I was diagnosed with EBV 10 years ago and got diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Depression 5 yrs ago-is there a connection and if so where can I obtain information.
If anyone can help-Thank You!
Is there a connection? No.
Here’s one reason why. EBV only lasts in the body for no more than 2 years and that’s in severe cases. Most people only have it for about 6 months.
There’s no way you could’ve had it 5 years ago muchless now. Once the body overcomes EBV – or any virus – it builds antibodies to protect itself. You are not at risk for contracting it again.
Initially it was believed that EBV was connected somehow to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but they are two completely different illnesses. The bottom line is that EBV is really just an expanded version of mono – they are both herpes viruses.
http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/fibromyalgia/fibrofs.htm
That’s a good place to learn more about Fibromyalgia. It is *not* a form of arthritis, just a relative. I’d love to elaborate but I’ve got to be a good answer fairy and keep it movin. Ask a specialist if you have further questions.
Best wishes.
4. Congressional briefing on Substance Abuse Policy: What We Know and Where We Need to Go
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I also had EBV and shortly thereafter diagnosed with fibromyalgia. EBV and fibromyalgia are commonly found together. Fibromyalgia is lumped in with rheumatology. Maybe the Arthritis Foundation would be a good start.
References :
Is there a connection? No.
Here’s one reason why. EBV only lasts in the body for no more than 2 years and that’s in severe cases. Most people only have it for about 6 months.
There’s no way you could’ve had it 5 years ago muchless now. Once the body overcomes EBV – or any virus – it builds antibodies to protect itself. You are not at risk for contracting it again.
Initially it was believed that EBV was connected somehow to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but they are two completely different illnesses. The bottom line is that EBV is really just an expanded version of mono – they are both herpes viruses.
http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/fibromyalgia/fibrofs.htm
That’s a good place to learn more about Fibromyalgia. It is *not* a form of arthritis, just a relative. I’d love to elaborate but I’ve got to be a good answer fairy and keep it movin. Ask a specialist if you have further questions.
Best wishes.
References :
Straight from the mouth of a doctor and medical books I keep. I’m just re-wording it.
There is a possible connection between EBV and fibromyalgia (last two links).
Dr. Lowe believes that fibromyalgia is directly related to underactive thyroid and treats with T3. Depression is certainly part of the low thyroid hormone picture.
Life Extension Foundation is where I find a balanced perspective between orthodox medicine and alternative medicine. I’ve included their fibromyalgia protocol.
Hope these links help.
Best of luck!
References :
http://www.drlowe.com/
http://www.lef.org/protocols/immune_connective_joint/fibromyalgia_01.htm
http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/ID/3788/e/1/T/CFIDS_FM/
Since I’m a person that’s been diagnosed with chronic relapsing Epstein-Barr(EBV) since 1985 (based on blood work), I was most interested in following Peahiawahine’s info & links, but I couldn’t find any peer-reviewed research that confirms the earlier comment about EBV never lasting more than 2 years in a person. When discussing any virus and Fibromyalgia, CFS, Lyme Disease, MS and others, the key is the quality of one’s immune system. Very many of us have been found to have immune system deficiencies and that’s why EBV (& other viruses like HSV, HHV-6, CMV, etc) reactivation becomes important. Old research has proven that EBV does not cause FM or CFS. However, new research has shown that the XRMV virus can be found in a large percentage of us. If it causes CFS remains to be seen. While EBV infects over 90% of the population worldwide and, like other herpes viruses (HSV, HHV-6, CMV, etc) it is able to establish a lifelong latent infection with intermittent reactivation. EBV is mostly transmitted through saliva, and primary infection usually occurs without infection in infancy and childhood. However, in industrialised countries, infection may not take place until adolescence or young adulthood, causing infectious mononucleosis in over 50% of cases. After primary infection, EBV persists in the organism in latently infected memory B-cells with occasional shedding into saliva. EBV viral loads in normal adults (healthy carriers) are usually undetectable. Although the virus rarely causes disease in immunocompetent (healthy) individuals, latent genes are potentially cancer-causing and EBV has been associated with a wide variety of lymphoid and epithelial diseases, both benign and cancerous. EBV may infect almost any organ and infection might be associated to complications, such as neurological involvement, including Guillain-Barré syndrome, inflammation of the heart, or liver failure, amongst others. Pneumonitis has been associated with chronic active EBV infection and primary infection, both in children and in adults, and pleural effusion has been observed as a rare complication of EBV infection.
In conclusion, Epstein-Barr does remain capable of reactivation when one’s immune system is less than healthy, causing problems from as simple as severe fatigue right through very dangerous conditions. Antiviral drugs are able to diminish the viral load of EBV to a point they don’t cause symptoms. Medical doctors should be consulted for treatment.
References:
http://erj.ersjournals.com/cgi/content/full/26/4/566
NIH Library (PubMed) References:
Babcock GJ, Decker LL, Volk M, Thorley-Lawson DA. EBV persistence in memory B cells in vivo. Immunity 1998;9:395–404
Wagner HJ, Bein G, Bitsch A, Kirchner H. Detection and quantification of latently infected B lymphocytes in Epstein-Barr virus-seropositive, healthy individuals by polymerase chain reaction. J Clin Microbiol 1992;30:2826–2829