Glandular Fever

Glandular Fever

A friend just pointed out to me that I have now been ill with Glandular fever/CFS/ME for half, yes, half of my life.

This page is not designed like a tombstone for nothing, it is also not a 'happy' page. This page stands for all the years I have lost to this disease. Turn back to the contents page now if you are looking for something light to read. Also, please note: this page is not about ordinary Glandular Fever which almost always goes away in a couple of weeks of bed rest. If you've just been diagnosed with Glandular Fever (Mono/Mononucleosis) then this page isn't mean't for you.

I know its not life threatening, and I know I should be grateful for all that I do have, but this illness took away my youth and I want to SHOUT about it. Unlike the other 200 pages on this site, this page is unashamedly entirely for me. While I have learned how to live with the illness and am certainly not defined by it, I still find the need for some form of catharsis to be rid of the pain that it, (and unfortunately, other people's reactions to it) has caused me.

What? A brief introduction to CFS/ME and Long term Glandular Fever.

Bad Day  Written when I was really ill one day, you have been warned.
What's in a name?  They can't even decide what to call it!
I can't find anything wrong with you, so you are not ill  Doctors: Why I am sick and tired.
An open letter to the medical profession  A plea for understanding.

Symptoms  Just in case you have healing hands.
Empathy  Guide to reacting to my page. Please read this before telling me to get a life.
Running on Empty  Understand what it is like when I'm feeling ill.

I know what well is Know that I understand what it is like to be well.

The non-cure of 'Graded Exercise' How to harm and belittle people at the same time.

A day A day in my life.

Readers Comments Excerpts from some of the hundreds of mails I have received about this site.

Living with the illness Huge list of my answers to common GF questions. (FAQ)

The Virtual Sofa A place for fellow sufferers to rest.

Sad Links There are a very large number of people with this disease.

I am usually happy to discuss my experiences with Glandular fever and CFS with people looking for more (non professional) information on the subject. If you have been diagnosed with Glandular Fever (Mono nucleosis) yourself, please, remember that my experience is not the rule: most people recover from glandular fever within a matter weeks, I was just one of the few who happened to never to get better.

A page from James David Chapman's website. Located at: http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~jchap/ Site mirrored here at: http://www.j.chap.btinternet.co.uk
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