Does anyone have any treatment advice for Mono?

[get the red out]

My husband was just diagnosed with Mono (and I just thought he had over-dosed on late night basketball games), does anyone have any natural ideas for combatting this virus? Or to help me not take it? I am not all that worried about myself, I have pretty good immunity generally, but I've been more than a little stressed from trying to help my Mom lately and that's not good for the immune system.

[Myrina]

1. Not sure about natural remedies, but antibiotics and sleep do wonders.

n/t

[get the red out]

3. He can get sleep until

the final four this weekend, LOL.

Seriously though, sleep is something this man is very good at, so he is potentially doing the right thing already. He was prescribed anti-biotics before he was diagnosed properly, though they seemed to not have any effect. Perhaps because his throat had, fortunately, not become infected.

Thanks Myrina :hi:

[Myrina]

14. When I had it in high school, I missed +2 weeks of my life.

Never got out of bed. Another week at home, doing homework & 'recuperating'. Ultimately lost about 15 lbs, but I was in the rages of it before my mom even realized I was sick - even though I was feverish/sweating and practically passing out at the dinner table for a week before she took me to the dr.

Gotta love inattentive parents. Sigh.


:hi: Hope he gets better soon!!

[northernlights]

43. anitbiotics don't touch viruses

and taking them without a prescription and without good reason will only help to speed the creation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

There are many reasons why non-medical practitioners are not supposed to give medical advice, either on this board, and in general. This is one of them.

Presumably his doctor have him the usual recommendation for viruses: rest, fluids, and more rest to allow your body to fight the virus. Good diet, herbs etc. to support the body's general health and immune system are always a good idea, and won't do any harm.

[MorningGlow]

2. Rest, rest, and more rest

The danged virus just has to work its way out of his system. (I had it in college--that totally blew.)

[get the red out]

5. I was afraid of that

He's pretty good at doing nothing though,(being a Republican). I guess I was hoping for a little fix.

[MorningGlow]

7. LOL!

:rofl:

[OneGrassRoot]

11. LOL!

:spray:

:rofl:

Good luck to you, GTRO. I hope he recovers quickly, and I hope the stress regarding your mom eases up.

:hug:

[elleng]

16. I had it in college too; roommates 'took care' of me!

[MorningGlow]

32. LOL my floormates CAUSED it!

I lived with one friend who was always staying at her boyfriend's, but I also lived nextdoor (in the dorm) to some friends who suddenly got it into their heads that they needed to party with this bunch of guys (really nasty loser guys too) EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. Now, that wouldn't have been so bad, except they left their door open so everyone could see what a good time they were having and be jealous. (Nobody was.) :wtf: And when their door was open it was 10 times as loud. I asked them to shut the door. They refused. I went to the R.A. Her brilliant words were "I KNOW! Sometimes it gets so loud I have to, you know, shut my door!" (Her room was at the far end of the hall.) No help there.

I literally went for two or three solid weeks with NO sleep. They'd stop partying around 3 a.m. and I had morning classes. I was a wreck. Then one night they were particularly loud, so I got out of bed in my very skimpy t-shirt that barely covered my underwear, stormed into their room, screamed at them to shut the #*&@^*$ door because nobody cared that they were partying with these #*&@^*$ losers, marched out, and slammed their door so hard the whole floor shook.

They never spoke to me again after that (not like I cared). The partying stopped, but the damage was already done--I had come down with mono. But I couldn't leave campus just yet, so I dragged myself around till spring break (two weeks later) and then slept those 10 days away.

Junior year was not my favorite. :P

[elleng]

33. Heckuva story, MG!

:hi:

[get the red out]

34. Ugh, that's awful!

Worse than when I got strep just before my clarinet jury (music major performance before the woodwind faculty for a big part of my grade) my sophomore year.

Usually though, I WAS the noisy partying floormate :( bad girl.

[elleng]

38. Strep is EASY, I always told/tell my girls, but can't imagine playing clarinet b4 meds kick in!

[get the red out]

40. I missed some practice time

Fortunately I made it through. That might even have been the Jury where I wore the clingy red sweater dress and the flute professor's last comment was "Nice Dress!" LOL. Professors could do that back in the 80's.

[Kookaburra]

4. Just take it easy.

I had it my last semester at university and ended up having to drop and take the semester over again the following term because I just couldn't fight the fatigue. Mono's nothing to mess with. It won't be ignored.

As for not catching it, I have no clue, but if you're stressed out, you're more likely to get ill, so try to cut your stress levels if you can (easier said than done, I know). Meanwhile, if you haven't yet caught it, just an FYI: it's called the kissing disease for a good reason. Try not to kiss, share eating utensils, drink after each other, etc. while he's still sick.

Sending both light and love.

[get the red out]

6. Thank you Kookaburra

The light and love are appreciated.

[findrskeep]

9. I had mono in my early 20's and it sucked..lol.

The main thing is to REST as everyone has said. You could try getting some green powder that has tons of immune boosting antioxidants and enzymes along with vitamins etc. The best brand is Amazing Greens chocolate flavor blended with almond or regular milk and you could put a banana in with it, that's good too. You can get the powder at Whole Foods. There are tons of brands, but the Amazing Greens regular (then you can use berries and other fruits to blend) and the chocolate are definitely tasty and some of the other brands can taste kind of funky. I would do this yourself too. Juicing just fruits and vegetables will knock just about anything out of your system fast too. Don't kiss and don't drink after him for sure!

[get the red out]

31. I have some that I bought for me

I need to use it more, I don't mind the taste, getting him to drink it might be tricky, unless I put it in a smoothie or some such. I need to definitely get back to it myself to help keep my own immune system up.

[Celebration]

8. you could try keeping pH balanced

Most viruses thrive more in an acid environment. I use lime juice in water, generally. Not sure if this will work, but it would be worth a try, if only to shorten the duration. Yeah I had mono in high school, and was prone to getting sore throats for a couple of years! Ugh.

There are some anti viral herbs, too, eg oregano, elderberry,etc.

[get the red out]

18. Thanks

I could make lime aid! Oregano and elderberry I can get easily also.

[Celebration]

21. yup, but no sugar!

just a fresh lime squeezed in water. The sugar makes a person acidic............

Good luck!

[Avalux]

10. Best treatment: rest, fluids, gargle with salt water for sore throat, ibuprofen for pain.

It'll take 2-4 weeks for symptoms to go away but fatigue may last longer (EB can linger). Did he have a monospot test? Best way for you to not get it - no close contact or shared cups, utensils, etc.

I hope he has a speedy recovery, mono sucks. :hi:

[get the red out]

17. Yes, he was tested last week

He got the results today.

[Ricochet21]

12. I had it twice in my life

rest, destress
rest, breathe
rest

[Ricochet21]

13. Astrologically

find out what happened to him JUST BEFORE he got it. Really. There's the clue.

[get the red out]

19. If I recall

He was going to have to discuss something uncomfortable with his brother, and he was working with a lawyer on our will. Interesting, he started feeling really bad right after this. He's already been sick over two weeks.

[kimmerspixelated]

15. Oil of Oregano.

a few drops in juice..watch out it is very spicy! They do make a product called Oreganobiotic or something like that....also colloidal silver. But just as the others have pointed out.. Rest, lots of C and D3?? ...seasalt water gargle??? If I think of something else, I'll let you know.. Best wishes!

[get the red out]

20. Thank you!

I'm sure the co-op I shop at has the Oregano, I've seen it and bought the pill form for myself before.

[Proud_Lefty]

22. Milk Thistle

I was diagnosed with it a few years ago and was told my liver was enlarged because of it. Don't know if it's a common side effect, but I took Milk Thistle to help the liver and Thymus, Fish Oil, Vitamin B12 and CoQ10 for energy. I was also told to rest, drink lots of water, and not exercise until it past.

[Digit]

23. I remember when I had it they kept checking my liver

I was in my teens, though but really did not have that bad of a bout with it.
So of course don't do anything bad for your liver, like drinking.
I had heard also that Milk Thistle is good for the liver.

It is hard to resist making a joke about Fava Beans.....but I will.

Hope he recovers soon!

[lildreamer316]

24. Only thing that made me feel better a bit:

Theraflu.
It's in no way a cure, but it helped a lot.

[Lucinda]

26. That stuff is wonderful.

:)

[Lucinda]

25. Maybe try Lysine supplements and foods high in Lysine?

I use it anytime I have a virus.

[Shallah Kali]

37. works for my kitties recurrent kitty flu

got a shelter kitty who promptly shared a chronic upper respiratory virus with the whole clan. After a few bouts that cost $$$ in antibiotics I found out that lysine inhibits viruses. Got some caps opened 'em up & mixed in their wet food the next time one started sneezing like a machine gun and stopped it from spreading. I have done it several times since. I have also taken it when I thought I might be coming down with the flu along with olive leaf. Not sure which did the trick but have had only one real cold/flu in the past 3 or 4 years now. Everything else has just been a few days of feeling like i am coming down with something then I hit the home remedies. better to nip it in the bud than wait for it to be a full blown sinus infection or whatever and then try to help my bod fight it off.

btw anyone prone to cold sores after eating apples lysine prevents them for my Mom. don't know why apples always made her break out but once she tried lysine to help get rid of one successfully she started taking it before eating apples now no more cold sores :)

[Lucinda]

39. I'd forgotten about Olive Leaf - another good one

Thanks for mentioning that about cats and Lysine. I hadn't heard about that before!
I wonder what it is about apples that triggers an outbreak?

[Shallah Kali]

41. My mom says it's something in the peel

if she peels an apple she doesn't get a cold sore but if she eats the peel she will get one unless she takes some l-lysine. I know there is an amino acid that increases cold sore outbreaks but I greatly doubt it is found in apple peels so I am clueless. Is there some acid that breaks open the dormant virus in the peel???

re: cats - I know that some companies sell lysine in a flavored gel to give cats but that wasn't around when I first tried it. I just opened up a couple of capsules and mixed in wet food 1 or 2 times a day for my caboodle of kitties. Later I bought a pound of the powder (now foods I think) that has lasted me several years now.

[Lucinda]

42. Thanks for the info!

I am going to do a little research on the apple skins and amino acids. I have health issues that may be triggered by something like this. Appreciate the information very much!

And with three cats, you never know what they will need! :hi:

[Shallah Kali]

44. yw

if your kitties ever do get it or you know someone with cats w/it you will find stress brings it on like moving, going to the vets, just like people are more apt to come down with something or relapse under stress. Because of this repeatedly happening I will usually give my furkids a little lysine in their food for a couple of days before an event like going to the vets as a preventative. So far it has worked wonderfully so this is not something one needs to do all the time.

btw another anti-viral is the herb lemon balm aka sweet melissa. reports on effectiveness vary but if any of you like to have tasty herbal plants in pots or a garden why not add this one. for folks who get cold sores look for lipbalm with lysine and lemon balm in it if you choose to apply one. a bit of info on lemon balm: http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_lemon_balm.htm

my favorite herb book Green Pharmacy by Dr Duke free full text on mothernature.com here:
http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/41/1.cfm

[Lucinda]

45. Thanks again! And I love the mothernature link!

♥
Thanks!

[u4ic]

27. Lots of Vit C

also Olive Leaf is an excellent antiviral. I knew a naturopath years ago who liked to use Rosemary Extract for cases caused by the Epstein Barr virus.

Rest is the most important of all. Hope he recovers quickly and fully.

[Shallah Kali]

28. Olive Leaf extract is my herb of choice

nature's way standardized is a good brand and isn't pricey, I think under $6 last time I ordered some...

tried echanecia, golden seal, oregon grape root, reishi and others over the years but once I tried olive leaf I use it whenever I feel like I am coming down with something and so far only one real cold/flu in 3 years at least now. Usually nips the thing in the bud and even works good for my Mom who waits until it is a full blown cold or sinus infection before doing something. This is for someone who lived at the ear nose & throat specialist as a kid. Had mono way back when too. All I can remember of it is the regular blood tests to see if I still had it and the doctor who was horrible at taking blood butchering the job and making my Mom hold me down while he did it.

[get the red out]

30. What a scary doctor

I have used Olive leave oil. Thanks. It would do us good to have some around anyway. I had forgotten about it.

[kimmerspixelated]

36. You know, I forgot about Olive Leaf.

It is actually something I take on a regular basis, and sometimes when I realize how I've managed to resist most everything, I sometimes ponder if it is the OL Extract. Mine wasn't the 6 dollar brand, but it is the only thing that is different from my intake from last year. It is subtle. I could never detect the slightest side effect.

[murielm99]

29. Lots of healthy food, vitamin C and iron for the liver.

Of course, the fatigue is terrible, so sleep a lot.

I had it in college, and it was miserable. Only one of my kids got it. She had it in eighth grade. She was in misery, too. (Thirteen year old girls are hard enough to cope with)!

The doctor warned me away from greasy or fried foods. He made me take care of myself, warning me that anyone with mono who neglects him or herself can get hepatitis.

[get the red out]

35. Iron

His Dr told him to get a multi-vitamin with iron (not like I hadn't told him that for YEARS). I guess that's why!

[AC_Mem]

46. Mono

While I am not a doctor and cannot diagnose or prescribe, I do have several people in my organization that have had positive results from alternative remedies for viruses, which as you know, do not respond to antibiotics.

Viruses do, however, respond to essential oils! I will post a link below where you can go read personal testimonials and if you are interested in more information, please PM me and I will be happy to help.

http://www.oil-testimonials.com/aromatherapy.php?t=1&q=mono

http://www.oil-testimonials.com/aromatherapy.php?t=1&q=virus

http://www.oil-testimonials.com/aromatherapy.php?t=1&q=ningxia+red

http://www.oil-testimonials.com/aromatherapy.php?t=1&q=raindrop

And there are some wonderfully simple techniques that can be done to naturally stimulate our immune systems. Donna Eden is my personal hero, here are some great stories and info:

http://www.innersource.net/em/resources/case-histories.html

Please enjoy these interesting links and let me know if you have any questions, or PM me for more information.

Shine On,
Annette
my site: http://www.youngliving.com/achaffee