My mom was Hypothyroid. I don't know anything about my father or his side of the family, so that part remains a mystery.

My Dad was diabetic (never took insulin - just a pill).

Now that I think about it I am wondering if he may have had MS and nobody knew because of all his other health issues (heart, diabetes, blood pressure).

The last several years of his life he suffered with numbness in his hands. He assumed it was from the diabetes.....but who knows? He also suffered with terrible itching on his back but no sign of a skin condition. I suffer from this, too, but I know it's from MS. Even though he was in a wheelchair he would tell me about bouts of dizziness and vertigo he'd have. I told the doctor but they just chalked it up to his blood pressure and the heart medication he took.

I'll never know but I've often wondered if he perhaps had it, too, but just never knew.

http://www.aarda.org/patient_information.php

Here's a longer list of Autoimmune diseases but it is not copyable because its a pull down list.

Wow...thanks for your responses. It's amazing to read what people are dealing with, and how our families' health histories help us connect the dots (or not).
My family had a host of problems. My dad had psoriasis...pretty bad, in fact. He also had arthritis in his knees, hips and back, which makes me wonder if he had psoriatric arthritis, an autoimmune disease.
He died of a massive heart attack when he was 56.
My mom had rheumatic fever when she was 14...and got St. Vitus' Dance as a result. She couldn't attend high school because of it. She also had type 2 diabetes, a stroke when she was 43, near-fatal heart attack when she was 47, and died of lung cancer when she was 57.
My sister had rheumatic fever twice-once when she was 5 and again when she was 10. Also has type 2 diabetes, hypothyroidism, and a near fatal heart attack when she was 56.
I have hypothyroidism, fibro, arthritis, some weird rashes/marks on my lower legs/ankles, as well as all the neuro stuff.
I was wondering in particular if my arthritis is connected to an autoimmune disease, because it's becoming rampant in my whole body now. I'm worried about it, but can't get the medical profession to help me connect the dots with all of this.
Wish that the docs would sit down with you and go over family history, sxs, tests, etc in detail, instead of the usual 15 minutes that the insurance company allows.

Thanks again for all of your input!!

Maybe it would be worthwhile to see if your Dr will refer you to an immunologist?

Not that it would give you additional weapons against MS, I think you would find getting the broader picture of autoimmunity/inflammatory disease interesting.

Bob

The only known illness in my HUGE extended family is schizophrenia, but with the size of her family, even that was probably statistically normal. No MS, no diabetes, no RA . . .

My mom had 17 brothers and sisters, and there are now many, many relatives in that clan. My dad was an only child, but nothing on his side either.

I am an anomoly.

Cherie

Yes, that's true.

I find this concept interesting too, Bob. Someone here did just that and I was looking forward to what insight the doctor might have into her suspected MS. We really never found out because that's how she came to be dxed with Lyme (instead of MS!) but I would really love to hear someone's thoughts from that perspective. I think at some point I'll be switching MS specialists and I recently found out that the person I might be going to also has a degree and special interest in neuro-immunology. Makes this recommendation very appealing to me! (Unfortunately, right now they're not covered under my current insurance.)

Great Grandfather had "creeping paralysis" (MS) Had plagued the family for years then sorta disappeared until "lucky Me".
Mother has Scleroderma
Aunts have Hashimotos and RA
Sister has Sjourens syndrome

All of these are autoimmune

Of my 5 sibs, one sister has Grave's and her daughter is being treated for undx lupas.

Neither of my parents,

2 uncles, 4 grandparents, nada.

13 first cousins, nada.

Nothing in the limited recorded family history of either side.

Sissy and I blame the manicure kit we shared as kids.




Could that be granuloma annulare? I have it, and don't let them kid you, it hurts like crazy when it gets bumped!