Is there any truth out there - about GLANDULAR FEVER as a childhood contributing to you having MS later in life? Just a thought - how many members of the org did have it as a child? Oh yeah I DID at 14 …x
i had it at 11 and again in my 20s. but i am still awaiting a firm dx.
luv pollx
Also always suffered with tonsillitus in my younger days… had them removed at 19 thankfully — also after the birth of my 2nd daughter suffered post natal depression? Thats what the dr said anyway
Never had it, so not relevant in my case, I’m sure.
Haven’t knowingly ever had Epstein Barr, either (another suspect), although I’m not sure that’s always distinguishable from an ordinary sore throat.
The only thing I’ve had that’s a bit out of the ordinary is scarlet fever. But I don’t know of any studies linking that with MS.
Tina
I had glandular fever when I was 16 when I was in college it was horrible! Nicola x
I never had tonsilitis like my friends did and still have my tonsils intact. I don’t know if I had glandular fever, I did have bouts of throat problems as a teenager, so who knows, I believe around 89% of the population have been in contact with glandular fever, 90 something percent of people tested who had MS had been in contact.
Wendy
x
I never had tonsilitis like my friends did and still have my tonsils intact. I don’t know if I had glandular fever, I did have bouts of throat problems as a teenager, so who knows, I believe around 89% of the population have been in contact with glandular fever, 90 something percent of people tested who had MS had been in contact.
I’ve also had Scarlet Fever, and never had Glandular Fever, nor Empstein Barr,though I’m not sure any of it is relevant to my MS,xxjo
I had it for 3-4 months when I was16. I also had a big dose of chicken pox when I was nine,and had mumps the previous year. These three are part of the medical history of a statistically relevant number of our Club members…Allegedly
Wb
For me it was shingles - had it three times now - once just before diagnosis and twice since. Had tonsillitis as a baby - ended up having tonsils out when only 2yrs old. My daughter has had glandular fever - which is a great concern to me.
F.
Hi, I’ve never had glandular fever, or scarlet fever, not that I know off anyway, I had chicken pox when I was a bit older, and that’s all, other than normal colds, sore throats. I am never ill, in fact I sometimes wonder if that is the problem. Cheryl:)
They told me I had Glandular fever when I was14/15, but later on my Neurologist said the tests never actually confirmed Glandular fever and that it was more likely it was early MS symptoms.
I also had Chicken pox (late at 16) and have always had Cold sores (very badly as a child).
I have only had flu once and very rarely have a temperature above 36.5 degrees…I am very rarely ill!
Isobel x
There is increasing evidence that the Epstein Barr virus is a contributory factor to causing MS and it is this that causes glandular fever. I had GF when I was 19 and it’s hard not to think ‘if only’. Teresa xx
Hi
I had glandular fever at 9, 10, 12 and 21. I have had scarlet fever, bad chicken pox and mumps. Yet my mum swears I was ahealthy child
Sue
I had glandular fever (GF) when I was 16.
GF is the only childhood illness that significantly more MSers have had than non-MSers. However, GF is only one form of the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV).
The EBV can also cause very mild 24 hour things that are indistinguishable from normal childhood “bugs” as well as other virus-like symptoms that are worse than this, but not as bad as GF - basically symptoms that range from a one day off school thing through to GF.
The evidence that the EBV is linked to MS is pretty overwhelming. We might not all have had GF, but chances are that we have all had the EBV.
Karen x
Had GF when I was 2 (nearly killed me).
Never had glandular fever - this has been put forward for years as a possible culprit but no one has ever found a link.
I had saint vitus dance (sydenhams chorea) 20 odd years ago and at the time they had no idea why as I hadnt had any of the usual preceeding illnesses ie scarlet fever, so they said it must of been the chicken pox I had had that caused it.
When I saw the neuro Mon for dx I did ask if it had been MS first attack rather than chorea but he immediately dismissed that, but from where I am alot of the really weird things that happened then are very similar. However I could say complete sentences backwards then,and that was really confusing for everyone.
Pip
I had glandular fever when I was 6 years old. I was off school for 4 months apparently.
I had a verruca when I was ten and had to miss swimming for a while. Just think my whole life turned on this one event, or perhaps not.