Mono: The Kissing Disease

PM_Mama00 · #1 10-14-2004, 08:20 PM

Did a search and didn't find anything. I was afraid to ask my doctor this today, and a friend and I were discussing this last night.

Ok so we know the only way to get mono is through saliva contact (ie: kissing, sharing silverware/cups, etc). My friend thinks that a guy can get mono from receiving oral sex from a girl with mono. Is that true?

James · #2 10-14-2004, 08:49 PM

The guy getting it? Probably not. He would have to have a tear in his skin or some such (no biting girls). And even then i think its unlikely.

But its kind of rare for a girl to go down on a guy without at least some kissing before that . . so its hard to say.

DGqueen17 · #3 10-14-2004, 09:11 PM

When I was a freshman in high school I tried so hard to get mono so I could be home schooled with my best friend.

I guess I should have made out with her.

cashmoney · #4 10-14-2004, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by James
But its kind of rare for a girl to go down on a guy without at least some kissing before that . . so its hard to say.

Not if you're a pimp.

adpialumcsuc · #5 10-15-2004, 07:47 PM

WOW I have never heard that. I got Mono in high school and again multiple times in College. You are only supposed to be able to get it once but like how some people can get chicken pocks more than once I was able to get Mono more than once. And just to add...When I had Mono I was so miserably sick that I couldn't imagine going anything let alone that.

AchtungBaby80 · #6 10-16-2004, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by adpialumcsuc
You are only supposed to be able to get it once but like how some people can get chicken pocks more than once I was able to get Mono more than once.

Either I got it multiple times, or it took a really long time for me to get over it. I got it my senior year of high school (Homecoming Week, no less), but I kept periodically getting the fatigue and feeling crummy for several years after. The doctors told me that you can only get it once, but my French teacher said that was a load of old crap because her daughter had had it way back when and was still dealing with it. In my understanding, mono is one of those weird diseases that they don't really know as much about as they think they do, and it affects everyone differently. I know people who've had it who were over it within a couple weeks, and then people like my French teacher's daughter. It just depends, I guess.

PM_Mama00 · #7 10-16-2004, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AchtungBaby80
Either I got it multiple times, or it took a really long time for me to get over it. I got it my senior year of high school (Homecoming Week, no less), but I kept periodically getting the fatigue and feeling crummy for several years after. The doctors told me that you can only get it once, but my French teacher said that was a load of old crap because her daughter had had it way back when and was still dealing with it. In my understanding, mono is one of those weird diseases that they don't really know as much about as they think they do, and it affects everyone differently. I know people who've had it who were over it within a couple weeks, and then people like my French teacher's daughter. It just depends, I guess.

Some docs are full of shit. I got it freshman year of college, Fall 1999. Ever since then I've never completely recovered my energy back, which has caused ALOT of problems. Every September/October, I test positive for Mono. This is the 6th time and I'm awaiting my results.

ADPiSAI · #8 10-17-2004, 02:40 AM

I've had mono a few times. Apparently there are a few different strains of it, so it actually is possible to get it more than once -- just different kinds. I have no idea how I got it either time though. I wasn't kissing anybody at the time (both were during high school), and I've always been a total freak about not sharing drinks or anything with people.

Coramoor · #9 10-17-2004, 11:26 AM

I think I may have caught it awhile back. A chick told me afterwards 'oh, yeah. I'm just getting over mone'...I"m like DAMNIT!

I had a really sore throat and was tired for a week or two. I'm fine now. Of course, those symptoms could have just as easily been from going out too much.

Queencece · #10 10-17-2004, 01:38 PM

I know nothing about it short of its called the Kissing Disease. Other than that, I don't know anything.

Can someone explain it to me? Thanks!

wrigley · #11 10-17-2004, 02:27 PM

According to this site it is possible to mono from oral sex.
Q & A on mono and oral sex

Then there's further detail about how mono is part of Epstein-Barr which is herpes related. If you can get herpes from oral sex then it sounds like you could get mono that way.
scroll down to the section on mononucleosis

astroAPhi · #12 10-17-2004, 11:30 PM

I got mono when I was 16, and I have no clue HOW I got it because I gave it TO my boyfriend.

BaylorBean · #13 10-18-2004, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by astroAPhi
I got mono when I was 16, and I have no clue HOW I got it because I gave it TO my boyfriend.

Same here. The thing that sucks is that you are contagous (sp?) for like 6-12 months. So you can give it to someone long after you have recovered.

To answer how you can keep getting it: Mono is a virus like chicken pox that once you are infected with the virus it will always be in your system. It is just dormant. If the conditions are right, i.e. your immune system is low, you are burrning the wick at both ends, you can "relapse" and get mono again. (Shingles in the case of chicken pox).

In collage I relapsed almost every year. Luckily I haven't had a relapse in a while. Sometimes the relapse can be worse than the initial infection.

adpialumcsuc · #14 10-19-2004, 12:52 PM

That is what I was told also. However most people will not relapse with mono, like most people will not relapse with Shingles. When I got it several times in college it came on from my immune system being weak from months on month of strep throat. 8 Months to be exact. Me having Mono again was one of the deciding reasons for me to have my tonsils taken out. The strep wouldn't go away and I kept getting worse.

Peaches-n-Cream · #15 10-19-2004, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by adpialumcsuc
That is what I was told also. However most people will not relapse with mono, like most people will not relapse with Shingles. When I got it several times in college it came on from my immune system being weak from months on month of strep throat. 8 Months to be exact. Me having Mono again was one of the deciding reasons for me to have my tonsils taken out. The strep wouldn't go away and I kept getting worse.

My sister had Shingles a few times. It was agony. The doctor said that sometimes people get different strains of the same virus or they never really recovered from it to begin with. Maybe that applies to mono also.