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Multiple Sclerosis and Mononucleosis (Mono - Kissing Disease)
I find this an interesting topic and thought you might know more than i do about it. I have read a lot of studies and research that prove more than 60% of the people diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) had Mono (the kissing disease) sometimes in their lives. I'm 20 now and got Mono 3-4 years ago. In the past year i have had a lot of symptoms that my doctor think could be anxiety related but i still have this worry in my head about my high risk of developing MS due to my Mono. I have had muscle twitches, and fatigue a lot in the past year and have been suffering from derealization (dreamy feeling) and my doctors think it is anxiety.
But anyways thats not really my concern i just want to know if you have more information about the connection between MONO and MS. I just can't seem to stop worrying.
And one last question. Is either of chronic sore throat or noises in the head (muscle pulling your brain) signs of MS?
But anyways thats not really my concern i just want to know if you have more information about the connection between MONO and MS. I just can't seem to stop worrying.
And one last question. Is either of chronic sore throat or noises in the head (muscle pulling your brain) signs of MS?
poker 247: what were your symptoms when you say every one thought i was crazy or faking?
I had years of bladder issues, stumbling when walking, periods of slurred speech, dropping things and poor muscle control etc etc etc.
With the bladder issues I had every test known to man as well as getting jacked up on every med out there to NO avail except etreme dry skin and dry mouth.... They kept saying incomplete emptying...even though I had a sonogram full bladder and post void and my bladder was completely empty.
It wasn't until my uradynamics test that they found my bladder issues were neurological and NOT in my head, laziness, or anything else the Dr.'s wanted to pin on me. I failed the uradynamics test so bad my urologist urged me to go back to my neurologist and do more testing.
In the process I was stricken with acute mono which caused the *flare* and on 1/2/09 I had severe trouble walking due to the flare and it didn't get better until I did a round of prednisone. Fortunately I successfully regained all my abilities.... but it's scary not knowing if it was going to be permanent or not! I returned to the neurologist with undeniable symptoms and I had my 7th MRI and was diagnosed
Be persistant and DON'T give up! No ONE knows your body better than YOU
Stay well,
~Scottie
I had years of bladder issues, stumbling when walking, periods of slurred speech, dropping things and poor muscle control etc etc etc.
With the bladder issues I had every test known to man as well as getting jacked up on every med out there to NO avail except etreme dry skin and dry mouth.... They kept saying incomplete emptying...even though I had a sonogram full bladder and post void and my bladder was completely empty.
It wasn't until my uradynamics test that they found my bladder issues were neurological and NOT in my head, laziness, or anything else the Dr.'s wanted to pin on me. I failed the uradynamics test so bad my urologist urged me to go back to my neurologist and do more testing.
In the process I was stricken with acute mono which caused the *flare* and on 1/2/09 I had severe trouble walking due to the flare and it didn't get better until I did a round of prednisone. Fortunately I successfully regained all my abilities.... but it's scary not knowing if it was going to be permanent or not! I returned to the neurologist with undeniable symptoms and I had my 7th MRI and was diagnosed
Be persistant and DON'T give up! No ONE knows your body better than YOU
Stay well,
~Scottie
Hi, and welcome! You are having a very common problem with the statistics of all this.
First, be sure you are all talking about Mononucleosis, which is the worst form of the EBV infection. About 96% of all Americans have been infected with EBV. Most don't know it. Most people with the EBV infection do not get Mono. But, since EBV is so common, then so is getting mono.
Now, it is true that several large studies have shown that having Mono is "a risk factor" for developing MS. What does that mean? The studies all show that people who have had mono are about 2 1/2 times more likely to develop MS than people who have not had mono.
So if the regular risk for MS is 1 in 800, the risk for someone who has had mono is 1 in 320. So, the risk is higher, but only 1 out of every 320 people who get mono will get MS. Those are rough statisitics.
That said, your symptoms do NOT sound like MS. They sound very much like anxiety. Muscle twitches are worsened by anxiety. MS does not cause all over twitching - only in those muscles specifically weakened. Stomach noises are often caused by swallowing air which is a huge symptom of anxiety also. The depersonalization and oversleeping can be secondary to mood disorders, but can also be attributable to other things.
As to whether you want to put a "chemical" in your body. Your own words say that you are "worrying yourself to death about this." That's pretty severe. At the very least think hard about what it really means to have a 1 in 320 chance of something. This is not a huge risk. Then explore some natural methods of reducing the anxiety - like meditation (which got me through my 20's), exercise (even moderate), reduce stimulants like caffeine, reduce sugar, and/or see a counselor.
I hope this helps. It really does not sound like you have or are a great risk to get MS. I speak from knowledge. I am a physician with MS and I study it like the devil!
Good luck.
Quix, MD
First, be sure you are all talking about Mononucleosis, which is the worst form of the EBV infection. About 96% of all Americans have been infected with EBV. Most don't know it. Most people with the EBV infection do not get Mono. But, since EBV is so common, then so is getting mono.
Now, it is true that several large studies have shown that having Mono is "a risk factor" for developing MS. What does that mean? The studies all show that people who have had mono are about 2 1/2 times more likely to develop MS than people who have not had mono.
So if the regular risk for MS is 1 in 800, the risk for someone who has had mono is 1 in 320. So, the risk is higher, but only 1 out of every 320 people who get mono will get MS. Those are rough statisitics.
That said, your symptoms do NOT sound like MS. They sound very much like anxiety. Muscle twitches are worsened by anxiety. MS does not cause all over twitching - only in those muscles specifically weakened. Stomach noises are often caused by swallowing air which is a huge symptom of anxiety also. The depersonalization and oversleeping can be secondary to mood disorders, but can also be attributable to other things.
As to whether you want to put a "chemical" in your body. Your own words say that you are "worrying yourself to death about this." That's pretty severe. At the very least think hard about what it really means to have a 1 in 320 chance of something. This is not a huge risk. Then explore some natural methods of reducing the anxiety - like meditation (which got me through my 20's), exercise (even moderate), reduce stimulants like caffeine, reduce sugar, and/or see a counselor.
I hope this helps. It really does not sound like you have or are a great risk to get MS. I speak from knowledge. I am a physician with MS and I study it like the devil!
Good luck.
Quix, MD
thank you everyone for your posts.
poker 247: what were your symptoms when you say every one thought i was crazy or faking?
essdipity: thank you ess for the advice..my doctor's think my anxiety is not bad enough to go on medication as long as i can go on with it for now, they think its better if i dont go on medication. I dont want to put chemicals in my body either.
i'm kind of worried now about this. 100 of 100 MS patients had mono poker? that's 100%. Doesn't that mean there is a huge connection between people who have had Mono and got MS? i'm kind of worrying myself to death now over this. I'm 20 and i got this Mono thing 3 years ago. Does that mean i'm a huge risk of getting MS somewhere in my life? I Hope these symptoms i'm having aren't MS related.
Stomach noises, Fatigue, Dreamy feeling, Over Sleeping, Anxiety, Muscle Twitching (Happens sometimes, and its random, i get it all over my body not at one particular point)
poker 247: what were your symptoms when you say every one thought i was crazy or faking?
essdipity: thank you ess for the advice..my doctor's think my anxiety is not bad enough to go on medication as long as i can go on with it for now, they think its better if i dont go on medication. I dont want to put chemicals in my body either.
i'm kind of worried now about this. 100 of 100 MS patients had mono poker? that's 100%. Doesn't that mean there is a huge connection between people who have had Mono and got MS? i'm kind of worrying myself to death now over this. I'm 20 and i got this Mono thing 3 years ago. Does that mean i'm a huge risk of getting MS somewhere in my life? I Hope these symptoms i'm having aren't MS related.
Stomach noises, Fatigue, Dreamy feeling, Over Sleeping, Anxiety, Muscle Twitching (Happens sometimes, and its random, i get it all over my body not at one particular point)
Hi John23a I have wondered about this too I had mono when i was 12 off school for weeks i oftern think you never get rid of it in fact when i am in flare it so reminds me of mono the fatique is exact!
take care tarter
take care tarter
I have never had Mono but I did have meningitis 3 years before MS and my Neuro thinks that may have had impact.
Hello and welcome to the MS forum.
Mono is believed to be caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, which is carried by virtually everyone. However, as you know, far from everyone has had mono. It's just the very bad cases that wind up with any illness at all.
The causes of MS are complicated and largely unknown, though there is some evidence that an earlier viral infection may play a part. It seems that more MS patients have had mono than would be expected in the general population, so that is the EB tie-in. But by NO means has every MSer had mono. I have never read any evidence that even 60% have. That is very very high. But keep in mind that 100% of us are likely to carry the EB virus, because 100% or close to it of the general population do.
Your symptoms really do not sound like MS, to be honest. You don't ask for advice on that score but I'll give just a little. Try medication/therapy for a while to see if you feel better. If you do, which is likely, you'll know that anxiety is the culprit. That's much better than MS.
Best of luck,
ess
Mono is believed to be caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, which is carried by virtually everyone. However, as you know, far from everyone has had mono. It's just the very bad cases that wind up with any illness at all.
The causes of MS are complicated and largely unknown, though there is some evidence that an earlier viral infection may play a part. It seems that more MS patients have had mono than would be expected in the general population, so that is the EB tie-in. But by NO means has every MSer had mono. I have never read any evidence that even 60% have. That is very very high. But keep in mind that 100% of us are likely to carry the EB virus, because 100% or close to it of the general population do.
Your symptoms really do not sound like MS, to be honest. You don't ask for advice on that score but I'll give just a little. Try medication/therapy for a while to see if you feel better. If you do, which is likely, you'll know that anxiety is the culprit. That's much better than MS.
Best of luck,
ess
I was told the same thing by the Neurologist I got my second opinion from.... He had done a small study and out of the 100 MS patients in the study he found that all 100 have had Mono at least once in their live.
For me my last bout with Mono was so severe it caused a flare up that couldn't be denied and the MRI that followed showed 4 new lesions and the old lesions had grown significantly. So fortunately it ended my 6 year waiting game, 100's of tests, and years of thinking I was crazy and or *faking*
For me my last bout with Mono was so severe it caused a flare up that couldn't be denied and the MRI that followed showed 4 new lesions and the old lesions had grown significantly. So fortunately it ended my 6 year waiting game, 100's of tests, and years of thinking I was crazy and or *faking*
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