57 year old friend has mononucleosis

[JDgreen227]

Learned last night that a long term buddy of mine ended up in the ER Sunday night for what he thought was a bad reaction to an RX prescribed for him. Because his primary care MD thought my friend has strep throat the MD prescribed a certain medication, and when the symptoms worsened he went to the ER thinking he was having a drug reaction and learned he had mono. He isn't in any danger but they told him it is very rare that someone his age is diagnosed with the disease.

Have you ever known anyone near his age that contacted mono?

 

[rsewill]

Learned last night that a long term buddy of mine ended up in the ER Sunday night for what he thought was a bad reaction to an RX prescribed for him. Because his primary care MD thought my friend has strep throat the MD prescribed a certain medication, and when the symptoms worsened he went to the ER thinking he was having a drug reaction and learned he had mono. He isn't in any danger but they told him it is very rare that someone his age is diagnosed with the disease.

Have you ever known anyone near his age that contacted mono?

Be sure not to kiss him.

 

[JDgreen227]

Be sure not to kiss him.

You obviously did not read the the OP very well, I said my friend has mononucleosis, not that I have homonucleosis. So there. :laughing:

 

[ironnut]

Mononucleosis in the past, has been referred to as "kissing" disease. I believe that moniker came about because it is so prevalent in teenagers and young men and women. Folks figured it got spread by all that amorous activity that young folks engage in.

I remember it mostly as being in a constant state of extremely tired. Walking up a flight of steps was exhausting for an 17 year old. For some reason ice cold milk tasted extremely good and made my throat feel much better. I can't imagine having it at 57 and not hibernating for a month trying to catch up on your rest.

May your friend have an uneventful recovery.

gordon

 

[IslandTractor]

It is pretty unusual to have a primary EBV infection (mononucleosis) after about age 35 or so. Not unheard of though. However it is also possible that the diagnosis is wrong. The quick tests for mono can sometimes give false positives. If he has the full blown mono syndrome and a positive screening test it is probably correct but if he has only a sore throat and a positive test I would withhold judgment until they do the more definitive panel of serologies and see the full profile. Primary care docs don't usually bother to pin it down like that unless the patient doesn't follow the expected course though so I imagine he will carry the label mono. It usually resolves over a few weeks but some have a long recovery period (not chronic mono which is a pile of BS) but just a longer recovery period than what you would expect from a cold or even influenza.

 

[Egon]

It doesn't really have to do with kissing!

After the sore throat and kicked in the head feeling go away It leaves you feeling like a washed out dishrag with no energy. Any movement takes serious effort. The tired symptoms may last for some time.