Ok, Ive been sick and just really ignoring it for a few weeks, but went to the doctors today and tests confirmed that I had mono. He said that I really could train while having mono as long as I felt up to it, as long as it is nothing too strenuous…
Im going into base training mode anyways, but any tips for training with it, besides getting some really good rest?
Thanks
I probably had mono in September and October. I never had any flu like symptoms, just was tired all the time. I thought it was due to low iron levels. Turns out my girlfriend had mono during this time, and if she had, I had it, if ya know what I mean 
Anyways, I still rode plenty, and I don’t think I noticed any effects. I started riding my CX bike so its hard to compare. I’d say as long as you feel up to it, and are getting plenty of rest, go for it. December is a good month to chill through anyways, so error on the side of caution so you can roll into the new year healthy.
If you are a fan of the (somewhat controversial) Dr. Phil Maffetone he will tell you absolutely no- do not train when sick.
I agree with him.
I had Epstein-Barr once, a fatigue producing illness that takes a while to moderate. The virus is always present in the body but when an “infection” or flair up occurs you get sick(er).
The point is that healing generally requires some degree of correct rest and recovery combined with good nutrition, sleep habits and a reduction in emotional and environmental stress. You may recover while training, but it may slow the process. Training is a stressor.
In any case, a forum is a rotten place to get (and dispense… :0) medical advice. I would suggest additional research (posting on a forum is not research) and perhaps an additional opinion from a medical professional in a formal appointment setting.
Don’t mess with this though. Not good. I hope you feel better soon.
Of all the illnesses I would NEVER train with, mono is near the top of the list. Not just because you can contract a permanently recurring case of Epstein-Barr (ask Monty about that), but because your spleen becomes enlarged and is very prone to rupturing. If you fell hard running or crashed on your bike, you could definitely rupture your spleen, and then it’s very probable that you’d die.
When I got mono in college, I saw a sports medicine specialist. I was a rower, but he said NO rowing for at least a month after diagnosis, because he was worried that if, for example, I lost my grip on the oar (which generally results in it smashing into your abdomen), that I might rupture my spleen.
It’s just too big a risk.
I probably had an extremely mild case of mono. These two guys know a helluva lot more than I do. Sounds like you should take it easy till you are healthy. A month off is going to set you back. Its nothing in the grand scheme of things.
agree-surprised Dr said that was oK…I was told do not do anything because of the spleen thing
but I could not walk a few blocks without stopping to sit down so I had it bad
.
I had mono back when I was in College and I remember barely being able to walk up a ramp for months and months. It sucked the life out of me and took me a long time to recover from it. That was the sickest I had ever been. I was back on my bike and training faster after having surgury for a broken femur (they put in a 1 foot metal plate), than when I had mono.
I would highly recommend you take it real easy till you recover and then get back into training slowly. You really don’t want to mess around with mono.
I had mono a couple of years ago. Pretty bad, it ruined the whole season and I caught it in Feb. I also couldn’t walk a block without having to sit down and rest, so I had it pretty bad. I agree with Rappstar, the spleen issue isn’t worth taking a risk. When I did start to recover (first got approval from the doc), I went very, very easy for a few months (once my spleen wasn’t swollen anymore). Easy swimming, like only a warm up. Easy on the trainer, and easy on the treadmill. I remember doing all of my mini-workouts indoors, and then slowly working my way outside. A few months later I was back to normal.
Good luck and take it easy, it will all come back, it may just take a while.
I tried to do it for while. Bad idea. The training was half-assed as was the healing process. All it did was drag out the process. Focus on healing, so you can sooner focus on training.
Wow, hearing all of this makes more doubts to train…
…and gives me more questions…
How do I know its gone?.. (rather than im just getting used to being sick)
Why don’t I feel weak? Is it because I took a week off of training and that whole time I didn’t have the fatigue of training?
How do I get permanent EBV?
If the reason you shouldn’t train is to not take a fall, could I just run on treadmill and bike on trainer? (swimming by myself in the lane as not to get kicked. and easy long sets.)
The doctor says that I could have had it for awhile now and that I could be on the up-swing from it… (Could have been misdiagnosed as tonselitus about 3 weeks ago. Ive been sick since)
Thanks for all of the help… I know not the best place, but I do also know that there are some knowledgeble folks on here as well.
you can have them recheck you to see if you have it. Get a test to check your lymph cells and/or get a mono spot.
i can’t believe you are even thinking about training. I slept ~ 16hr per day for almost 3 months. late Oct through late january and it was probably about late march early April before I was fully back to 100%.
Life was going to class and eating in between my naps.
I got a blood test done so I dont know if that is really accurate or not. It was only at the health center at my college, but I wouldn’t htink it would be any worse than urgent care.
Im thinking that my worst was this last week, but it was my week completely off from everything, so I didn thave any fatigue from training. So I hope that im on my way back up the curve.
your sleeping 16h a day is pretty impressive.
I only wish I could sleep half that long 5 out of 7 nights now instead of just the usual 40% of that.
X2 with Tom.
I’m another EBV idiot that didn’t listen to my body.
Pay a little now or pay fucking LOT later.
Rest and recover.
I doubt you’ll listen.
I didn’t.
Igot
As someone else mentioned, I think people get mono in varying degrees. For me, I didn’t feel any different aside from the fact that i had some seriously swollen lymph nodes. Other than that, I felt fine and never missed a day of school. I know other people who had it, had zero energy and were out of commission for months.
But with the spleen thing, I didn’t do anything for months. Better to be safe than sorry especially if you’re just doing this sport to have fun (i.e. your mortgage payment doesn’t depend on you winning your next race).
You guys are giving me nightmares!
bump for my questions:
How do I know Im better… I’m not tired more than usual. at least not a whole lot.
And can I run easy/ bike trainer? Zone 1? does this count? Not strenuous. According to the pamphlet the doc gave me I can?
But with the guys who have re-occuring EBV, if I just train until my body says stop, (too tired to workout. only WO when feeling good) will I be fine?
P.S. I know Im fighting it, but if I can, and I feel like I can/should, why not?
How do I know Im better
get a cbc and/or a wbc done and/or a mono spot.
Listen to your body for a change.
Rest when it tells you too.
Don’t try to push thru a workout.
I had someone tell me at a race right before I got sick to take three months off and just recover.
Of course I didn’t and got laid out for 14 months and gained 30 pounds.
I’ll spare you the ugly details.
EBV,CFS or acute viral infection.
Call it what you want but it’s a bitch under any name.