Familial Autoimmunity
 

Hey guys!

Curious to know if anyone else here has family members who suffer from other autoimmune diseases. It's rampant in my family!

Dad-- Dermatomyositis and psoriasis
Dad's sister-- Hashimoto's thyroiditis
mom-- Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and pernicious anemia
mom's bro-- Congenital celiac's disease
mom's sister- Diabetes and arthritis
mom's other sis- oopharitis (not sure about the spelling, autoimmune attack on ovaries)

Wow...I've never listed it that way before...Kinda startling :eek:

Also, does anyone here have additional autoimmune diseases on top of the MG? I have antibodies to my thyroid, ANA and anti-dsdna, but no diagnosis, just inexplicable joint pain/inflammation.

Sorry to pry!:o

Hi

yeap my family also have autoimmune diseases

Grandad Paternal - Pernicious Aneamia
Father- Alopecia
Mother- Fibromyalgia
Sister - Fibromyalgia and ME
me - Alopecia and MG *when I get a diagnosis*

No, Thankfully I am the only one is the family with a chronic illness. I have MG, Fibro and Alpha-1. I don't mind being the only one, in fact I am glad it is me and not them that are ill because I have the mindset to deal with it. :D oh and I have Hypothyroidism.

yes
 

Hi everyone! My family also has some Autoimmune diseases - more on one side than the other.

Dad- Psoriasis and MS
Dad's sister- Parkinsons (is that autoimmune or not).
Dad's sister- Arthritis - severe
mom- Arthritis - moderate
My brother - healthy.... so far

I don't have any other autoimmune conditions myself (I have endometriosis, but I'm otherwise pretty healthy). You mentioned joint pain and inflamation - I too sometimes get sore joints, especially my toes. Apparently I have a bunion, but It's only the joint, no yucky blister-type thing.

Take care all!
~Kathy

I am the only person in my family with an AI disorder.

Nick, You're not prying, just being curious.

I have MG and celiac disease. Other people in my family have or have had polymyositis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, allergies, pernicious anemia, hypothyroidism and MS. Don't forget about allergies and asthma. They are autoimmune conditions too!

I like this excerpt from this book about autoimmune diseases:

Autoimmunity - book

"That's not the way genetics works in autoimmune disease. In autoimmune disease, multiple genes are involved; we have genes that collectively increase the vulnerability or susceptibility to autoimmune disease. What is inherited is not a specific gene that causes a specific defect in metabolism; several genes increase vulnerability or susceptibility to autoimmune disease."

Noel R. Rose, M.D., Ph.D.
Chairman Emeritus, AARDA National Scientific Advisory Board; Professor of Pathology and of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology; Director, Center for Autoimmune Disease Research, Bloomberg School of Public Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD


Although, I have to wonder about the absolute nature of this. People with ankylosing spondylitis have a specific gene that predisposes them to having the illness. Maybe it's other genes being screwed up that push someone over into "disease land."

Annie

My dad had diabetes, as well as one brother. Interestingly, I have an aunt on my dad's side with RA that had a very high fever illness at about the same age that I had mine, and she told me she's wondered for years if I would develop some autoimmune condition and lo and behold - here I am.

I'm wondering about my mom and a very mild case of MG, which makes me wonder if mine isn't congential myasthenic syndrome. I may find out fairly soon. I'll post when I get more info on me. By the way, she also had an illness with very high fever when she was younger.

Mothers side, Lupus & gout, fathers side Rheumatoid. Before my grandparents, who knows ! They didn't have the knowledge they have today, so people suffered from things that could have been autoimmune .
Mary