Glandular Fever
“Your glands are up!”
How many of us can remember that phrase from our childhoods. Indeed in each year, according to the UK’s National Health Service 1 in 200 people will contract glandular fever. That being said, most people who get glandular fever are in their late teens and early twenties.
When I was at school one of my fellow students had a bout of glandular fever resulting in weeks if not months off sick.
So I felt that it could well be useful to produce a brief guide to glandular fever as part of our series of informational blogs. As with all our blogs your participation is most welcome. It would be great to hear about your experiences of glandular fever and its impact upon your life and health. This will, we hope, provide support for others in a similar situation.
The majority of people who develop glandular fever do so in a period of around two months after contracting the Epstein-Barr virus. This is perhaps the most common virus which has been covered in a previous blog here https://patienttalk.org/calling-everyone-with-an-autoimmune-condition-have-you-ever-been-infected-with-the-epstein-barr-virus/. I think the comments section is of particular value.
The main symptoms of glandular fever are:-
1) Fever. As the name suggests of course. In this case it is likely to be over 38ºC or 100.4ºF (in old money).
2) Swollen nodes or glands in the neck. Hence the name glandular fever.
3) Sore throat.
4) Fatigue. You can read more about the impact of fatigue by checking out our recent patient experience blog. https://patienttalk.org/fatigue-like-wet-cement-exploring-the-difference-between-tiredness-and-fatigue/
In some cases there are a number of rarer symptoms. These can include jaundice and swollen adenoids. Jaundice is more common with people in the older age brackets who contract glandular fever.
Normally the infection lasts about two or three weeks, starting to get better after around one week albeit slowly. That being said the fatigue may last for up to six months after the other symptoms have disappeared.
In milder forms of the fever treatments are normally painkillers which also help fight the inflammation. In more serious cases hospitalisation may be required.
It is worth noting that there does seem to be a link between Epstein–Barr viral infection and contracting a number autoimmune conditions and other illnesses. In particular Parkinson’s disease, Lupus (https://patienttalk.org/?tag=lupus), rheumatoid arthritis (https://patienttalk.org/?tag=rheumatoid-arthritis), and multiple sclerosis (https://patienttalk.org/?tag=multiple-sclerosis).
So over to you. We are always really interested in the experiences of our readers of their medical conditions. It would be great if you could share your glandular fever story in the comments box below.
You might care to consider the following questions while sharing your story:-
a) At what age did you develop glandular fever?
b) What were your symptoms?
c) Do you know what the cause was?
d) How you were treated and how successful were the treatments?
e) Finally, if you contracted the Epstein–Barr virus did you have any complications afterwards such as an autoimmune condition?
Please just think of these questions as a guideline. It would be great if you could share anything you think may be of interest about glandular fever.
Thanks very much in advance.
This also sounds like the mumps. Are they related?
A. 2000
B excessively tired swollen lymph nodes in neck and adenoids
C. Mononucleosis
D. Rest steroids pills good
E. Single demylenating episode in 2002 then MS diagnosis in 2007
I don’t remember ever having mono. however my blood showed I Epstein-Barr at some point in my life. I just don’t remember having it. I found this out three years after my MS diagnosis
Started at age sixteen and took doctor’s a long time to diagnose Epstein-Barr. Fevers and glands subsided after several weeks, but fatigue persisted as well as the onset of jaundice. I spent the majority of my sophomore year in high school attending only half days. I do not remember if I was put on mediation at this point or not. But I had to rest a lot and physical/contact activities were not allowed due to enlarged liver and spleen.
Developed autoimmune symptoms in my early twenties and was finally diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in my early thirties. Doctor’s continue to suspect additional secondary autoimmune disease(s), but have not been able to obtain conclusive test results to confirm their suspicion.
I am confident that the Epstein-Barr Virus played a major part in me developing Multiple Sclerosis. I was very healthy as a child. At age 14 I began fighting strep throat and had my tonsils/adnoids removed prior to turning 15. The following year I went downhill from the beginning of Glandular Fever to Epstein-Barr Virus to Multiple Sclerosis and a life long battle in the Autoimmune Disease world.
http://payripo.com/?share=108806
I was 18 Yo. Caught from my new boyfriend. Couldn’t swallow a thing, couldn’t move and was ill for 6 weeks before hospitalised for a week with a drip as couldn’t even eat an ice cube. I had tonsillitis 4/5 times year after so had tonsils removed. Took a year to get energy back and then came the MS although took years (30yo) for diagnosis.
Awful.
You should put in the header that glandular fever = mononucleosis. I have never heard it called glandular fever, just called mono. I keep seeing things about how MSers all have EBV (because of a mono infection) but I never had this infection and do not have EBV in my blood but I still have MS.
I was 13yrs old when I got Glandular Fever, my grandfather had it and I went down with it too.
All i can remember of it was my throat being so swollen and sore even getting fluids in was difficult and extremely painful, i was off of school for what seemed like ages, bored stiff of laying listless on the couch (didn’t have much of a choice on tv back them days :p )
I have no clue as to what the treatment was I cannot remember any of that now, and sadly my mum is no longer with us for me to ask.
I had never heard of the Epstein-Barr virus until I started following MS related things via facebook, as it was never a term used, everyone just called it glandular fever.
Aged 41 i was diagnosed with MS, but they believe I had had it a few years already by then.
Regards
Chey
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