advice/experiences wanted - glandular fever/anxiety issues

[RoleyMo64]

DD has been unwell since October - tired, sleep erratic, off school occasionally, crying at the smallest thing. Medical opinion has been that she has had a glandular fever type illness and that we can expect it to last for some time.

However, she is showing increased anxiety - lots of crying, worrying about being able to cope with school, etc.

She needs some help, and frankly so do I as I've been supporting her through this for going on 3 months now and am running out of supportive things to say and do.

I'm considering asking the doctors for some kind of counselling for her, or maybe referral to sleep clinic? I don't know where to go from here, ideas welcome.

Did she get a diagnosis of glandular fever by blood test? Or did the GP just brush you off with this opinion?
It sounds like your dd is sufferring with anxiety/depression and needs some extra help. Sleep disorder and tearfulness are classic symptoms of depression. I started by buying St John's Wort for my dd as I got desperate to try anything and din't want her to be prescribed anti-depressants at such a young age. She says they help, whether this is a placebo I don't care really as long as she feels better. I also organised a private therapist who uses CBT & mindfulness therapies which have also helped. My dd also claims that the book The Secret - To Teen Power by Paul Harrington has "saved her life"!
Do go back to your GP, you can ask for a referral to CAMHs though the waiting list can be quite long.
Good luck x

Thanks for your reply.

She wasn't diagnosed with glandular fever; the blood test came back negative. The doctor said however that she was experiencing classic symptoms and so diagnosed a virus of that type.

I have looked into a private therapist however they are ££. I will try to see if I can get her anything on the NHS first and I will look at the book.

thanks for listening.

I would get a second opinion. I had GF and was nothing like that, just very ill.

Sounds like you've been fobbed off to be honest! My brother had glandular fever twice in his teenage years and it affected his energy levels greatly but never caused him anxiety, insomnia or emotional problems.
Perhaps another GP will be more sympathetic. My dd's school was excellent too with advice and support.
By the way it came out after a while with dd that she had been sufferring some bullying for a while without telling me too. Could this be an issue for your dd?

She's ill and I understand her worrying. School puts a lot of pressure on teenagers. She's sick and worried she might not cope. Then worried (I assume) it'll affect the rest of her study and so affect the rest of her live.

Same thing if we'd get ill during an important time in our lives.
Have a good chat with her and it's always a good thing to see a doctor if you're worried about your child.

Chat with the school and see if something can be done to temporary lower the pressure she/he's under. Preferably without it affecting her study. Look at different ways to study, like homeschooling. There is the open university.

We always can go back to school! Try to let him/her understand it's very annoying, but it will not ruin his studies for good. In a worse case he just will do longer about his school. Or go and follow school in a different way.

Your doctor sounds like a waste of time. He has no evidence of this being glandular fever or any other form of virus but fobbed you off with that.

Change doctors. Find one who has mental health qualifications/interest. Get this problem identified and treated as soon as you can.

I had depression as a mid-teen. It was dismissed as 'normal teen'. It wasn't. I've had to deal with the consequences of it all my life and was only diagnosed/treated for it when I was in my 30s. My life might have been SO different had I received that help earlier.

Have a look at whether NHS Talking Therapies are available in your area, it's free and an excellent service.