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How many people have developed CFS symptoms after EBV infection?
sleepybeauty posted:
I'm 39 years old. I had mono when I was 15, and then became reinfected over the summer. Since July I have been experiencing chronic fatigue, muscle and joint pain, frequent headaches which are unlike other headaches I have had in the past. I have also been noticing dizziness. I have had my BP, and blood sugar checked, fine. Thyroid levels are fine. EBV IGG and IGM positive. I understand that there is a suspected link betweek EBV and developing CFS, can any one offer more information or substantiate that for me?
4 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:How many people have developed CFS symptoms after EBV infection?I'm 39 years old. I had mono when I was 15, and then became reinfected over the summer. Since July I have been experiencing chronic fatigue, muscle and joint pain, frequent headaches which are unlike other headaches I have had in the past. I have also been noticing dizziness. I have had my BP, and blood sugar checked, fine. Thyroid levels are fine. EBV IGG and IGM positive. I understand that there is a suspected link betweek EBV and developing CFS, can any one offer more information or substantiate that for me?
Sergiokay responded:
Hello sleepybeauty, 
I hope that when you read this you are feeling much better.
Not much information is out there regarding the link between the Epstein-Barr Virus and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, however I have read on many occasions posts by sufferers of Mononucleosis who contacted the EBV, that they have experienced symptoms associated with CFS.
I too at fifteen contracted a viral infection and have since been suffering with CFS. I will be forty one in May.
I suggest that you try and contact a doctor who specializes in CFS. Please refer to the following post kindly provided by knyb007.
"knyb007 responded:
I've been there. I was sick about 6 years ago and had all the troubles you explained and more. Doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me. They weren't doing the right tests. I'll spare the details and just get to the solution. If you are on the east coast, contact Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker in Pocomoke City, MD. If you are in the Southwest, contact Dr. Michael Gray in Benson, AZ (outside Tucson, AZ) These are two of the most highly qualified doctors who know what to look for, how to diagnose and treat people with chronic fatigue. I have seen both of these doctors and am happy to say that I am on my way to full recovery.
I could be wrong, but I suspect that perhaps you have long thin limbs, are or were pretty flexible and either you or people in your family have a history of soft tissue damage such as cartilage. These are genetic characteristics of a group of the population that are susceptible to environmental toxins that the immune system is not able to properly deal with and clear from the body. About 25% of the population is like this.
If you are unable to see either of these doctors, ask your own doctors about levels of VEGF, TGF beta 1, MSH, C4A.
Good luck."
I hope this information was useful to you.
Good luck and I hope you recover very very soon.
Take care and keep in touch.
Kind regards,
Sergio
I hope that when you read this you are feeling much better.
Not much information is out there regarding the link between the Epstein-Barr Virus and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, however I have read on many occasions posts by sufferers of Mononucleosis who contacted the EBV, that they have experienced symptoms associated with CFS.
I too at fifteen contracted a viral infection and have since been suffering with CFS. I will be forty one in May.
I suggest that you try and contact a doctor who specializes in CFS. Please refer to the following post kindly provided by knyb007.
"knyb007 responded:
I've been there. I was sick about 6 years ago and had all the troubles you explained and more. Doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me. They weren't doing the right tests. I'll spare the details and just get to the solution. If you are on the east coast, contact Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker in Pocomoke City, MD. If you are in the Southwest, contact Dr. Michael Gray in Benson, AZ (outside Tucson, AZ) These are two of the most highly qualified doctors who know what to look for, how to diagnose and treat people with chronic fatigue. I have seen both of these doctors and am happy to say that I am on my way to full recovery.
I could be wrong, but I suspect that perhaps you have long thin limbs, are or were pretty flexible and either you or people in your family have a history of soft tissue damage such as cartilage. These are genetic characteristics of a group of the population that are susceptible to environmental toxins that the immune system is not able to properly deal with and clear from the body. About 25% of the population is like this.
If you are unable to see either of these doctors, ask your own doctors about levels of VEGF, TGF beta 1, MSH, C4A.
Good luck."
I hope this information was useful to you.
Good luck and I hope you recover very very soon.
Take care and keep in touch.
Kind regards,
Sergio
Report This| Share this:How many people have developed CFS symptoms after EBV infection?Hello sleepybeauty, <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0"><br /><br /><br />I hope that when you read this you are feeling much better.<br /><br /><br />Not much information is out there regarding the link between the Epstein-Barr Virus and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, however I have read on many occasions posts by sufferers of Mononucleosis who contacted the EBV, that they have experienced symptoms associated with CFS.<br /><br /><br />I too at fifteen contracted a viral infection and have since been suffering with CFS. I will be forty one in May.<br /><br /><br /><br />I suggest that you try and contact a doctor who specializes in CFS. Please refer to the following post kindly provided by knyb007.<br /><b><br /></b><br /><b>"<a href="http://exchanges.webmd.com/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-exchange/groupstory/17704762">knyb007</a> responded:</b><br /><b>I've been there. I was sick about 6 years ago and had all the troubles you explained and more. Doctors couldn't find anything wrong with me. They weren't doing the right tests. I'll spare the details and just get to the solution. If you are on the east coast, contact Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker in Pocomoke City, MD. If you are in the Southwest, contact Dr. Michael Gray in Benson, AZ (outside Tucson, AZ) These are two of the most highly qualified doctors who know what to look for, how to diagnose and treat people with chronic fatigue. I have seen both of these doctors and am happy to say that I am on my way to full recovery.<br /> <br /> I could be wrong, but I suspect that perhaps you have long thin limbs, are or were pretty flexible and either you or people in your family have a history of soft tissue damage such as cartilage. These are genetic characteristics of a group of the population that are susceptible to environmental toxins that the immune system is not able to properly deal with and clear from the body. About 25% of the population is like this. <br /> <br /> If you are unable to </b>see<b> either of these doctors, ask your own doctors about levels of VEGF, TGF beta 1, MSH, C4A.<br /> <br /> Good luck."</b><br /><b> </b><br />I hope this information was useful to you.<br /> <br />Good luck and I hope you recover very very soon.<br /> <br />Take care and keep in touch.<br /> <br />Kind regards,<br /> <br />Sergio <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0">
1Butterfly82 responded:
Hello Sleepybeauty,
I just wanted to let you know you are not alone! I am 29 and
after a lot of tests and going to different specialists I was diagnosed at 15 with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and yes I had mono and the Epstein Barr Virus before that. They labeled me as having Chronic Mono for awhile and was on homesechool for a lot of my highschool years. I now at 29 still have a hard time some days better then others but the muscle pain and being sore to the touch on my skin hasn't gone away. I am not sure if you have an actual Chronic Fatigue Specialist in your area, but if you do I would recommend seeing one or an Infectious Disease specialist which is who I had to go to and am still on a waiting list for our only CFS specialist in Utah. They ended putting me on Cymbalta and Clonzapem at night to get sleep and I have headaches as well. If you do have any other questions or just need someone to talk to about CFS you can reply to me. It is great to know after all this time I can find others with this disease and not feel as crazy or alone. Hope this helped you a little bit. Good luck and try to stay positive!
I just wanted to let you know you are not alone! I am 29 and
after a lot of tests and going to different specialists I was diagnosed at 15 with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and yes I had mono and the Epstein Barr Virus before that. They labeled me as having Chronic Mono for awhile and was on homesechool for a lot of my highschool years. I now at 29 still have a hard time some days better then others but the muscle pain and being sore to the touch on my skin hasn't gone away. I am not sure if you have an actual Chronic Fatigue Specialist in your area, but if you do I would recommend seeing one or an Infectious Disease specialist which is who I had to go to and am still on a waiting list for our only CFS specialist in Utah. They ended putting me on Cymbalta and Clonzapem at night to get sleep and I have headaches as well. If you do have any other questions or just need someone to talk to about CFS you can reply to me. It is great to know after all this time I can find others with this disease and not feel as crazy or alone. Hope this helped you a little bit. Good luck and try to stay positive!
Report This| Share this:How many people have developed CFS symptoms after EBV infection?Hello Sleepybeauty, <br /> I just wanted to let you know you are not alone! I am 29 and <br />after a lot of tests and going to different specialists I was diagnosed at 15 with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and yes I had mono and the Epstein Barr Virus before that. They labeled me as having Chronic Mono for awhile and was on homesechool for a lot of my highschool years. I now at 29 still have a hard time some days better then others but the muscle pain and being sore to the touch on my skin hasn't gone away. I am not sure if you have an actual Chronic Fatigue Specialist in your area, but if you do I would recommend seeing one or an Infectious Disease specialist which is who I had to go to and am still on a waiting list for our only CFS specialist in Utah. They ended putting me on Cymbalta and Clonzapem at night to get sleep and I have headaches as well. If you do have any other questions or just need someone to talk to about CFS you can reply to me. It is great to know after all this time I can find others with this disease and not feel as crazy or alone. Hope this helped you a little bit. Good luck and try to stay positive!
sleepybeauty replied to 1Butterfly82's response:
Thank you so much for your insight. It has been a year since I first tested positive for EBV reactivation, and since then it has happened two more times, still dealing with the latest bout. Seriously suspect CFS, the funny thing is that I work in the healthcare field, and even still the providers I work with are reluctant to commit to that diagnosis. So much so that I have been reluctant to even broach the subject with my PCP. But having re-read your post, I feel that it would be beneficial to do so and seek at least an infectious disease specialist opinion. I am beginning to feel not only debilitated by the situation but discouraged and dissapointed by my stamina and general condition as well. In some ways I think that a diagonsis would at least validate these symptoms, but it won't change my situation, only they way I approach and learn to cope with it.
Report This| Share this:How many people have developed CFS symptoms after EBV infection?Thank you so much for your insight. It has been a year since I first tested positive for EBV reactivation, and since then it has happened two more times, still dealing with the latest bout. Seriously suspect CFS, the funny thing is that I work in the healthcare field, and even still the providers I work with are reluctant to commit to that diagnosis. So much so that I have been reluctant to even broach the subject with my PCP. But having re-read your post, I feel that it would be beneficial to do so and seek at least an infectious disease specialist opinion. I am beginning to feel not only debilitated by the situation but discouraged and dissapointed by my stamina and general condition as well. In some ways I think that a diagonsis would at least validate these symptoms, but it won't change my situation, only they way I approach and learn to cope with it.
sleepybeauty replied to 1Butterfly82's response:
The funny thing is that I have developed the majority of symptoms of this syndrome before I began to suspect CFS. I have been treated with zoloft for anxiety/depression. Xanax for panic disorder. Trazadone for insomnia/sleep disorder. Trigger point injections for muscle spasms in my neck/shoulders and greater trochanter. Recently I have been taking L-Lysine, Vitamin supplement for immune support, including A,C, all B's, zinc and others as well as Echinacea/Goldenseal combo. Finding that addressing the immunosuppression component is helpful. Kind of like shoring up the defenses. Still no "official diagonisis" but not really sure if it would change anything.
Report This| Share this:How many people have developed CFS symptoms after EBV infection?The funny thing is that I have developed the majority of symptoms of this syndrome before I began to suspect CFS. I have been treated with zoloft for anxiety/depression. Xanax for panic disorder. Trazadone for insomnia/sleep disorder. Trigger point injections for muscle spasms in my neck/shoulders and greater trochanter. Recently I have been taking L-Lysine, Vitamin supplement for immune support, including A,C, all B's, zinc and others as well as Echinacea/Goldenseal combo. Finding that addressing the immunosuppression component is helpful. Kind of like shoring up the defenses. Still no "official diagonisis" but not really sure if it would change anything.
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