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Glandular fever - any experience ??

21 replies

Worried25 · 05/03/2020 09:39

My 8 year old dc came down with a bad case of bacterial tonsillitis a month ago , very high temp, vomiting, very lethargic , white pus covering both tonsils. It improved a lot after antibiotics and responded quickly, he then a few days after finishing complained again of a sore throat, again very swollen , white spots so assumed it hadn’t fully cleared and treated it again, however it flared up again , this time while on antibiotics. The dr then made the suggestion that it could now be glandular fever so following the advice made sure he had plenty of rest.
Week three he was back in school and seemed to be much better. Last weekend he was in great form and full of energy. Again this week I get a call from school he’s back to feeling tired, headachy and v pale. He’s so up and down.
I brought him to dr again and he took bloods and will looks into fbc etc but he thinks it’s likely to be the virus lingering and he reassured me by the fact that my son is full of beans one week then back down another week that it’s likely to be viral. I will obviously be pursuing things if this continues.
I’m just anxious as it’s been almost 5 weeks. He’s not very lethargic but his voice does sound full like as if his throat is swollen but he says it doesn’t hurt. His glands aren’t up and the dr said they had gone down in his throat. He doesn’t have any swollen spleen or glands etc anywhere else.
The other thing is that the glandular fever test can give false negatives or positives. Im just worried as today he looks very pale again. Anyone have any experience with this??

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SunshineMoon100 · 05/03/2020 10:38

Hi I dont have experience on this but Im going through the anxiety and stress like you are. My little ones been poorly with tonsillitis and then they said scarlet fever but knowone can give me a proper diagnosis. Daughters also been off school for 10 days with headache and shes just so sleepy and tired all the time. I hope someone will come along and help you i just wanted to know i feel ur pain. I hope your little one gets better xx

Worried25 · 05/03/2020 10:42

Hi Sunshine, I’m so sorry to hear about your little one. What age is she? Did she have treatment for the tonsillitis? If she’s very lethargic I would try and get her seen again. You can look down her throat with a torch and see what her tonsils are like.
I think viral stuff can take a long time to clear and I’m trying to be rational as my dc has something like this when he was younger and it was 6 weeks long and I was so worried then too.

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Worried25 · 05/03/2020 12:30

Bump?

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minipie · 05/03/2020 12:36

I had glandular fever a million years ago as a student, following tonsillitis. I didn’t have it especially badly (just tired, not hospitalised etc) but still it took months before I felt back to normal - there are photos of me asleep in the library mid afternoon, I remember feeling wiped out.

If it was glandular fever it can take quite a while to be gone and best not to push it during that period, maybe cut out some activities or have some early nights.

Worried25 · 05/03/2020 13:13

That’s reassuring minipie. Do you remember if you were very up and down? It’s just so odd as last week he was completely back to normal and then he’s back again feeling rough. I’ve really limited him in terms of sport etc and just want him to recover .

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minipie · 05/03/2020 13:31

I think I probably was yes but at the time put it down to a big night out...! I think extra sleep is key if you can persuade him.

TheReluctantCountess · 05/03/2020 13:36

I had GF when I was 14. I was off school for nearly six months.

Worried25 · 06/03/2020 12:46

Still so up and down , went to school today but was called in after an hour to pick up. Very pale again . Full blood count is totally normal so I’m a bit reassured but haven’t received the glandular fever result. Everything points towards it but I’m still anxious as it’s been 6 weeks and not to mention my job...
Just hate seeing him so pale and unwell. Sad

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BabbleBee · 06/03/2020 12:48

I had glandular fever as a teenager, it took months to recover. Still prone to sore throats / tonsillitis.

Worried25 · 06/03/2020 13:10

Thanks Babblebee, was it confirmed by blood test?

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josette · 06/03/2020 13:15

Agreeing with what has been posted already.
I had glandular fever in Year 7 (too many years ago). It was confirmed with a blood test and I was off school for over two months, and when I did return I still felt under the weather and used to get tired easily. When I was off school, I spent a lot of the days just sleeping. Hope your ds feels better soon.

BabbleBee · 06/03/2020 13:41

@Worried25 No I didn't have blood tests. The GP told my mum (this was 35 years ago...!) that he didn't need a blood test to diagnose it, it was clear what I had from my presentation. I missed most of 4th year / Year 10 at secondary school.

carlyclock · 06/03/2020 13:45

DD had it when she was 13. She missed about 3 months of school and went back part time for another 3 months. Doc diagnosed her after not seeing any improvement to 'a virus' which was the previous diagnosis. Blood test did confirm it but they didn't run them until she was way over the worst of it anyway!

Worried25 · 06/03/2020 16:34

Bit worrying re time off , I have to work so honestly don’t know how this will pan out if it goes on for months...

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minipie · 06/03/2020 18:22

It does vary a lot in severity. I didn’t have days in bed or miss any uni time, just had to take it easy. However I think it’s really important not to push it at this stage or it risks settling in for longer. Can he have very very quiet weekends and early nights for a while? Might mean less chance of days off school.

Worried25 · 06/03/2020 21:59

Thanks for replies, going to make sure he rests lots this weekend. Lots of cartoons and duvet time and there’s no pressure next week either. Have told school he needs time off to recover and they are fine with it. Have just never experienced such a long illness with my dcs before so but unnerving.

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Worried25 · 08/03/2020 09:03

All his bloods back and totally normal but sign of a recent infection but dr said they all looked really good. Saw a pick up with him yesterday and energy levels and better colour. This morning again he looks awful, pale etc.
His throat permanently sounds full now when he talks . Does glandular fever not always show up in blood test? He tested for it. Still think this is what he has but my head is a bit wreaked and worried about him not recovering. It’s just gone on so long. Wonder how long I should just be letting this carry on before I look into further investigations. He never seems to have a temp which is a positive. Just we are already talking almost 3 weeks off school although he has attended randomly in between.

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Worried25 · 08/03/2020 09:07

Also what do people do re work . Obviously share it with my dh but I’m freelance so great for flexibility but only get paid for hours worked..
I can’t send him in when he’s exhausted etc and he’s so up and down that sometimes he’s gone as felt fine then I get a call from the school an hour or two in. I’m planning on taking this week off to rest him as much as possible but we’ve been doing that continuously and he’s basically watching so much tv so worried about that too.

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thesunwillout · 18/03/2020 07:20

Hi op, I came across your thread in a search for glandular fever, as my dd is unwell.
How is he?

Worried25 · 19/03/2020 09:40

Hi thesun (sorry don’t know how to highlight) , how’s your daughter? He was doing much better , still a bit off but since yesterday has come down again with a sore throat, pale etc!!
I’m really worried that it’s just not going but anything I have read about glandular fever says it can go on months.
I really thought he was over the worst as he was in great form yesterday and the days before. It’s a nightmare at the moment tbh as we are in Ireland and obviously the situation has gone completely insane since I first posted so it’s not like I can go to the gp. I just hope he doesn’t end up getting bacterial tonsillitis again.
Also the other worry is if he catches Covid 19 on top of this. I’m trying to get him to chill but I’ve two other younger dcs who are full of energy so really difficult balance.

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jesslambo88 · 26/03/2020 16:09

Hi Hun my little boy is 20 months old and was diagnosed with bacterial tonsillitis 2 weeks ago. He was prescribed antibiotics and finished those last Friday. The weekend he went unwell again and was up all night crying and seemed to have tummy ache as kept raising his legs. He had a fever and was tired all the while. As the doctors won't see him we have to go to urgent care at the hospital who diagnosed him with tonsillitis again. He's back on antibiotics again but still keeps being up and down with what seems to be tummy ache and flushed cheeks. Did your little one have the same??

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