# Would you be wary around someone with mono?



## noobmom (Jan 19, 2008)

Our family has been invited to a friend's house for Thanksgiving. One of her children was diagnosed with mononucleosis a couple of weeks ago. I'm debating whether we should still go to Thanksgiving dinner or not. I'm about 30 weeks into this pregnancy and it would just be awful if I managed to get mono at this stage of the game, although I realize that's not likely because 1) most adults already have had it and are immune and 2) I'm not likely to be swapping spit with the child. I've never had mono as far as I know. I also have a 3 yo who hasn't had mono, so I have that to consider as well. I asked my doctor about it and she offered to give me a titer to see if I was immune, but declined since I still have bruises on my arm from the last time blood was drawn (for my GTT). Otherwise her advice was--it's probably okay, but it would be bad if you've never had mono before.

Edited to add: I'm sorry I reversed my question between the subject line and the poll. The actual poll says:

Would you go to someone's house for dinner if they had mono?

What would you do?


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## thedenverduo (Dec 8, 2008)

I had mono during my pregnancy (contracted around 28 weeks). It was bad, but it wasn't the worst thing in the world. It made me take a lot better care of myself, rest more, drink more fluids, and I relied on my dh a lot more than usual... but it was ok.

That said, as long as you are careful I think you will be fine. During the time that I was contagious I was just very careful with things I drank out of and extra hand washing and the kids/adults I was around were fine. I would just explain the situation to your 3yo, and don't share any food/drink. You could probably take some Emergen-C before you go for an extra boost just in case, but mono isn't a very easily spread disease like the flu/common cold.

Hope you can make a confident decision either way!


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## Lan84 (May 29, 2009)

It really depends on how long ago this child was diagnosed, how they're currently doing, and what kind of cleaning procautions the parents have taken since the diagnosis. All in all I personally wouldn't. I'm one of those unlucky people who can get mono over, and over, and over again, and it sucks. I've had it 3 times, and each time it was worse than the time before. The last time I had it I wound up in the hospital and almost died. I was out of commission for over 6 weeks.

I don't know how I got it. I've never dated anyone with it, and I don't share food/drinks with anyone.. I caught it by fluke and I'd never risk it again. It was terrible. I can't even imagine how bad it could potentially be while pregnant.

I don't know how high/low the chances of catching it would be, but as I said, I wouldn't even risk it.


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## Astraia (Jan 1, 2009)

My husband has gotten it 3 times. The second two times he has no clue how he got it, his first time was in residence at university (the girl who got it initially is pretty sure she picked it up licking the window- long story- and then he kissed her (before we were dating!) and wound up with mono).

My sister got it from her room mate also. They shared food and drinks so it's not hugely surprising.

It can be REALLY really miserable, and some people get it with no clear idea of how or where it came from.

Not sure I'd risk it. Even him coughing on his hands and touching something and then you touching that something.... ick, too germy for me - and I usually have NO problems being around sickies.


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## ashleep (Jul 20, 2004)

I would find out as many details as possible about the kid, how long the illness lasted, how she cleaned, etc. Then decide. I am leaning toward a no though. Colds don't bother me, but mono sounds like a whole other beast.


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## Peace+Hope (Jul 6, 2009)

i would not. since mono is spread through saliva, and is highly contagious, i would not feel confident that anyone could keep a 3-yr-old from spreading mono. if she sucks on her fingers or a toy for a couple of seconds and then touches anything you could touch or your own child could touch, my understanding is, that's it. exposure.


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## MaterPrimaePuellae (Oct 30, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Peace+Hope* 
i would not. since mono is spread through saliva, and is highly contagious, i would not feel confident that anyone could keep a 3-yr-old from spreading mono. if she sucks on her fingers or a toy for a couple of seconds and then touches anything you could touch or your own child could touch, my understanding is, that's it. exposure.

Totally agree with P&H. We had a cousin with mono come to our house for Thanksgiving once, and no one caught it-- but I was worried about it the whle time to the point that I had no fun. My sister had just gotten over mono during her college semester--It was the most miserable she has ever been *and* almost caused her to fail a whole semester of college.

I wouldn't risk it at any time, let alone during pregnancy OR with a three year old.


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## Doberbrat (Aug 2, 2007)

how old is the child w/mono and how much of a germaphobe is SHE?

I'm a bit of a germaphobe but not generally afraid of being sick. I'm not taking any h1n1 precautions for instance I think its much ado about nothing. (just as a frame of reference)

BUT.... depending on how old the sick child is and how old her other kids are, I'd be concerned that its in the processes of being passed around the family and that more people are contagious than you realize.

also, in my house, when someone is sick, I go around bleaching all touchable surfaces every night so I know there are minimal germs floating around. Like a pp said, I'd be concerned the sick person isnt that careful, sucks on her fingers, then touches a light fixture etc.

So I think my answer is probably not. Mono at 30w w/a 3yo would be the death of me.


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## *Jessica* (Jun 10, 2004)

I'm not pregnant, I just found this through the New Posts feature. Ignore me if you want to.









Having had mono as a very healthy, active teenager I can say with absolute certainty.....NO WAY! I had to _crawl_ to the bathroom for two weeks, and it was over six weeks before I felt even remotely normal. It was months before I was back to my pre-mono activity levels. I cannot imagine having to go through that pregnant or with a newborn! The incubation period is 4 to 7 weeks, so it is possible you may not even know if you've contracted it until you are 37 weeks. Then a few weeks of recovery from fever and fatigue. Having a baby is fatiguing enough....don't risk it!

And looking back over your post I see you also have a 3-year-old. That alone would make me say no. If it was chicken pox or something I would still go, but for something that can take as long to recover as mono there is just no way I would knowingly expose myself.


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## StrawberryFields (Apr 6, 2005)

I would not. Maybe I am just a big baby but I am 30 weeks pregnant and sick right now and I just want to crawl in a hole and die. And I just have a regular cold virus. I don't go out of my way to put myself in a germ-free bubble or anything, but I wouldn't willingly and knowingly go spend dinner at a house where someone has mono either. It would not be worth it to me to risk catching it so I would rather just have Thanksgiving at home. Of course, Thanksgiving is also like my least favorite holiday so that is probably influencing my decision as well. We have missed 2 Thanksgivings in the past 4 years (in labor one Thanksgiving and family had the stomach flu last Thanksgiving) and it didn't bum me out at all.


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## Tattooed Hand (Mar 31, 2009)

I marked yes, but then I read your post. I would go, but that's just because I had a really bad case as a teenager and am immune. But since you haven't had it, I wouldn't chance it - either getting it pregnant or having to take care of a sick toddler. Though, I don't think it's contagious 2 weeks later. I had a horrible case and it lasted a month in a healthy 17 year old but I was told that after the first 5 days of showing symptoms, that I wasn't contagious, I was merely recovering from the effects of the virus.

How bad do you want to go?


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## Brisen (Apr 5, 2004)

I would still go. As you pointed out, many adults have had it without realizing it and are immune, and children under age 4 are rarely symptomatic if they get it.

Of course, I had it as a teen so I assume I'm immune (dh has had it a couple of times, in his early 20s, and I didn't get it from him then), and it was really mild for me. I was tired for about a week, and was feeling fine by the time the tests came back confirming mono.

From the little bit of reading I've done about it, it sounds like you have a good chance of picking it up from people who arent displaying any symptoms. According to Dr. Greene, live virus is present in the saliva for at least 6 months after the infection, and it can reappear periodically any time after the initial infection. So there are a lot of people wandering around who could infect you. Maybe not completely logical, but I would figure the risk wasn't that much greater than, say, grocery shopping, and likely go anyway.

(I have no idea who Dr. Greene is or how reliable the website is, it was just the first site google found with detailed info.)


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## Liberty5_3000 (Feb 12, 2007)

I answered nope in the poll, but I myself would go because I had mono 2 years ago and know for sure I've had it. If I had not had it though there is no way I would go and just hope I was immune. It was absolutely awful. I got it six weeks after my son was born and it made the next six weeks terrible. Fevers and aches for four of the weeks and had to eventually get steriods because my throat closed up to the point I couldn't breath and couldn't do anything about the drool coming out of my mouth. I wouldn't risk it for anything if I was pregnant. I got from someone who had been past the symptons for four weeks already too.


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## Ashes (Aug 17, 2009)

I had mono when I was 18 and the main symptom I had was EXTREMELY painful sore throat... to the point where I had to spit in a cup as it was less paintful than swallowing. I voted no in this poll. I doubt you would catch it that easily, but why take the chance when you are pregnant and can't really take much medicine to help with the symptoms?


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## MissMommyNiceNice (May 1, 2007)

Yes. I would go. If you are over the age of 24, you should be okay. I had the test done when I was 24 b/c I felt so badly, they couldn't figure out what was wrong w/ me so I paid for it even w/o insurance. They said it was the top of the age range for contracting it with severe symptoms.

Besides, if the kid is feeling so crappy, what are the chances that s/he'll even come out of the bedroom to eat?


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## noobmom (Jan 19, 2008)

Thanks ladies, you all made me feel better about my decision. I really don't want to go and risk it, but I didn't know if I was being overly paranoid. Like one of the PP said, I'm not normally overly cautious about regular colds and stuff, but mono seems like a whole different ballgame to me.

I did read some information about mono not showing up until 4-6 weeks after exposure, which would put me at 38 weeks...way too close to my due date for my comfort. I can't imagine trying to push a baby out if I'm exhausted. Not to mention that my organs are already squished; I don't need an enlarged spleen on top of everything else. And apparently most cases of mono are diagnosed in people between the ages of 15-35, so even though they say most adults have been exposed, plenty of people my age still get it.


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