# Scarlet Fever, Rheumatic Fever, Strept Throat, Mono.



## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

One lady at our fibro meeting asked the two people next to her about this. I think it was about Rheumatic fever, probably because fibro is considered to be a rheumatic illness. All three of us had one of the above. I had brought this up to one of my doctors in the past, but they really don't know enough about this syndrome yet. I'll bring it up to all the members at the meeting next time, (although we don't get many people there during the summer months-which may be true of this board too). Just thought it would be an interesting question here. So how about it? Have any of you had Scarlet fever, Rheumatic fever, Strept throat, or Mono in the past? Some of these illnesses can be connected to heart valve problems (or perhaps the viruses themselves may possibly lay dormant in the body and do damage elsewhere is what I am wondering). I'm not really being a worry wart because I can't do anything about it now, but I am just curious about this possibility.


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

Bringing this back to the top in case somebody missed it.------------------


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## Guest (Jul 7, 1999)

Moldie In answer to your question about Fibromyalgia, I haven't had any of the fevers you asked about . I remember as a kid having pain and stiffness in my legs, usually 1 attack in the year around spring time. I wasn't bothered again until it hit me years later in what I now know as fibro.------------------


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## Guest (Jul 9, 1999)

I had mono in high school years ago and after that had Strep throat almost every year.. This is an interesting question about these though.......Donna


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## Guest (Jul 19, 1999)

Hi Moldie!great question, & I'm glad you brought it up.I have had mono twice....something they "say" isn't possinble, but I always did like to be different.I also had something similar called Toxoplasmosis (spelling?). It's a virus that cats carrie aswell as hooved animals. That is the reason that pregnant women should stay far away from cat litter! It can be fatel to the unborn child & even the mother.It's very rare that people ever actually catch it, but there I go being different again.I am convinced that either or both of these illnesses have something to do with my fibro!!!!!!sass


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

What symptoms did you have with toxoplasmosis sass? According to the Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medical Nursing it is from a genus of sporozoan parasites and can be asymptomatic or may produce enecephalomyelitis with cerebral calcification and chorioretinitis. Did a blood test determine this? How were you treated. Did they say how long it could be in your body? In case you don't know be by now, I do ask a lot of questions and I can run on forever. -----------------[This message has been edited by moldie (edited 07-19-99).]


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## Guest (Jul 19, 1999)

Hi Moldie....questions are fine by me, that's the only way we learn!Well, it was quite a few years ago but if memorey serves, (which it does from time to time) my symptoms were alot like a bad flu. Achey all over & severe fatigue.It was found through a blood test & it's my understanding that once you have it in your system you always have it, even though you are no longer ill & it won't become active again...kind of like chicken pox.It was no fun & I remember my mother freaking & getting rid of our cats, although the damage was done & it really wasn't necesary.I had the mono after that, I think the fibro has been brewing in me for a long, long time & may have stemed from these illnesses.I'd be interested in talking with you more on this aswell as your fibro group...does it help you?sass


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

That is interesting sass and a little unnerving at the same time. I think we all want some answers, but are not likely to get any in the near future. It seems to be a very complicated disorder. Yes, I think going to my fibro group has helped. Some people, I think, stay away because they think it might be just a big pity party. I find I learn things as well as the sharing helps. We laugh too, as we can all talk about things and relate. "Normal" people, just don't get fibro. You really have to experience it. ------------------


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## Guest (Jul 21, 1999)

Hi Moldie,You are right...answers would be heavenly! I HATE not knowing why my brain goes to sleep on me during a bad flare up, WHAT HAPPENS IN THERE?!And you hit the nail on the head as far as some people thinking that a fibro support group may just be a "pitty party"!I live only 3 blocks from our hospital where they hold once every month & I refuse to go for just that reason.I'm also SO &*(&%*###^&&^!!?#### angry at this illness that I refuse to acknowledge it to the point of joining a group.This forum sat dormant for a long time & then one day I screwed up enough courage to do the first post & see if people would follow....well they did.But believe me, it took alot for me (& still does at times) to talk about this bloody curse!!There's my venting for the day...I'll put my happy face back on now







sass


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

I wanted to join a support group from the very beginning. In fact, I acutally chose to go to the very first fibro meeting in the area instead of going to my 20th anniv. award banquet for work! How stupid, I realize that now; but that was how much I wanted to seek support. My immediate household family was not that supportive, and no other family lived in the same area. I had basically one friend who was very understanding, but since she didn't know much about it, I was seeking others with the same experiences. Perhaps it was to confirm the feelings I was feeling were real. After two docs confirmed what I had,(but couldn't do much about); I took my husband to one of the meetings later on. After the meeting he said to me "Are you sure you really have this?" I was incensed that he would ask me such a thing. Where had he been when I was going through all this? He wasn't very happy when I quit work, as my IBS was taking over with D and proctalgia. He had gotten used to the extra income. My teenage sons totally dismiss it, and think I'm being such a baby. That's hard to take; as I grew up knowing what hard work is on a farm, and had worked summers, when I wasn't going to school, ever since I was 16. I worked the pm. shift after I had my children so I could be with them during the day and my husband could take care of them in the evening. Nursing is a very demanding job and I had difficulty keeping up the pace. I was angry at first about this and all the changes I had to make in my life, but anger just sprirals you into depression and I didn't want to go there for very long, (it's too depressing). I can wait around until that truck hits me, but it can be a long wait, and I also realized God doesn't exactly approve of suicide. I read the book "Why Bad Things Happen to Good People" trying to get a grasp on things. Basically what it says is s--t happens. God isn't in so control of things as I was taught or perhaps does not want to be. People, stormfronts, bacterial organisms, genetic changes, all happen sproratically. It is left up to how we handle the circumstances that happen to us. I can't change what has happened; I can only be informed the best I can, so I can deal with it better.Did you ever get the Fibromyalgia Network's newsletter? They helped me keep informed before I joined my support group. Now I learn about things from my support group so I don't subscribe anymore. It really helped to know that someone was actually researching this condition and the different things they were finding out about it. Their address is (see name above), P.O. Box 31750, Tucson, AZ 85751-1750. Toll free #: 1-800-853-2929. They'll be glad to send you info.No problem with the venting. We are all here for that too. It's hard for us to put on that smiley face all the time when we feel like s--t; but we try. It's especially easy to do it here, isn't it?  (well if I if I wasn't having fibro-fog, I'd remember how to do it. I'll try it again the other way.







------------------[This message has been edited by moldie (edited 07-21-99).]


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## Guest (Jul 27, 1999)

I had rheumatic fever as a child. Now, help me with this guys and gals. The GI diagnosed me with crohn's in Jan. Removed the gallbladder in April, In June he said the crohn's is in remission and now I have IBS. Yesterday (I'm feeling better by the way) I was describing my pains and fatigue and he said that sounded like Fibromyalgia. I haven't even looked it up yet, what is it? TIA. Becky


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

Hi mcbec1, If you go to the top of this BB and click on search and type in Fibromyalgia, or for example trigger points, it might lead you to a posting on which it has been explained further. Of course the typing Fibromyalgia into one of the search engines/or your home page explorer to find will give you more information as well. There are also some good books at the library on it. Good luck, and keep us posted. A Rheumotologist will most likely have a pamphlet on it too. (Sorry, I'm too lazy to type all that info out for you now, although I believe I have in the past, so you should be able to find mine and probably others in your search.------------------


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## Guest (Aug 4, 1999)

Just catching up on the postings, here. I have a mitral valve prolapse which the doc said could have been due to Rheumatic Fever as a kid, but more likely a defect I was born with. It's interesting to note that my 85 yr old father has a "heart murmur" also, as well do 2 of my sisters and those sisters also have fibro and IBS. So, who really knows? Also, I had strep throat very many times as a child and young adult. Kind of makes me want to go "hmmm". Interesting question. For me, one of the big frustrations is that I'm supposed to be getting regular moderate exercise for; my hypertension, osteoporosis, IBS,high cholesterol, and depression, but....the pain in and around my joints from the fibro simply do not allow me to even go for a walk regularly, especially the pain in my hips, knees, and feet. Last time I looked, you needed those parts to work at least half decently in order to walk. Bummer, no IBS pun intended. So, instead of walking, I fly in my dreams or downhill ski!


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## moldie (Sep 25, 1999)

I do most of my exercises sitting, lying or on my hands and knees plus standing and crouching stretches with some isometrics. I know I should do more in the aeorobic department though. Wow, you are so brave to downhill ski MP2. I'm always afraid I'll break something, be out of commission, and get stiff, not to mention the pain. I am such a baby(maybe my kids were right).------------------


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