What causes mono?

Nope, not just kissing someone who has it, but also drinking from a glass thats not your own, or swallowing public pool water…anything that causes saliva exchange. Now the symptoms are: swollen glands, excessive fatigue, fainting and so forth. It can last for two weeks to 3 months to a whole year and sometimes more depending on how bad it is. Luckily for me I passed out for two weeks. I hope you get well soon and get it treated soon!

The Epstein-Barr virus causes mononucleosis. It is spread by saliva, mucus and tears thus the name “kissing disease.”

It’s caused by a virus, Epstein Barr, and it is of the herpes family. It’s highly infectious, and very common.

Epstein-Barr virus, which can be transmitted in saliva. Interestingly it’s the same virus that can cause a rare form of lymphoma later in life, though usually after you get mono the virus just lies dormant causing no harm.

I had mono when I was 25, confirmed by blood test. It was the worst sore throat I ever had. My girlfriend of the time did not get it. Some fever & fatigue. It ran its course over 2 or 3 weeks (as best I remember) with, as they say, “no sequelae.”

@gasman – same

I got it right after I started my first job. I have no idea where it came from. I slept for four days straight and then went back to work. I could make it through an 8 hour day, but anything more than that was exhausting for the next 6 months. And forget about any sports for the same amount of time.

When I had it, I hadn’t been recently kissing anyone, but I was weary from travel.
It took me better than 3 weeks to feel better. I continued to go to work and all, which probably caused it to linger.
When I went to Kaiser about it, I was misdiagnosed. The doctor told me I had cancer, and immediately sent me to a surgeon. That can mess up your head.

I luckily got mono when I was younger(not from kissing or anything, must have got it from sharing a drink at school). From what I remember of it I spent the first 3 days sleeping almost straight through getting up only to use the bathroom and then was super exhausted and out of it for the next two weeks. Luckily I didn’t get it as bad as some others who missed several weeks/months of school.

@filmfann holy shit that’s horrible man. I’m curious though, when you found out the Dr was wrong I’m sure the first reaction was relief than anger at the Dr but did the whole experience give you a new perspective on life?

I’ve had it. It’s a virus that you can get like any other. My uncle told me that the reason that its called the kissing disease is because your throat gets so inflamed that it looks like your tonsils are kissing.

First: It has nothing to do with cats (though other infections do).
Second: Mono has a variable course (as do all viruses). Your reaction to it depends on how old you are, your immune system, and many other factors. Some people don’t get sick at all, some get flu-like severity, and others can get really sick. When I had it I was sick for about 3 weeks: dizziness, exhaustion, and a sore throat. When my friend’s mom got it she was sick for 3 months.
I don’t think it’s something you should assume you have without a medical opinion. There’s a test that can tell you if you have an infection or not (I think it’s called a monospot). Not that I want you to experience something like @filmfann did (yikes!), but it’s helpful to know later in life if you’ve had mono or not. Generally, you can only get it once (like chicken pox).
Hope you get better soon!

I had it when I was in my teens. The flu like symptoms lasted for 4 weeks. Luckily I slept through 3 of them!

I remember at the time my doctor told me mono causes your slpeen to become swollen for several months even after you feel better and to avoid a lot of physical activity during that time. I’m not sure if that is the case for everyone though.

@Silence04 Yes, the swollen spleen is one of the symptoms.

@uberbatman I can honestly say I felt no animosity when I found out I had been misdiagnosed.
Several years later, that same doctor appeared on a Kaiser commercial, saying how she likes to take plenty of time with each patient (she looked at me for a total of maybe 20 seconds). I just laughed.

@filmfann Okay, now it makes sense. Kaiser.

Thank you all :)

(it was mono, it really sucked, but now I’m okay, so..)