Dx`ed with acute Mononucleosis April 2003, officially dx`ed with PPMS March 2006 and never normal in between. Can`t say for sure but it seems suspicious?

I was in an auto accident in '92, '94 numbness and tingling in hands, dx with Epstein Barr in '96. I had several sx that were ignored until 2001 and attributed to the accident, then it all added up when plaque was found in the Corpus Callosum.

Dumb luck.


....story of my life.

There are times I think I've had MS since I was a teen. At 17 I developed a problem with my left foot/ankle. Went through a week's worth of tests--virtually the same tests they do today to rule out MS. In the end they dx me with RSD and put me on steroids for a month. RSD has been in remission since. However, I remember having terrible dizzy spells about that same time, and then again in my early 20s. Always spinning in the same direction; to the right. Which is what I'm having recently, only to a very mild degree. Then there are a few other episodes of minor things over the years.

My major exacerbation that got me dx'd was emotional stress. My H and I were on the verge of divorce and after things improved, I got my dx.

I also had all the usual kid illnesses, including having chicken pox and the mumps twice (which I was always told couldn't happen), and I also suffered a lot from upper respiratory stuff, lots of sinus infections. Connection? I don't think so. Never had mono or EBV. My uncle had MS.

Well, let's see.

I grew up in an area that has a high concentration of MS patients. I probably didn't get enough Vitamin D. I was exposed to a lot of agricultural chemicals.

As a child, when I got sick I would run very high fevers. This actually continued into adolescence.

I had mono at 16. The doctor gave me Amoxicillin, which caused a rash over my whole body. The doctor said it was a viral rash, and kept me on that antibiotic until I had taken the full course. My hands "itched" for weeks afterward. (The next time I was given Amoxicillin, I got a rash and the doctor had me stop immediately due to allergy).

If there is a common denominator among us, I believe it is a genetic predisposition and subsequent environmental stressors.

Hmmm...this thread has been fascinating

I was born in a cold climate, have siblings with autoimmune diseases, had Mono at 13, a monster dose of adult chicken pox at 28, and a couple of months before diagnosis (at 31) I lost my Mum after a brief but brutal fight with cancer so I was incredibly stressed and grieving.

So, I tick all the boxes - viruses, family history, climate, stress....so take your pick! I think it has something to do with predisposing factors and getting your immune system smashed so it goes into overdrive.

You might like to have a look at MS Research Australia - they are claiming a proven link with MS and Epstein Barr.

http://www.msra.org.au/research/viro...y-research.php

I hope you all have a good day

Lyn

I took a brief look at the link. It looks pretty exciting. But if they prove EBV "causes" MS, what about those of us who have never had it?? :confused:

And for those here who mentioned living above the 49th parallel, or cold climates, I know two black women who each grew up in warm climates: Georgia, and Ghana, Africa. It is my understanding from talking to them that they are affected differently, often worse, than their pale counterparts. Can anyone answer to that? :confused:

Lynn and Catch....it's that old Herpes virus raising it's ugly head again!!!:eek:

I moved to Florida end of 2004. Felt stress like never before, actually a buzzing in my head a few times. I exercised less due to temperture, most important - PESTICIDES. I almost never used them my whole life in NY. Down here I was throwing granuals by hand, spraying my home in & out, got Raid in my face once and heart felt like it was going BOOM BOOM. 2006 I lost strength, face went numb. Doc said maybe a stroke. Took MRI on cd home and saw the spots. Did great on Copaxone (real great) then 2009 I had Terminix spray my soffits with Termador. Me and worker got a shower of it (was windy) Ive been spiraling downhill ever since. It's been washed off and I havent sprayed indoors in 3 years. Granuals on lawn quarterly thats it. Bugs are gone, but so is my myelin.

Pesticieds are neuro toxins (most of them). I searched for the strongest and got them.

Diet changed slightly too since it was/is me cooking, no longer "mom's".

And 1 more - Ive read potassium benzoate (preservative in soda) plus vitamin C can create Benzene in your bod. Ive yet to get this checked. $100. I hardly ever drank soda in NY.

For pesticide test, was told to ask Terminix since they "should" test employees. And also, I've read there's a gene that either allows or doesnt allow your bod to metabolize pesticides. You get 1 from each parent. 2 of the good ones, you metabolize the poison and pee/discharge it out. 1 of each is iffy. 2 of the bad ones and you cant metabolize it. PON1 is the gene with 2 types. Didnt get this checked cause I expect $1k minimum.

edit - 1 more - Herpes was mentioned here. I know someone that was wheelchair bound then hospital bed. Doc said take this..it was for genitle herpes warts. It got him walking in 1? year. Took it for many years. It worked better then anything he told me. I didnt know him back then. The drug was called Alferon N. Rights were sold/bought a few years ago. Its gone. New co. stopped production. because...its now being made/trialed in an oral for....HIV! The original inj. was off label approved for many carcenomas, hairy cell leukemia and more. Google Alferon N. Its a Interferon ALFA. Alfa is human derived (or this at least was). Interferon Alfa-N3. FDA told me the N3 possibly describes the protein it goes after or is.

Enjoy