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Thread: Auto Immune Family

  1. #1
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    Default Auto Immune Family

    Hi all

    As some of you will know I am the third generation in my family to have an auto immune condition - Granddad had Lupus, Mum has Rheumatoid Arthritis and I have Wegs. I can now exclusively reveal that my sister has joined the party and was recently diagnosed with Lupus with secondary Raynauds.

    We all laughed about it initially as between myself and Mum we've seen and done it all in relations to doctors, meds and hospitals. There isn't much she will go through that we cant help her with.

    It has always been on my mind that I could pass down the genes for auto immune disease to any children I have, i'd like to think that that's it now with my family but I don't think so some how.
    "I believe that I have seen a negative attitude kill people, but I don't think that a positive one will cure you. However, I know that it Helps". Jack

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    Yup it's the gift that keeps on giving. My Dad and my sister both have auto immune issues.
    Forum Administrator
    Diagnosed March 2003.
    Currently but not permanetly residing in Canberra, Australia.

  3. #3
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    Wow,I never thought of it being heredartary (sp ?) I am the only one in my immediate family that has it. I don't know about other relatives.

    Sorry about your sisters ,Freaky and Andrew, as well as your Dad.
    Life isn't about how you survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain !

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    I am also the first in my family. But this is already something I had been thinking about. Its your immune system. One would tend to believe it has to some how be genetic.

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    I've always read that there could be a genetically passed down pre-disposition to autoimmune diseases. That makes sense to me more than to think actual specific diseases would be passed down genetically. But the inherited pre-disposition, something about the immune system, could make it more likely that an autoimmune disease could be triggered in a family member of someone who already had one, and possibly not the same one. That seems to be the scenario here. I myself am the only one in my immediate family with an AI disease, but I have an aunt with RA, and my siblings and my dad have had some sinus issues which I never had until I got WG, so who knows what might happen given a trigger at a susceptible moment.
    Last edited by annekat; 08-25-2014 at 03:36 PM.
    Anne, dx'ed April 2011

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    All my first cousins (11) have autoimmune problems. Mainly thyroid issues. My mom had issues and my dad had myastenia gravis. Now I have WG and my sister lupus. We got the whoppers!!
    I am a strong person, but every now and then I also need someone to take my hand & say everything will be alright....

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    My mum thinks she has an AI disease although she's only been diagnosed with RA. I think for now RA is enough for her to deal with as its pretty severe and even RTX didn't work for her.

    Its good to hear we arnt the only awesome family out there collecting AI diseases.
    "I believe that I have seen a negative attitude kill people, but I don't think that a positive one will cure you. However, I know that it Helps". Jack

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    As I understand it, RA is an autoimmune disease, and can sometimes be very severe. It seems pretty common in the population and thus may be dismissed by people; they may think of it as "just arthritis" and not be aware of how severe and damaging it can be. And then there are those unlucky ones of us (not me, so far) who have more than one autoimmune disease.
    Anne, dx'ed April 2011

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    I remember now that my mothers sister had RA. She had it so bad that she was crippled up from it. To be honest I never knew of that being an AI disease until this forum, I just thought it being worse than regular arthritis.
    Life isn't about how you survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain !

  10. #10
    rif Guest

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    My son is the one with Wegs, I have low thyroid and his father was diagnosed with Fabrys a few years ago. My mum and couple of her sisters also had low thyroid and my father had RA. Never thought about this before.

    Rif

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