TL:DR: Is there anybody who experienced mononucleosis and couldn’t recover from it for months?
Sometime in the middle of last year, I started to experience increased fatigue and muscle pain, especially in my quadriceps. I took a few weeks off the bike and, after about 3-4 weeks, started riding again - very lightly. But my legs were still burning just the same. I would describe it as a state where you go to the gym daily and only do squats. I didn’t know what was wrong with me, so I went to the doctor. After a series of tests, it came out that I had mononucleosis.
I subsequently went on a diet (no alcohol, no fatty meals, etc.) and limited my time on the bike, simply trying to give my body more rest. When I didn’t feel any improvement (after about 2 months), I skipped the bike altogether - now for about 2 months. Unfortunately, I still don’t feel like my condition is improving. I went to a neurologist, but the early verdict was that I was fine. I should see him again in 6 weeks. We are awaiting another round of tests. I’m honestly super tired and demotivated as I don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel. And now, I have to wait again.
Has anyone encountered a similar course of mononucleosis? How long did it take you to recover? Was there anything you could do to speed up the recovery?
Antibiotics and lots of sleep. I was working at a university, and just felt wrecked and gradually just like I was sleepwalking through life. Weird feeling. I’d sleep for hours Saturday morning during the cartoons, and then take a nap later and still sleep for 9 hours that night. I finally got tested and SURPRISE!!!
I was warned by physicians not to do ‘anything strenuous’ as it could lead to ‘a bad place’. But that was in the 90’s. Maybe things have changed…
Either way, I got it in my early 20s and it ruined me for about 6 months. First ride back after “feeling better” I had to stop to throw up after only 6 miles and had nothing in the legs. It took a long long time until I felt normal again.
Yep it’s caused by EBV. Everyone reacts differently to it. I knew something was wrong when I couldn’t finish my workout, went to take a shower and just felt the need to sit down on the ground while the shower was warming up. I woke up 45 mins later still on the floor with the shower still running. Took me 3 months until I could ease back into training.
True, but I think I had a secondary infection too at the time. There was a lot going on. I can remember having ear infections off and on around that time too.
About the same from what I remember. When did they know the EB virus connection? Like the Livestrong article says, I was so narced out, I would have fallen off a bike more than likely. I’d fall asleep before dinner, and often fall asleep in the couch and wake up at 2 or 3 and stumble to bed. Don’t know how I was able to work during that.
I don’t think antibiotics are the right choice because mononucleosis is caused by a virus. Antibiotics don’t work on viruses. Sleep just helped me, but I didn’t find any major acceleration.
Hard to say exactly, but I’d guess < 6 months from the time I was diagnosed to when I was back to the same level. It wasn’t a sudden moment of feeling 100%, it was slowly feeling better and being able to perform better and better. Listen to your body and err on the side of doing less once you start to feel more energy.
I’ve seen guys not be 100% right in other sports for a year. It’s not necessarily that the mono lasts that long, it’s that you lose a ton of fitness and it takes time to get that back in addition to the fact that it’ll take you six months just to feel right again from the virus itself.
I get it. I had an experience Saturday int he shower: ALl of a sudden I had a cramp in my left calf, like a ‘grab the shower walls and not scream’ type of cramp. Sudden, fierce, painful, and gone quickly. I hadn’t ridden to ‘earn it’, so it was a complete surprise. Was it telling me I should be riding more, or riding even less. Weird as I don’t usually cramp except for long rides occasionally. Something seems off lately. Wondering if it’s the covid shot, low grade flu, some random ‘thing’…
