I'm wondering how many of you have ever had Epstein-Barr virus? I had Mono when I was in the 9th grade, and if I remember correctly, I had a horribly swollen throat and had to take naps in the nurses office for 3-4 weeks, because I would practically fall asleep in my classes. With the studies that are out, showing that there may be a correlation between EBV and MS I am a bit concerned because my daughter had it pretty bad last fall. I sure hope there will be a way to know what her odds are, and if there was anything we can do to protect her.

I'm sure you'll get many better responses than mine, but if it makes you feel any better (and I know it's hard when your kids are involved), nearly everyone has the antibody for EBV, which means nearly everyone has had it in some form or another, to one degree or another, at some point in there lives. From what I understand, it may serve as a trigger, but is not the cause.

Is there a reason why you didn't include a "NO" option Amy?

I know for sure that I haven't, but you've not given me an option to vote that way. Would you like that added?

I had a pretty serious case of mononucleosis in late '95 and early '96. Took me over a year to recover, started noticing a lot of weird things in '97 that I now know are MS symptoms. Altho, I do remember having something that I now recognize as The Hug back in the early 90s....so I might have already had MS when I had mono...I do think the mono set something off MSwise and must have made the MS Trolls angry, since I've been having stuff going on since about 1997.

Things just never got bad enough to go to a doctor until I had numbness in early 2006 and optic neuritis that summer.

I totally missed it! I will try to add it.....thanks for the heads up Koala!

Thanks Polar...I do worry about my DD, but I would just like some peace of mind knowing if there were a way to 'prevent' her from the possibility. Autoimmune diseases do run in my family...Mom has had Scleroderma for @ 20 years, my maternal Grandmother had SEVERE Rhumatoid Arthritis, my Mom's uncle has Parkinsons, sister -mild Rhumatoid has started....etc, etc, etc. I just need to keep thinking positive, since that is really what I try to focus on, but sometimes the research information makes me start to worry again, but I don't know I could ever 'not worry' about the kids....so I'll pull my big girl panties on!

I don't know how to edit the Poll to add a 'no' option?! Any suggestions? It was such an obvious option to miss!

If you could add it, I would really appreciate that!

Although there is some presumed link...I don't know how it can be used because almost the entire adult population has the EBV.

Epstein-Barr Syndrome is very common, although most people don’t even know they’ve contracted it. It is estimated that as many as 95 percent of adults older than 35 have been infected with the Epstein-Barr virus, making this one of the most common illnesses in developed and undeveloped countries around the world.
http://www.life123.com/health/medica...ormation.shtml

You can protect her with Vitamin D....Please read the following article.
http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclero...may-prevent-ms

also, if you google 'Vit D to prevent MS'....you will get a lot of info.