Ok, I am starting to freak out - who among you have close family members (or worse still children) who now have this disease?

I am so scared for my nearly 16 yo daughter who is a beautiful dancer (and an even more beautiful person) and a wonderful son who is a runner and is at University.

I am interested (and terrified - but I need to know) whether anyone else has inherited this - or passed it on. I can cope with this, but I don't know what I will do if they are affected.

Thanks

Lyn

From what I've read, MS isn't technically inherited (in the way Cystic Fibrosis is, for example) but having a family member makes one statistically more likely than average.

That said, my father had MS. My aunt and I have wracked our brains trying to remember some relative who had symptoms but might have gone undiagnosed, but we can't.

I worry every time my son says he's "really exhausted" or my daughter clumsily stubs her toe. But then, that's me.

I have a very large family, no one else has MS, but none that I know of have ever had mononucleosis.

My Dad had MS. He was never clinically diagnosed but I came to the conclusion after I was dx and I looked back on all his sx. He had so many things going on with his health that MS was never seriously looked at.

My cousin has MS. My Dad's brothers daughter.

That's the only ones I know about. I know of nobody in DH's family that has/had it.

I know how you feel, Lynn. My oldest son has had some of the classic MS sx in the past and it worries me greatly. He's mentioned how it feels like something wet on his leg but nothing is there. He's also mentioned issues with his eyes. I know that could be any number of things but, as a Mother, I tend to think of the worst first.

I pray that none of our children ever has to deal with this disease. I'd rather mine get worse than for them to ever have to be burdened with it.

no one, not a one in my family has this disease.

My DD was DXed with MS about 10 years ago.. My Niece had a bit of a scare a few years ago but it was not DXed as MS. My Father had Polio as a child, but I don't know if that had anything to do with my MS?

My mother was diagnosed with MS at 22 - she's 83 now, living alone and walking with a walker. I had my first MS attack 12 years ago at age 43 - my MS is mild. My male first cousin on my mother's side was diagnosed with MS 11 years ago at age 50ish (his is progressive and not mild). My female first cousin's son (also on my mother's side) was diagnosed with MS about 3 years ago in his mid 30's (RRMS, but not mild).

My mother was the youngest of 8 children and the first one we know about in the family to get MS.

I don't stress about whether or not my kids or grandkids will get MS. If they do, we'll deal with it. I would fear cancer, car accidents, abuse etc. way more than MS.

I used to lie awake at night worrying over things that never came to be. Now I try very hard not to do that. Worrying has never made anything better or prevented anything form happening. Now taking precautions - that's another story!

C

I do know how scarry ms is. My cousin has it. She is also a part of a study in Ma. about families who have more than one member with this. This does not mean it will happen to your daughter. I am just telling you there are studies going on right now, to see if this has real genetic component. Dianne is my cousin, She got MS in her late 20's and is now 60 and still doing just fine. She had two aunts, Her mothers two sisters had the disease. As this was unususal, she was involved with the study. I know what is it like to worry over your daughter, but try not to anyway. There is research about this, that you can really find if you want to. I would find out this particular study for you that Dianne did, and what institution it was conducted in. I don't know much in the way of details, or how long this study lasts, maybe they follow the family for life, I am not sure. Scientists are hard at work, that much I know. They are trying very hard to crack this disease, there is more hope than ever before. Dianne never gave up, and never will, she may be one of the strongest people I have ever met. Soon I hope there will be more answers for all of us how have such illnesses. Ask your doctor too, about any information thats current. I will keep both you and your daughter in my prayers. I too have some conditions that have a genetic component, but both my children are still OK, and are now in their late 30's. ginnie

I am the only one in the family with MS but we have numerous family members, all women who have different auto immune diseases. Some of these have symptoms that mimic MS. I know it puts me and my daughters on high alert everytime they have something else wrong. Tonight my youngest told me that she has a lot of cold spots and numb sensations on her legs. My oldest has had neuropathy for a good while with no diagnosis

My sister and I are the only ones in our family to have MS.