kokopelli70

I'm not even sure where to begin, that's the problem - not sure which issues and ailments started first but I'm trying to finally tie everything together somehow and hoping some of what I've experienced might sound familiar to others as it seems like so much of this goes hand in hand with the chronic mono. I'm 45 years old and have dealt with "chronic fatigue" for my entire adult life I have had about every test possible from great doctors and specialists trying to determine the underlying cause. In my early 30's, I was stricken with mono and was out of work for about 2 weeks. During this time, I recall being depressed, trying for the gazillionth time to lose weight, and feeling like my life was out of control. I was (unhappily) married at the time, we were under alot of stress financially, and I was the sole caretaker of my ailing parents. Looking back, I'm wondering if this first major episode of stress in my life aggravated what most of us seem to have (the Epstein Barr virus) and I developed mono?

Prior to that, in my late teens to early adulthood, I had boundless amounts of energy, always on the go, didn't really have trouble sleeping. During this time, I was abusing caffeine in large amounts but I was very healthy. Then, in my early 20's, when I was planning our wedding, I remember feeling the first signs of what has gradually ('til now) turned into full blown anxiety. I grew up with a Mom who all she did was worry to the point of making herself sick and as much as I loved her so, it's the one thing that drove me absolutely crazy and I remember thinking that I never wanted to be like that.

I don't remember exactly when but I started to have sleep problems where I simply couldn't fall asleep if something was on my mind or if I had alot going on at once. Or, when I finally fell to sleep, I'd awake many times during the night. So I went on meds and have been on them since. The rare times I've been away from home and forgotten them, I don't sleep so it's pointless to try to get off of them right now (taking Trazodone which still doesn't produce a deep sleep).

Also, all my life, I've battled with weight issues. I finally believe that I use it as comfort as it seems the more stressed I am, the more carbs and sweets I eat. My current doctor also believes I have a yeast/candida overgrowth (and my former doctor also tested me for that) and I've read that this can have a profound effect on one's mind/body, etc.. Then, the more tired I am, the more coffee, caffeine pills, energy drinks I consume. It's a vicious, ugly cycle.

Fast forward to now, about a little over a year ago, actually almost two, I was finally almost down to the weight I've wanted all these years, working out like crazy (still fatigued but manageable), and then some major stressors happened and I've never been more unhealthy. It seems that once I became extremely stressed, pretty much the worst it's been since caring for and losing my parents, I started eating badly, kept getting sick (severe allergies, sinus infections, vertigo, bronchitis, cold all the time, etc. etc.), depression set in and now the fatigue is debillitating. My concentration is at an all time low, brain fog is awful, and I fight to get my work done. I nearly lost my job last year because I was making so many mistakes.

So last night, I finally got the results - I tested positive for mono. Because of my financial situation, I cannot try IV therapy for Vit C (have already tried the Meyers cocktail which did not help) since it's not covered by insurance so it was suggested I see a hematologist to get antibodies. I know I need to make some major changes but wondering......how many people here think that stress and anxiety is a culprit? Or has anyone experienced other issues or illness like I have and then found out they have chronic mono?

I would love to hear from others and what you have found, any thoughts welcomed!