Get Mono Twice? (Page 1)

It is very rare, but it is possible to get it a second time. Same with chicken pox. Rare, but some people do get it a second time, but usually the second time is not as bad because the immune system does put up some kind of response. Some people just have immune systems that don't quite establish complete immunity the first time. A good example is I have been immunized twice with the hepatitist b vaccine because I work with human blood and body fluids in the lab so am considered "at risk", but still, when they test my blood for antibodies angainst hep b, I am completely negative, as if I were never immunized

i had mono myself when I was 16. That was awful! I hope you don't have it again! You might ask for an epstein-barr virus test too as they frequently go hand-in-hand and have similar symptoms. But epstein-barr may have long term effects like increasing your chances of developing other problems like non-hodgkins lymphoma (a blood cancer that is easily treatable if caught early). Good luck and hope you feel better soon!

Mononucleosis is normally caused by the epstein-barr virus. Much more rarely, however, a cytomegalovirus can give similar symptoms - this would also explain how someone could get mono twice - my hunch is this is a bit more common than not developing immunity, since you by definition need an immune response to fight the infection in the first place. Information on ebv and cmv both causing mono can be found at these links:

http://www.Health.Uab.Edu/show.Asp?Durki=6 0810&site=785&return=60807
http://www.Stayinginshape.Com/3osfcorp/lib v/k28.Shtml
http://www.Nlm.Nih.Gov/medlineplus/ency/ar ticle/000591.Htm

hope this helps!

Ds

I'm wondering floridagirl, did you ever come down with mono again, and if so how bad was it?

Nope didn't have mono again thank god. I really didn't think I did - I wasn't feeling that sick (like I did when I had it the first time). All I ended up having was pink eye and a sore throat.

I had mono when I was 7 yrs. Old. I missed 3 weeks of school. I am now 30 and just found out that I have mono again!! The blood test came back positive for mono, for the second time! I didnt think that you could have mono twice. This is horrible. How could I get mono twice??

I had mono in my senior year of high school and now have tested positive for mono once again 7 years later. It is a lot worse this time. I think it may be worse b/c I am older now.

I had mono my first time when I was 15 years old. The first time only lasted a couple weeks (I know, I was lucky) and I just felt tired and had a sore throat. The second time I had a positive mono test was when I was 20. This time it presented as an awful awful sore throat (looked like the worst strep throat I had ever seen, huge gaping white patches), and every inch of lymphatic tissue in my throat/neck area was swollen to its fullest. I began to urinate blood, which is what tipped me off this was more than a cold and I went in to the doctor. The mono had caused my liver to not function properly (the blood in my urine) and the doctor put me on prednisone to try to help with all the swelling in my neck. I couldn't breathe out of my nose for 11 days due to the swelling (felt like the worst stuffy nose of my life). I missed a week of college and work. I almost had to admit myself to the hospital because my throat almost closed up. I was in utter heck.... I wouldn't wish what I went through on my enemy. eventually the steroids finally reduced some of the swelling and within about two weeks I finally improved steadily. I sure hope it's impossible to get it a third time.... I can't take anything worse than the stuff I went through the second time....

I had similar situation when I became an adult, late 20's my throat swelled up and a horrible fungal infection started as well with the mono virus. I have repeat episodes ever since then of fatigue and bronchitis. That illness sucked the life out of me!

Has anyone had mono THREE times. My poor wife has had it once as a teenager, another last year (whihc we thought was impossible) and now she has been diagnosed again!! What the............could this be something different, other than mono but with all the same symptoms...

It is heart wrenching to see her go through this and she has asked me to try nad try to find some answers!!!

Thanks!

Well, I'm wondering...I had mono when I was 6 and it was awful. About 8 or 9 years ago, I was really tired and worn down, and my doctor ran some tests. My liver enzymes were elevated, my white blood cell count was way down, and my EBV test was positive. She said she couldn't say for sure if it was mono or if the reading came from my infection as a child. Well, last week, I was officially diagnosed with mono, and it has been absolutely miserable! I didn't believe them at first b/c I thought you could only get it once. I have a 12 week old baby, so it's really hard. I'm thinking of making an appointment with an infectious disease specialist about this b/c it just seems so weird. I hope your wife feels better. Today may be the first day I don't run fever in a week. I've never wished anything had been the flu so badly!

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I've had Mono 2 times in my past. Once at 17, which was not a severe case and the second that nearly killed me. The second time was much worse and I was 23. My liver counts were sky high, had a fever for 6 weeks of 103.5F consistently, broke out in hives, was severly itchy from the liver being out of wack, slept at least 18 hours a day and was continuously nauseated and/or vomiting. Missed a whole 6 weeks from college. My doctor put me in the hospital for one day, but released me seeing that my liver counts were just borderline to stay there. But the reason for me writing today is that for the last 5 days I feel like I have mono again. All the same symptoms all over again. I am going today to get the mono spot test to see if I do have it again. What are the chances of getting it three times? Anyone else with the same problem?
K

Right now I am 15, and I had mono in kindergarden and again in the 7th grade. Right now, I am in high school and it is going around big time. I know 2 people out with it right now. What has been worrying me is that I have been gaving cold symptoms. A sore throat, a little runny nose. What really got me worried was that when I came home frmo school today, I slept for 3 hours, and I am still tired. I have been going to bed about 8 at night, waking up at 6 for school, sometimes sleeping in some of my classes, then taking about 2-3 hour naps after school. I asked my mom if I could have it a third time and she said it is possible. I have been tested before, and my body is still not immune to mono.

Hey...Just joined because...well...I'm kinda worried that my symptoms are mono again!

I had mono for the first time when I was 2 (yes two). And again last year (at age 18 ) around this time of year (I missed thankgiving, and had to quit college)

I've been sick for about 2 weeks now, but only full blown for about a week. I've not been too worried about itm since everyone in my house had similar symptoms, as well as many friends, coworkers, etc. So I figured I just had the same bug that's been going around...But I've recently been noticing that 1) I've gotten it a lot worse than everyone else around me, and 2) I also have a lot more symptons than everyone else.

I really hope I don't have mono AGAIN!

Hi- Yes, you can infect get mono twice. I read that 6% do. I had it at age 17, and was recently re-diagnosed with it at age 26. I had been tested in between this time (last year) and it was negative. Therefore, you may be like me- one of the lucky 6%. Uggh.

I've have mono three times...all in high school! In 9th, 11th and 12th grades. The 1st time I had really bad tonsilitis (sp?) and they ended up water picking my tonsils...that time I had sharp pains from my spleen and days spent laying on the couch crying in pain. I lost 15 lbs and only weighed 85 when I went back to school.

The 2nd time I had canker sores EVERYWHERE in my mouth. The roof, under my tongue, cheeks, gums, everywhere. Same pains from my spleen, sore throat, misery...eating anything with a grain of salt in it was painful.

3rd time...not so bad...just really tired. In fact, the doc said that time it could possibly have been a hangover from the last year, like I never fully recovered from it. Mono sucks! I get people that tell me all the time they think it's bogus...HA! Have it and then tell me that!

i got mono when i was 15. im now 17 and i have it AGAIN. my immune system has been very weak since i had it before and when i get sick i stay sick for MONTHS. mono stays in your body the rest of your life. blood tests cant tell if you have it or not. i got checked to see if my spleen was enlarged. but from what i understand its not contagious.

I had mono the summer I graduated high school, when I was 18. I can still remember the horrible sore throat that I had!!

I was just dignosed with mono again! I am 40 now. My symptoms are different this time. High fevers off and on for 2 weeks, body aches, fatigue. No sore throats. I went to the ER and was told that I had something called 'viral syndrome'. I still wasn't feeling well after 2 days so I went to see my own Dr. They did some more blood work, and and said that I have mono. I was surprised and shocked when the Dr. told me this!!

The more I research into whether or not it's possible to get Mono twice, the more it is very possible. Many websites are saying that it's very rare, but looking into forums it almost seems that more than "6%" of mono patients have relapses.

I am going to get an EBV test again today, I had mono when I was 20. It lasted about 3.5 months and I don't ever want to go through it again. I'm now 22 and the same deathly sore throat is back and I'm falling asleep at random points in the day.

Crossing my fingers!

I got mono at the beginning of the last school year (I was 16), and was out o school for I think 2 or three weeks, got way behind in my AP classes and almost had to quit colorguard. I lost 10 pounds in 2 days and had to eat pedialyte pops because i couldn't eat any real food because i had 'kissing tonsils'. I was almost hospitalized because of my rapid weight loss. I was in the emergency room for a few hours getting hydrated and a Secanol drip for pain. I had jaundice. According to my mom and my boyfriend, i was completely delirious through most of it, and honestly, i don't remember a lot of it. My boyfriend didn't get it, even though we kissed like, the day prior to me finding out i had it. I was either constantly drooling because i couldnt swallow my saliva, and when i slept, my mouth would get so dry it would stick closed and i resorted to putting wet paper towels in my mouth while i slept.

this morning, his fever was 102, he's dizzy and shaky, he is vomiting, and his throat is really sore. I'm scared he has mono, and that i'll get it again. the doctor told me that i probably got it from drinking out of the coolers at band camp, where people would sometimes dip their cups instead of using the spout so they could get ice. If he has it, i think that's where he got it too.

I really really don't want him to have to go through so much pain. I really don't want either of us to get really behind in our classes. What are the odds that he'd not get it last year, then get it a year later, and that i'll get it again?

My mom was diagnosed with mono seven times in her life and she is only 48 at the moment.