBV. If your husband’s blood tests are not showing that EBV
has been re-activated, I would recommend you treat him for sacroidosis. This can be done very effectively with anti-inflammatory nutrients, herbs, enzymes and diet. There is a new treatment protocol that I have heard good results about called the Aden protocol. For more information here is the link: http://www.sarcoidosisremission.com/?hop=wholistic6
I hope this helps.
Elizabeth
Thank you for your response. Do you know if those symptoms (nausea, fatigue) would be symptoms of sarcoid in the lungs? (which is where his enlarged lymph nodes are)The doctor said those aren’t symptoms of lung sarcoid which is why she didn’t want to treat him for sarcoid. I know sarcoidosis effects other parts of the body but since he isn’t having shortness of breath (consistent with sarcoid in the lungs) she said those symptoms had to be something else. We aren’t sure what to do at this point. Do you still think those symptoms could be sarcoidosis? It would make sense to me that it would still be sarcoidosis but the doctor said those symtpoms (nausea/fatigue) would only be consistent with sarcoid in the brain which is very rare so she didn’t think that was it. Any other perspective you could give would be MUCH appreciated. Thank you!
My 20 year old daughter developed mono in December 2009. she had extreme fatigue and since then has had 3 sinus infection that were treated with antiboditics. My daughter has always been someone who was a positive thinker, always smiling, helping others, laughing often, knew what she wanted to do etc. She is now a Junior away at college and she does not have any feelings about anything. She is crying all the time and scared because she does not feel like herself. I have been doing some reading and I have found that Mono can trigger depression. What is your take on this theory? An answer would be appreciated and I am taking her to the doctor in 7 days when she returns from college this week for her Spring break.
Thank you!
It all started in Novemeber of 2009. i came down with waht i thought was the flu – headache, high fever, sore throat and swollen glands. This lasted for a week or two, then those symptoms completely subsided. Since early to mid january i have been suffering from chronic nausea. Ive been taking ginger root pills recently and they seem to help slightly, but not completely alleviating my nausea. I’m wondering if these symptoms are common and that theres nothing else i must be worried about. Until today when i officially found out im still suffering from mono, i was pretty active including skateboarding working out and such – now knowing that i have mono im going to rest a lot more and not work out or do any sort of physical activity, as i realize this may cause the symptoms to arise more. no vomiting, just occasional diahhrea and daily nausea – can anyone relate to these symptoms and comment on how long these debilitating feelings lasted? Thanks!
Hi,
Yes sarcoidosis of the lungs can cause fatigue. Swollen glands or any inflammatory state can also cause tiredness.
The nausea would not be coming from sarcoid in the lungs, however it is possible sarcoid has affected the liver. It could also be from re-activated EBV which often affects the liver
causing nausea, loose stools, poor appetite, dark rings under the eyes, fatigue, headaches etc.
What was your husband’s ACE levels? Are they stable or increasing with time? These are normally a good indication of how the disease is progressing.
I have had a few questions from patients recently on sarcoidosis and EBV so have written a couple of blogs which you may find helpful. Here are the links:
http://www-epsteinbarrvirus.com/blog/?p=263
http://www-epsteinbarrvirus.com/blog/?p=256
Hope this helps.
Elizabeth
Thanks again for your response. My husband’s ACE level was 121 the beginning of February. We haven’t had his ACE tested since. How often would you recommend running the ACE test? How do you see if there is sarcoidosis in the liver? Is there a certain test that can be run to determine there is sarcoid in the liver?
Thanks!
Hi Ryan,
Thanks for your post. Sorry you have been experiencing nausea – it is common in mono. In most people, the nausea occurs in the acute phase of the illness although some people do get it longer term.
I would recommend you do some gentle liver cleansing with lemon juice in warm water. Eating small frequent, low fat meals and adding ginger or peppermint tea can also help. Avoid alcohol, coffee and processed foods as much as possible. If your liver is swollen or enlarged then adding some anti-inflammatory foods like turmeric, ginger, vitamin C and zinc may be beneficial. The herb Milk Thistle can protect the liver from further damage. The addition of some acidophillus may also help with the loose stools.
Hope you start feeling better soon.
Best Wishes
Elizabeth
Hi Sharon,
Thanks for your post regarding your ill daughter. Depression can occur with mono, especially if the fatigue and malaise lingers.
Being away at college would also make it harder if your daughter does not have her normal family support. Seeing her family doctor will be a good step next week.
The natural approach to depression is to support the brain with nutrients like fish oils, zinc and the B complex. There are also some good natural antidepressants like St Johns Wort which your daughter can try with the help of her doctor or naturopath.
Scientifically, sunshine and regular exercise have been shown to help with depression. In fact some of my patients tell me that their daily walk is what keeps their depression at bay. Taking the time to rest, eat a high protein diet and drink lots of water is also important.
I hope this helps.
Elizabeth
Hi again,
I would recommend your husband monitors his ACE levels every 3-6 months. Sarcoid in the liver can be picked up from abnormal liver function tests or problems like fatty liver, an enlarged liver or liver cirrhosis developing. A biopsy can confirm the diagnosis.
Elizabeth
I was diagnosed with mono and bronchitis in mid Feb. After resting for about two weeks straight, and taking an antibiotic for the bronchitis, I felt much better. However, about a week after the mono diagnosis I started experiencing constant diarrhea and I am still having this problem. It seems like no matter what I eat, whether it be something very bland and simple, or a really big complex meal..I end up with diarrhea. Sometimes I cannot even finish a meal without having to run to the bathroom. I also experience pretty severe abdonimal cramps when the diarrhea flares up. Is this just mono still working its way out of my system? I am not feeling sick anywhere else. I do not have a fever, sore throat, congestion or anything. Just diarrhea, and it seems like all the time!!
I have lost my insurance since the diagnosis of mono so I have not been able to go back to the doctor to have more tests run. I worry that something more severe is wrong with me.
Hopeful for some answers,
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
Sorry to hear you have been sufferring with abdominal pains and diarrhorea. It could be a side effect of mono or it could be a bacterial imbalance in your bowel caused by the antibiotics. I would recommend you start on a course of acidophillus and bifido bacteria
in order to replenish the good gastrointestinal flora. Keep your diet light – preferably a liquid-only diet of broths, soups, herb teas and water. If the problems persist you may need to do some liver cleansing in case the liver has been affected by the mono.
Hope this helps.
Elizabeth
My 17 year old son was diagnosed with mono 2 weeks ago. Since then, his liver enzymes are skyrocketing. Also, today when they checked his LFT’s, they did a lipid panel, due to the fact his blood would get “fatty” after they spun it down. His HDL came back extremely low at 17, although everything else came back normal. My son is VERY athletic, so I’m quite concerned about this very low HDL. Is there a correlation between his high liver enzymes and his low HDL? Thank you, Caty
I was diagnosed with mono on March 18th when i saw my doctor.I started getting sick on Feb. 22, 2010. I went to urgent care on Feb 23 see whats wrong with me. The doc said it was a common cold. After a few days, I week back to school, work but, I was getting sick again. So on March 8th, I went to urgent care again but this time the doctor said it was from stress. I found hard time believe. I’m 21 year old that is enjoying my years in college. Then I felt good age but, well sick again on March 11th. I went to see my doctor on Mrach 18th and got my blood taking for mono. My symptoms are somewhat fatigue, dizzness, constipation, and nausea. The doctor sayd my mono is atypical mono. He said it would take from 4 to 6 weeks from symptoms to go away. I’m going on my 6 week and I feel better but, the nausea hasn’t gone away. I have been taking multivitamin pills, metamucil, probiotic, Meclizine for the nausea and I finish taking acaclovir a week ago. The only thing that will not go away is the nausea and feeling ill. I’m drinking 10 bottles a water a day and sleeping 9 to 10 hours day. I eat very health. I’m eatting more fruits and vegetables. Please help. I need to know what I can do for the nausea and feeling ill symptoms. I need my life back. I feel like I’m helpless. I want to go back to working, school, coaching, and hanging out with my friends. Please help me.
Hi Caty,
Sorry to hear your son has been suffering from mono. Elevated liver enzymes are common with this condition. These enzymes
often reflect an inflammed liver as seen in viral illnesses like mono. The liver enzymes normally come down after the mono has passed.
It is possible that they are associated with the low HDL.
It is the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL that really matters not just the individual level of HDL. If the total cholesterol:HDL ratio is over
4 then there is an increased risk of heart disease. To help improve the ratio, your son should increase his intake of fish oils, garlic
and antioxidants. Keeping physically fit is also important. Avoiding alcohol, smoking and trans fatty acids will also boost HDL levels.
Hope this helps.
Elizabeth
Hi Vito,
Sorry to hear you are feeling nauseous and ill from your bout of mono. Nausea often means your liver is involved, so some gentle liver cleansing may be of benefit. Starting on some lemon juice in warm water on rising
would be a good start. Eating small. frequent low fat meals and drinking ginger and peppermint tea can help quell the nausea.
Keep on your probiotics, supplements, fruit and vegetables, water and rest. It is often just a matter of time, so don’t rush back into your busy life too soon. Doing too much too soon can set you back in your recovery.
Best Wishes
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Thank you for the information. I hope this will help me. I have a question about the lemon juice. How much lemon juice do I use in warm water and how many times should I drink it?
Vito
Hi Vito,
Just start with half a lemon sqeezed into warm water on rising. This is the best time to optimise liver cleansing. You can also use lemon juice throughout the day in water, as a salad dressing or over vegetables.
Best Wishes
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
I’m feeling much better. I’m finishing up my 5th day without any symptoms besides a little ill feeling and little bit of constipation. I was wondering when should I try to go back to work? Should I wait another week so I feel more recovered from mono? What do you suggest? I feeling better but, I’m not willing to have a relapse. My job is seeing if I can start working again starting April 18th? I was wondering if I feel a little ill and little constipation still by that time should I work?
Sincerely,
Vito
Hi Vito,
Thanks for your update. Glad you are feeling better. I would wait another week before
returning to work. During this week try and get the constipation sorted out. You can
do this by drinking the lemon juice in warm water, taking plenty of magnesium,
adding some natural oils like flaxseed oil into your diet, and ensuring an adequate fibre intake.
You may need to add a natural fibre like psyllium husks to your diet. Taking a probiotic with
acidophillus and bifido bacteria will keep the gastrointestinal flora in balance.
If you are still not 100% by next week, then maybe you can start with half a day at work and
see how you fare. It is important not to push yourself and end up where you started.
Best Wishes
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
I have been taking Sustenex for my probiotic. I have also been taking Metamucil for the psyllium husks. I will continue to take lemon juice in warm water.I will continue to have a high fiber diet. I will look at getting flaxseed oil soon. I’m feeling much better. I hope this can last. Thank you for all your help.
Sincerely,
Vito
I’ve just been diagnosed with mono and strep throat and i haven’t been feeling that sick yet.. i just feel really nautious at times. sometimes i’m really hungry and after i eat i feel very nautious again. is this normal?
Hi Kelsey,
That is a nasty combination – mono and strep throat. The Epstein Barr virus that causes mono can affect the liver causing nausea and sometimes vomiting.
It is best to eat small, frequent meals. Avoid fatty foods, excess dairy, alcohol, coffee and highly processed foods. You may find that drinking ginger or
peppermint tea calms the nausea. If you are taking antibiotics for the strep throat, then make sure you replenish the good gastrointestinal flora with some
acidophillus and bifido bacteria when you have finished the course.
When you are feeling a bit more settled, it would be worth doing some gentle liver cleansing by drinking some lemon juice in water daily. If your nausea
persists then you may need a stronger liver tonic from your health food shop or naturopath. Hope this helps.
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
I’m feeling better but, I’m starting to feel the nausea coming back. I have been doing lemon juice in warm water daily but, I do not think its working anymore. I was wondering if I should take stronger liver cleanse? I also feel dizzy at times. I was wondering if you have any idea herbs that can help with dizziness? Any information will be very helpful!
Sincerely,
Vito
Hi Vito,
Thanks for your update. It is interesting that your nausea is coming back. The dizziness can also be a liver indication. If the lemon juice is not working as well as before then it probably means you need a stronger cleanse. I would recommend you do a cleanse that addresses liver, bowel and kidney health. The one from Blessed Herbs is a good choice. Many of my patients use it with good results. Here is a link to further information on it:
http://www.blessedherbs.com/?af=1254&d=single&item_id=3703
I would still make sure you are consuming plenty of fluids, fibre, acidophillus and fresh vegetables in order to optimise bowel and liver health.
Best Wishes
Elizabeth
I was just wondering if symptoms in young children are different or the same as in adults? At present my 5 yr old son has swollen lymph nodes throughout his neck (including the back of his neck), his jaw line and one in his armpit region. He gets sever bouts of fatigue. He will be playing fine then all the sudden he needs to sit because he is completely drained and he goes extremely pale. He recently also starting developing headaches which always follows with him throwing up. this symptoms have been going on for teh last 4 weeks.. withmore lymph nodes showing up and things getting worse as time goes by. It almost seems different day to day sometimes even hour to hour lately. My pediatrician ordered blood work a week ago but teh results still are not back. I was just wondering if ay of this sounds like mono at all. Unfortunately since the results are notback yet I’ve found myself research stuff online only to usually come up with some sort of lymphoma but I’m hoping he just has come infection that antibiotics can fix fast. Any info you can give me would be really helpful!
Thanks, Jessica
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for your post. Sorry to hear your son has been ill. It certainly sounds like mono with the swollen glands, headaches, vomiting and fatigue. The blood test will confirm whether or not it is mono.
The majority of children do not exhibit severe symptoms. Their illness is often passed off as a cold or flu.
Whether the infection is being caused by Epstein Barr or some other virus, the treatment should be aimed at boosting your son’s immune system with plenty of rest, a healthy diet and some immune-boosting supplements like echinacea, vitamin C and zinc. Antibiotics are only of use if it is a bacterial infection, and even then should be used with caution.
I hope he starts to feel better soon.
Best Wishes
Elizabeth
This is a great forum! I have a very unique situation and wanted to get your input. I was diagnosed with mono through a blood test yesterday (saturday) that I had performed at an urgent care center. I have been feeling extremely tired and nauseous. I am not able to see my primary doc until tomorrow so I decided to reach out to you. I have what is called ICL (Ideopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia). Basically, my body does not produce many CD4 cells and I am seen at the National Health Institute for research on this. I am only 33 years old and almost lost my life to meningitis in 2007 because of my underlying immune deficiency. Are there any severe health risks to having mono and a weakened immune system? I am diligent with taking vitamins and drinking a gallon of water a day. This mono had gotten me so run down and nauseous. To top it off, I work in a Senior Living community! I pushed myself to work half days last week. Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks for your time!
Hi Stephanie,
Thanks for your post. Sorry to hear you have been diagnosed with mono. Lymphocytopenia (lowCD4 lymphocytes) unfortunately leaves you more prone to picking up viral, bacterial and fungal infections.
The Epstein Barr virus that causes mono is a latent virus that can relapse if you are run down or stressed. In some people it can trigger Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or other immune complications. Your priority
should be to rest your body, take your immune-boosting supplements (vitamin C, zinc, selenium, herbs like garlic and olive leaf extract etc) and eat a high protein / low carb diet that enhances your
immune response.
The nausea you are experiencing may indicate that Epstein Barr has affected your liver. Do some gentle liver cleansing with some lemon juice in warm water. Drinking ginger or peppermint tea can quell the
nausea temporarily. Poor gastrointestinal and liver health can compromise immunity so when you are a bit stronger a more thorough cleanse would be a good idea.
With your condition, it is not great to be working in a Senior Living Community where infections are easily passed between people. Ask your doctor about it but you may need to work in a more suitable
workplace or from home where you are not in contact with infections.
I hope your doctor can advise and monitor your condition well. You may need to find yourself a holistic doctor who understands both the conventional and alternative options.
Best Wishes
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
I feeling much better, but I have question about allergies. Can I take Claritin-D while I probably still have mono?
Vito
Hi Elizabeth,
I feeling much better, but I have question about allergies. Can I take Claritin-D while I probably still have mono?
Vito
Hi Vito,
Thanks for your update. Glad you are feeling better. As far as I know there is no adverse reaction with using an anti-histamine like Claritin-D when you have mono. I would not rely on it for weeks or months on end. Be aware of the side effects of Claritin-D including nervousness, excitability, dizziness, headache, anxiety, tremor, hallucinations and seizures.
It is better to try and tackle your allergies by supporting your gastrointestinal and liver health and by using natural treatments like fenugreek, garlic, horseradish, vitamin C, zinc and fish oils.
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Mono has been quite confusing. I was diagnosed with mono April 29 and have stayed at home resting, literally not even going to the grocery store even since then (just left the house for doc visits). I’ve had varying, confusing symptoms including some bloating, continuous abdominal/back ache, and most recently— left shoulder blade pain, incidents of pain underneath left side rib cage when I inhale and exhale, occasional dizziness, and a bout of fainting from low blood pressure followed by immediate sweating.
Three weeks ago a CT scan showed both the liver and spleen to be enlarged. This past week an ultrasound apparently showed no enlargement however, and a full Epstein Barr blood panel indicated I was in the “acute stage of mononucleosis”.
Just yesterday the pain in my ribcage appeared and lasted 3-4 hours. I’d been resting all day, and when I got up (slowly) after a minute I began to feel lightheaded and dizzy…and it lasted for a minute or two. I’m confused since my doctors haven’t been particularly concerned about these symptoms and I still read that some of them could mean serious spleen problems. As a result, I keep going to the doctor or ER when I have an incident of concentrated left shoulder or left rib pain.
For the whole three weeks, I’ve been doing a lot of what you’ve recommended here. My primary drink has been lemon water, I have all natural fruit/yogurt smoothies twice daily (with anti-inflammatory berries and pineapple), adding ginger to anything I can, and taking vitamins C and D. I just started taking turmeric and fish oil this week…
I’m literally doing the BEST I can possibly do, but I feel like I will just keep being freaked out. Do you have any further advice?
Thank you so, so much.
Bria
Hi Bria,
Thanks for your post. Sorry to hear you have not been well. It can be a very worrying time.
You have started on some excellent supplements and I would encourage you to stay on
them. I would also add some high dose magnesium and B complex to help relax the
muscles and help repair your adrenal glands.
It is possible the gastrointestinal tract has been affected so I would be including some
acidophillus and bifido bacteria in your supplements as well. It sounds like your liver
and spleen may still be involved so I would be avoiding exercise, alcohol and highly
processed foods.
When the pain and discomfort in the rib cage or shoulder blade returns it is worth
trying an Epsom salt bath (2 cups to a hot bath). Epsom salts are very high in
magnesium which can relax the muscles and give you some relief.
If your symptoms persist more than another week or so, I would be checking
with your doctor again if you need further tests on your heart/spleen/liver.
Keep up the good work. It is not unusual for mono to last a few weeks, so just
keep positive and try and take it one day at a time.
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
I was wondering if you can have reactive the symptoms? I have been feeling great for 2 weeks now and just yesterday I woke up feeling fatigue, having diarrhea, and some what nauseated. I was wondering if this could be from working too much, but I have been sleeping like 7 hours a night. Wouldn’t my immune system stop the epstein barr from reactiving? I can’t afford this to happen again! Please help me! I’m still taking all the supplyments. Is this just relapse or could I be sick from something else like food poisoning?
Sincerely,
Vito
Hi Elizabeth,
Can paint fumes cause any problems with reactiving mono? Or can lifting weights cause this problem?
Vito
Hi Vito,
Thanks for your update. Epstein Barr is a latent virus that can re-activate if you are under stress, run down or doing too much. Some people do find that environmental chemicals like paint fumes can trigger their symptoms. Having said that, most people do not get relapses. Their immune system keeps the virus in check.
If you have been feeling good for a couple of weeks, then it may just be a virus or bacteria you have picked up. I would recommend you take a couple of days off, rest your body, take extra vitamin C and zinc and see what happens. Hopefully you will bounce back well.
Let me know how you go.
Elizabeth
My 22 year old son has been feeling sick since mid-Jan 2010. He started by feeling nauseas all the time and not feeling like he can eat. He now a nauseas feeling, diarrhea, fatique just about all the time. The doctors tested him for diabetes, have done a endoscopy, colonoscopy and CT scan of the stomach and done a lot of blood work and nothing appears abnormal. I do not know if he had cold symptoms before mid-Jan. He weight has went from 183 to 143 during this time and he is having trouble working his job because of fatique. Could this be mono? Thanks for your help.
Hi Mary,
Thanks for your post. Your son’s symptoms of nausea, fatigue and diarrhea could be mono, however
a sore throat and swollen glands are are also normally present.
Did the blood work show up Epstein Barr? In the acute or re-activated forms, the Epstein Barr
antibodies are usually raised.
I recommend you find a holistic practitioner who can assess your son and put him on an
appropriate treatment plan. I would be starting with a gastrointestinal and liver
cleanse plus some nutrients like vitamin C, B complex, zinc and magnesium to boost
his immune system and improve his energy levels.
I hope you get some answers soon.
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
I’m feeling much better. I was wondering if its possible to even have mono again after just having it? I guess what I’m getting at is it possible to get Epstein Barr again after just having it? Also, I may need to take allergy meds becuase my allergies are going crazy. Is it possible for that mono has weaken my immune system so my allergies are going crazy? I never had my allergies cause me this much problems. I’m taking like 1000 mg of vimtin c.
Vito
Hi Elizabeth,
I just another question. I’m I able to take like nyquil or dayqiul if I develop a common cold if I may have mono still?
Vito
Hi Vito,
Glad you are feeling better. Yes, once you have had mono, the Epstein Barr virus remains in your body and can be re-activated again.
The virus does weaken immunity and can worsen allergies. I would recommend you keep on some vitamin C, zinc and omega 3 fats. Herbs like garlic, horseradish and fenugreek can also help.
Medications like Nyquil and Dayquil are not advisable (if you have mono or not) as they can affect liver function and they only suppress symptoms – they do not help your body fight the virus.
Hope this helps.
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth,
Thanks for the information. So could I reactivate it after just having it? I’m asking because I wonder if I’m really having allgeries or I have mono again.
Vito
Hi Vito,
Yes it could be a re-activation or it may just be the initial infection which had never fully gone away. You may be able to tell from an Epstein Barr antibodies blood test. Specific EBV antibodies normally rise to a peak then reduce (like a bell curve) in the initial infection. In subsequent infections different EBV antibodies are seen.
Elizabeth