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When I went home for the weekend, I had been feeling a bit nauseous for the past, oh, week and a half or so. This culminated in a healthy round of vomiting just before I left to come back to school. I had tried to force myself to eat, with unhappy results. The next morning, I woke up feeling horrible- the nausea was worse, and I'd started coughing. When I went to the health clinic on campus, they looked in my throat and went, "Woah." Apparently, one of my tonsils is three times its normal size and white. so, they took blood, did a strep test and a mono test, and both came back negative. So, they're trying a different kind of mono test. I'll have the results in thursday.
Meanwhile, I've missed two days worth of classes, and for each day I miss, I have to have a doctor's note. This means going in to the clinic(on the opposite side of campus) every day, by myself. I'm too weak to walk across the room by myself, let alone across campus, but... it has to be done. The doctor gave me a prescription for an anti-nausea medicine, and my sister took it to CVS last night when she came to bring me chicken broth and gatorade. The doctor, apparently, messed up when writing the prescription, though. So, CVS had to call the clinic. Clinic was closed for the night, so they had to wait until today. Even when they do get it verified, they don't carry that particular medicine, so I'll have to wait until Wednesday, when they order it. Meanwhile, I'm nauseous, throwing up at least once a day. Oh, and guess what? This is the first time I've thrown up since the fifth grade.
Could it really be mono? I don't have a fever, and I've never heard of anyone whose symptoms started with vomiting. My girlfriend did have mono a couple weeks ago, so I could have gotten it from her, but I'm wondering if there's anything else it could be.
quote: Meanwhile, I've missed two days worth of classes, and for each day I miss, I have to have a doctor's note. This means going in to the clinic(on the opposite side of campus) every day, by myself.
Universities have some of the most idiotic schemes to torture students over and above what is necessary. I'm so sorry you have to have that crap piled on top of your illness. Get well soon. Posts: 13123 | Registered: Feb 2002
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posted
Mono is always going around, and it always sucks.
Tinros, if your girlfriend had mono, you have it unless you have had it before, I almost garuntee. I didn't have a fever with it, but a terrible sore throat, a bit of nausea, and otherwise felt like crap. It was also april-june of my senior year of high school, I was having quite a few life issues, and I was very tired. I just had the fast test, not the one that they culture and take several days. Still as awful as I felt, I made it to school most days (I missed cadet teaching, they didn't want me around first graders) still went to my orchestra concerts, prom, and did many things I shouldn't have. People said I couldn't function if I really had it, but I did, and was just very tough. IM me if you want to talk, k.
Posts: 5362 | Registered: Apr 2004
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I had mono back in high school and it didn't show up on any tests they did. They only made the diagnosis because I was flu-like and would fall asleep while talking with the doctors. I was out of school for a month.
School health procedures are ridiculous. Be glad that your facilities can draw blood and run tests. All ours does is hand out cough drops and make you an appointment with an off-campus physician if you're dying.
Depending on how bad you are, your transportation, and insurance maybe see a professional physician. With insurance its pretty cheap to get in and get checked out by a GP. Maybe they can atleast write you a note excusing you from class until you're well without you having to make daily trips.
You need bedrest. Mono can carry some fun complications. If you don't give yourself time to heal, you could be risking infection. When I had mono my liver and spleen got really enlarged and that was the final straw that pulled me out of school, to avoid damage or a rupture.
Posts: 1733 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I caught mono when I was sixteen, the day before the Winter Formal, after my date had bought her dress and bought me a flower and rented a limo. I spent the next five days writhing in a sweaty fever, cancelling the morning of the dance.
She never forgave me.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
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Oh, I hope you don't have mono. It stinks. Fever isn't necessary. I've been sick for four weeks and only one day did I have a fever. I didn't have nausea though. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
I'm going to the doctor today and hopefully they'll tell me I'm finally well. I feel better. I think that should count for something.
Posts: 862 | Registered: Oct 2003
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Mono can present with almost any symptoms. It is one of the Great Mimics.
The blood tests for mononucleosis generally test for the antibodies that your body produces to the virus. Thus, if one has an altered immune response or if the test is geared toward the wrong sort of antibody for your particular stage in the cycle (e.g., Immunoglobulin M is the early response, then levels of IgM drop as the Immunoglobulin G level slowly starts to rise), then you may test negative despite actually suffering from that virus.
quote:Ages in the study ranged from 2-83yo. Half of the non-EBV infected sera were infected with other viral diseases often confused with EBV [Epstein-Barr virus] (CMV [cytomegalovirus], Adeno [adenovirus], HIV [human immunodeficiency virus], VZV [varicella zoster virus]).
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Tinros, can you talk to the dean of your department/college about your missing class? If you're very sick, they can be very helpful and will often contact your teachers for you, eliminating the whole bringing notes to everyone process. They also make sure that the teachers are flexible in your makeup work.
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Well, my dad actually called my acedemic advisor, and they agreed it's for the best that I go home for the rest of the week. My dad is coming to get me in a couple hours, and my roommates are going to soak the room in Lysol once I'm gone.
My teachers have been pretty good about the whole thing, especially in classes where I have to sing or play- my Aural Training teacher flat out told me not to come to class until I was 100%. She also gave me the week's assignments, and told me to let her know the day I'd be back so I can do make-up quizzes and whatnot.
As for now, I'm just looking forward to going home, eating some of my mom's soup, and stretching out on the couch. I have a top bunk in my dorm, and as weak and tired as I've been feeling, it'll be nice not to have to climb a wall to get into bed. (The room's ladder for the beds is broken- it would fall if I were to try to use it to get into bed, and injury on top of illness is not something I need right now.)
Thanks for the link, CT. Unfortunately, now I have to gouge my eys out. University of Michigan? To an Ohio State student? WHatever were you thinking? Posts: 1591 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Yes, yes, we don't really like the school up north. I'm not as radical as some- consider yourself lucky. I have friends here who would have come after you with a baseball bat if you so much as SAID the M word.
Posts: 1591 | Registered: Jul 2005
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My life has never been quite so close to the Tragic Moment. I have many things to be thankful for this day, this being at the top of the list. *grin
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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I've never had mono, but from all I've heard, it sounds horrendous. I hope you heal quickly and gets lots of sleep and soup!
Posts: 952 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Tinros, that sounds dreadful. Especially the vomiting bit. Nergh. Take it easy on yourself - you'll get better faster if you're really lazy. It's boring, though. Stupid mono . . .
I suggest watching The West Wing, House, Grey's Anatomy, Friends, The Sopranos, The Simpsons, Family Guy, etc. in order from first season to last or most recent. To keep your brain occupied, and so you have to lie on the couch and can fall asleep at any moment.
Posts: 471 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Well, I emailed all of my professors, and got one response so far(a pretty fast response, it was within the hour I sent the email). My flute teacher is the one that responded- she just wants me to get better. She said we'd make up my lessons when I got back, and the only thing I should worry about is reading a book(Kinkaidiana, by John Krell, a book about flute technique). It'll actually be a big help, I'm willing to bet. At least it'll keep my mind off this intense pain in my throat.
In better news, CVS DID have the medicine the doctor intended, so I got that, and I've since managed to hold down a bit of solid food. My stomach doesn't hate me so much anymore.
However, I'm dead tired, but having trouble falling asleep. Any suggestions?
Posts: 1591 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Ugh. I'm sick now, and I don't think I've been this sick SINCE mono. Anyone else catch this? Apparently all my friends beat me to the punch. Contagious pricks.
Posts: 3293 | Registered: Jul 2002
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quote:Universities have some of the most idiotic schemes to torture students over and above what is necessary.
I always found it ironic that if you're too sick to get out of bed to go to class, you have to prove this... by getting out of bed for a doctor's note.
Posts: 8473 | Registered: Apr 2003
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Teshi, my favorite part is that the doctors at our clinic will not write doctor's notes.
So you have to get out of bed, go to the clinic, get a referral form, drive/find someone to drive your sick ass to some doctor probably half an hour away, and fill out the appropriate paperwork before you can get a note.
That's IF the clinic will write you a referral, which it won't.
You're much better off waiting until the clinic is closed (which is easy, since the doctor usually leaves before 3pm) and going to the after-hours clinic a half-hour away, where they already have forms, and you can just say you couldn't go to the clinic because it was closed.
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Saw my family doctor. He passed it off as a bacterial infection, gave me a super-strong version of penicillin. However, I got a call from the health clinic today at OSU with the results of the EBV test, and those and the antibody tests confirmed that I do, in fact, have mono. I've stopped throwing up, but my throat is so sore I can barely talk. So, I'm definately staying home until Sunday, but then I have to go back to class. I hate this...
Posts: 1591 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Ah, penicillin causes a lovely full body rash in folks with acute mono. Might want to call your family doctor tomorrow and inform them that they gave you penicillin with active mono and do they wish to change drugs or reconsider treatment. The rash isn't dangerous, however.
Posts: 1014 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Tsk, tsk! So sorry you're feeling so crummy. Maybe chloroseptic spray will give you some relief? And, of course, have some chicken soup. Couldn't hurt.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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it might not end up being as bad as you fear! I had mono when I was 15, and within a week, I felt well enough to get back into things. I still got tired easily, but I felt great (relatively), and the doctor confirmed that I didn't seem to still be in the contagious phase of things, so I was safe to unleash upon the world again. So you could feel much better come Sunday. Hang in there!
Posts: 1006 | Registered: Jun 2006
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I got mono during finals and stupidly did not get the teachers to let me out of finals. I told m y profs but did not actually ask to postpone the final-like one teacher had an oral part and a written part 3 days later and I went to the oral part and said that I had mono so talking was painful beyond belief and that I was so miserable I hadn't studied so I doubted I would do well and he was like, oh, well, I am sure it won't be that bad- you are an A student- I failed the final by enough to bring it down to a C- when I asked if there was anything I could do, he said I should have asked for an extension instead of taking the final. I was like, I thought I did, but then I realized that technically, I had merely informed him of my illness, not asked for anything. After like a month, I felt better, but then a month later, I was back to sleeping nonstop and based on the titers was back at a high level of infection- that took about 2 months to get over but this time I specifically asked for extensions on everything, so my GPA didn't plummet any lower than it was.
Posts: 1001 | Registered: Mar 2006
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I've never had mono, but from all I've heard, it sounds horrendous. I hope you heal quickly and gets lots of sleep and soup!
