Hi, I just got DX'd (much to my surprise) with mono. My PCP gave me a course of Zithromax which is starting to kick in. A couple questions: now that I am on the ABX am I still infectious? Do I need to stay home from work? I haven't told my employer yet. Any ideas on how to deal with the symptoms beyond taking the ABX and NSAIDS?

Laura

Do you have abacterial infection also... or is the ABX precautionary? What I have read is that is less infectious than cold or flu.

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/ebv.htm

Our employee health department called the medical director of our hospital who said that unless I was running a fever that I could work (and I work with premie babies in NNICU). I have high titers off and on now for 2 yrs and this last set was very active. So I was concerned. My energy level isn't as high as it should be so I think that affects my performance at work. I was taking steroids for a while which helped with the muscle aches and added a needed boost of energy but I was getting sinus infections on them. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.

The main SX I have is that my lymph nodes on the right side have swelled up till the hurt. I think the ABX is a precaution....she told me if I didnt get better after the ABX she would biopsy the lymph nodes in my neck....

Llaura

Mononucleosis is caused by the Epstein-Barr virus. I had mono when I was 14, and treatment is basically just supportive. Antibiotics are useless unless you also have a bacterial infection. The ABX are not going to make you less infectious.

It sounds very strange that you doctor told you that if you don't get better after the ABX she is going to biospy your lymph nodes, being that the ABX don't do anything for mono.

Also, why on earth would she do a lymph node biopsy for mono? Swollen glands are a common symptom of mono, and you already have a diagnosis (and anyway, mono is diagnosed by a monospot test or bloodwork, generally not by biopsy). The only reason I would think to do a biopsy is if it doesn't clear up on its own and your doctor suspects something else. It can take weeks for the symptoms to go away--I think 4 weeks is average.

Mono is more common in children and teens, most adults have developed antibodies to Epstein Barr and will not get active mono. Also, mono in Adults tends to occur when the immune system is compromised or the pt stressed (I developed it in Nursing school ). So if you are over 25, sometimes the MD wants to check immune system issues to see why you developed it. As well as sometimes the blood work for mono shows a high monocyte/lymphocyte (my slide smear was extremely abnormal) count. So they may wish to rule out hematological abnormalities, just to be on the safe side.

The antibiotics are not for the mono itself and do not affect your ability to infect anyone. Mono is a virus and not treated with ABXs.

Get lots of rest, fluids - I didn't and started to go into Guillian-Barre. It was hideous and lifethreatening. I have been told that mono is much worse in adults than kids, but do not have stats on that.

Mono is a disease that can be acute and run it's course in a few weeks and be over. At age 25 my daughter had a text book case that came and went in about 6 weeks. She like her father has a very strong constitution and a high resistance to viral illnesses. However, I have known other people who were not well for months and even years after mono. If your liver gets chronically inflamed you can be ill for long time. Adequate rest is very important, fluids and nutrition are very important. Why, because you immune system must fight this and needs all the help it can get. Extreme fatigue is standard and you may not be able to work even if you want to or are permited to work.

I had mono in 92 and was off work 6 months. My liver, pancreas, gallbladder all were inflammed and enlarged. I had fevers for all that time, and had to see an ID Dr. and was hospitalized. It was very bad and I lost alot of weight.

renerian

I had mono and was sick for several weeks. Do NOT take any vaccines at this time. REST REST REST. I would try to get time off. I ended up getting gamma because I tried to work. When I finally took off a week or so I started to improve.

As everyone else said, rest rest rest! I presume you had some superimposed bacterial infection on top of the mono, because as others have said, atbx do not help viruses. (I hope it's not that the doc gives atbx so people go away feeling like they got medicine.)

No contact sports until the doc has cleared you - you have to protect your midsection. The more you rest the faster you will get over it. Feel better soon!

Antibiotics won't cure mono because it is a virus. I know that when my daughters had mono they were on antibiotics for a superimposed strep infection. The only treatment for mono is rest. If you push yourself you will end up a lot sicker. I had a friend who forced herself to keep going and she ended up with an inflamed liver and jaundice.I would avoid work because your immune system is not in great shape right now and you will be a sitting duck for catching infections from patients and co-workers.