The fibromyalgia / mononucleosis link

I did a poll on a fibro board and about 83% of those with fibro had mono at some point. Having said that, I had mono when I was 17. I was off school for a month and then had to be driven to school for about a month after that. Then I had a relapse when it came time for studying for exams. I don't remember any particular problems after that. I never liked shopping much and it always made me tired but don't know if that is related. I acquired fibromyalgia after the birth of my second daughter. Mono is related to fibro in that the symptoms are very similar - sore throat, swollen glands, fever, pain. It is said that mono plants a seed that lays dormant until triggered by a trauma like an accident, abuse or in my case childbirth. Before I had my daughter I had experienced an abusive marriage and underwent quite a bit of stress during my second pregnancy, and a lot afterwards as my baby was colicky and kept me up nights. Although I also had a slow recovery after childbirth, I do believe symptoms of fibro started while I was pregnant. EBV - Epstein Barr Virus is the mono virus. Many fibromites will find that they test positive for that which means it is contributing to their fibromyalgia symptoms, or exacerbating them. In my own case, I do not believe that the stresses I endured would have caused my fibromyalgia had I not had mono when I was a teenager. I think mono plays a very prominent role in fibromyalgia. There is also research being done about undiagnosed polio. But having had these illnesses does not mean you will get fibromyalgia. There are many, many factors involved, many symptoms, no known cause or cure. Mono is just one theory, one which I blame for my own downfall.

To of my friends had mono! If that is true then i am worried for them.

I've never heard that but it is very interesting. I have Fibro but I've never had mono. Good discussion.

i was told my daughter did not have lupus mainly because we had told the doctor she had mono when she was younger. what i'm wondering is if that many people do get mono what is the percentage of people with lupus or other diseases that also had mono. do the ask that as a question. NOT for Lupus! so she was diagnosed with Lupus than we were told she did not have that and had fibro because of mono. if you asked cancer patients if they had mono would the majority say yes because mono is so common. yes many would say yes. so that means mono is linked to cancer. NO it does not mean that. if you asked people with parkinson if they had mono the majority would say yes. does that mean mono causes parkinsons NO. it's because mono is so common among all of us that the answer to the question did you have mono would the majority of the time be yes! so i'm thinking this entire mono connection is really not true. i think if a patient says they have mono it shouldn't come into the diagnosis from the doctor. ruling out lupus should be based on tests and other symptoms. not mono! not sure if i'm making sense here. i'm still shocked at all this Lupus and Fibro life my daughter is living with....any thoughts new friends?