To ValeriePurves
I am a retired medical laboratory technologist (30+ years) and I do not know where you got your info from, but a positive Epstein Barr test indicates that you have Infective Mononucleosis. I should know as I had it 5 times and it was sumissed that this was what triggered my fibro. My blood was actually studies by our Public Health Laboratory, as you are only supposed to be positive (high titre count) once, but I had it everytime I seemed to be exposed to any one with Mono. If the symptoms indicate it, and the screening test is negative, then an actual titre test is done. About 10% of patients with Mono are Heterophile negative, so the screening test which screens for these antibodies is negative but the titre count will be very high.. CFS can result after this infection, but the test is indicitive of the presense of the EB virus. The 2 can be related, but having one does not automatically mean you have the other; it probably just makes you more likely to get CFS. I too have been diagnosed with CFS and Fibro, so I understand what you are going through. I find the key to survival without alot of pain is to learn to pace yourself in everything you do. If you still work, change positions frequently and if possible, take short breaks frequently.

@A MyFibroTeam Member

Hi. I have ME or as it's called CFS..

I had the Epstein Barr blood test at my Dr s. If positive then it denotes you have CFS.
I have Fibro and CFS
Epstein Barr is the term for glandular fever and CFS patients test positive as having had it at some point. But not necessarily being aware they had it as it can be masked by other illnesses.

I think if you are in bed for days and really constantly exhausted where barely able to go to the toilet etc or up stairs and are very weak. It's possible you have CFS

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A MyFibro...

I had to fight my doctor for years on this one. I would have trouble falling asleep and wake up feeling worse than when i went to bed. My doctor blamed it on anxiety sent me to a councellor. After he suggested my pain could be fibro and started me on gabapentin and duloxetine. After taking it for one day i went to bed, fell asleep quickly and woke up feeling more alive than i have ever felt. Since learning more about fibro i have learned this is called unrestorative sleep and it has to do with us not spending enough time in the deep sleep stage compared to what is typical. It is a real pain. Whether you choose to find a new doctor or fight it out with your current one dont stop fighting. Perhaps do some research on fibro and non-restorative sleep and present it to your doctor? The thing ive learned through my struggles thus far is the need to search for understanding and advicate for your needs.

I also have experienced severe fatigue. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea about 10 years ago however, I couldn't get used to the CPAP machine. I was tested again in June. Since then, I am able to go to sleep using the machine but if I wake up, it is hard to go back to sleep with it on. When I sleep using the machine, I can really feel an increase in energy.

You might want to look into seeing if there is a pain clinic near you. I find they are much more helpful at recommendations about how to deal with the pain and sleep disorders. I also talk to the other patients there and we often share ideas with one another as to what works for them. Best of luck finding something that works.