When Doctors Started Asking About Mono
During my first neurologist visit after my MS diagnosis in 2023, I heard a repetitive question. The doctor asked if I ever had mononucleosis. The same question came up multiple times during my hospital stay when the diagnosis became official.
At first, I wondered why everyone suddenly cared about my law school‑era germs. However, I soon learned that Epstein Barr Virus (EBV) and mono often appear in conversations about MS. While EBV does not guarantee MS, it is a major factor. Most people with MS have EBV, and those who had mono as teens or young adults carry a higher risk.
Naturally, my medical history decided to raise its hand and say “present.”
The October 2005 Mono Disaster
In October 2005, I had a severe case of mono. The timing is unforgettable. My dad passed away the week before, and I was in my second year of law school. My body decided that grief was not enough and added mono to the syllabus.
The fatigue was intense. One day I even fell down the steps. Thankfully, the dryer broke my fall. My mom drove me to law school every day for weeks. I slept in the back of her van between classes like a very tired sloth.
My spleen and liver were enlarged. I also had a strange rash all over my body that confused my doctor. He even asked two medical students to come look. I agreed, although I briefly wondered if I should start charging admission.
Looking back, this chapter explains why doctors asked about mono during my MS evaluation. My history fits the pattern more than I realized.
Why Understanding Risk Factors Matters
After my diagnosis, I tried to absorb as much information as possible. I wanted to help myself and hopefully help others. With neurological issues, such as MS, a diagnosis may not come immediately. Rather it may be a process of being misdiagnosed initially or ruling out what it is not over time. That process is frustrating. Especially when early diagnosis can make a difference.
However, knowing risk factors can help you recognize early warning signs. Vision changes, balance issues, numbness, and tingling are common early symptoms. Reporting them early can change the course of your MS journey.
Below are several risk factors that researchers continue to study. If you are experiencing several simultaneously or gradually over time this should raise your awareness.
Common MS Risk Factors to Know
- Epstein Barr Virus (EBV)
- EBV is extremely common. Almost everyone carries it. However, EBV infection appears to be a near prerequisite for developing MS. Timing and other factors have influence.
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Mono is one of the strongest environmental risk factors for MS. A severe case during adolescence or young adulthood increases risk two to three times.
- Low Vitamin D
- Low vitamin D disrupts immune regulation. This disruption increases the chance of autoimmune activity in the central nervous system.
- Even though I regularly spent time outside in the sun, my body wasn’t processing vitamin D from the sun properly.
- Low vitamin D disrupts immune regulation. This disruption increases the chance of autoimmune activity in the central nervous system.
- Female
- MS is diagnosed more often in females than males.
- Close Relative With MS
- A first‑degree relative (sibling/parent) with MS increases your risk from about 0.1% to 2-4%.
- Overweight
- High BMI in youth creates chronic inflammation. Excess fatty tissue can also reduce vitamin D levels.
- Smoking
- Tobacco introduces toxins that damage nerves and worsen disability. Smoking also reduces active vitamin D in the body.
Why This Matters for My MS Journey
Understanding these risk factors helped me connect the dots in my own story (EBV, mono, low vitamin D, female). My mono history, symptoms, and diagnosis all lined up in ways I never expected.
This knowledge also helps me talk with others who are navigating early symptoms. Small clues can lead to earlier diagnosis. Earlier diagnosis can change everything.
MS may be unpredictable, but information gives us power. Sometimes it even gives you a few laughs, especially when I remember the dryer that saved me at the bottom of a staircase.
My MS Journey Series
- Homepage: My MS Journey
- Post #1: How My Grandma’s Legendary Fall Shaped My MS Mindset
- Post #2: Choosing MS Treatment with Humor and Panic
- Post #3: How My MS Symptoms Finally Forced Me to Listen
- Post #4: Why I Joined My First MS Research Study
- Post #5: Why I Spoke Up About NIH Funding
- Post #6: Feeling Like an Inflatable Tube Man at the Grocery Store
- Post #7: My First MRI Update Since Diagnosis: A Surprising Step Forward
- Post #8: Beat Autoimmune: The Six Lifestyle Keys That Changed My MS Journey
- Post #9: My First Ocrevus Infusion and the Three-Year Price Roller Coaster
- Post #10: Sixth Ocrevus Infusion, New Routines, and an Unexpected Family Emergency
- Post #12: Mean Baby by Selma Blair
- Post #13: The Night I Went Searching for Answers at an MS Patient Event
- Post #14: Discovering the MeSsy Podcast and the Stories That Shape Us
- Post #15: You With The Sad Eyes A Memoir by Christina Applegate
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