Do you find that autoimmune disease runs in your family?

[eduk8]

I have two daughters with RA/ Fibro/ Alopecia/ and Psorisis. I am adopted so I am very curious. My adopted mother died from scleroderma which makes me wonder if it isn't environmental. I know, it's probably both. I am just interested in hearing from others. Thanks

[Hidden]

My dad had gout and diabetes type 2 and his father was the same I believe. I have hypothyroidism and I have a first cousin with RA. I think my gran might have been starting RA but she died in a car crash before it was properly diagnosed so I can't tell. My paternal grandparents both died when my dad was young so never met them and don't know if they would have developed AI diseases.

So my GP tells me that this counts as a strong family history of AI diseases. I don't think RA is environmental because statistically it crops up pretty evenly in countries across the globe i read. But I have read of people who had theirs triggered by events such a car crashes or other illnesses and sure mine is linked to hormones and menopause. TT

[Marnie87]

Hiya,

Both my mum and I have Coeliac disease.

But I have the largest collection now with Coeliac, RA, fibromyalgia

Hope that helps x

[urkdingright]

Oh, yes, with a big YES! My family is an autoimmune hodgepodge.

[ariadne]

My mum died of RA ( pulmonary fibrosis and hypertension, ) gran dad had RA and died at 48 of lymphoma, both mums sisters have RA, her brother has ankylosing spondylitis. Strong genetic link - I also carry the marker for AS (HLAB27), but I have lupus, RA, Sjogrens and raynauds. 3 of my 4 boys have diagnosed raynauds so far. All the women had sjogrens too.The cause is complex; Its genetic predisposition, combined with some unknown trigger. That may include a stressful event, hormonal ( such as post pregnancy or menopause) or even a bereavement ( in my case the lupus was post pregnancy and the RA followed the death of my father) .

[ariadne]

some people find that some viral infections seem to trigger the illnesses too, like glandular fever.

[Judi]

I was diagnosed with RA in about 1993/4 and on the first visit to my rheumatologist I told him that my Mum also had RA. He told me that ''It wasn't necessarily hereditary'' - I believe that the thinking on these lines has changed due to better knowledge these days. I should bring this up with him again (especially as my younger sister now has it). My thinking is that it has something to do with what genes you inherit.

[LavendarLady]

Hi there, I also have a family history of AI. Both my mother and myself had thyroid problems but hers was never properly diagnosed. My thyroid had to be removed 10 years ago and now on thyroxine for life. Mother's sister had both RA and OA and my Uncle (father's brother) developed RA in his early 60s.

Stress triggered off my RA following the death of my father and almost a year to the day later, the death of my beloved labrador. Went down with every infection under the sun that year which culminated in RA.

I also have mild Sjorgens according to my consultant.

My mother also had type 2 diabetes developing in her 60s and went onto inject insulin as the tablets had little effect after a while. Father had Osteo and had to have both hips replaced and grandfather had gout (although he never drank, ha ha - it is apparently caused by an excess of uric acid).

Cancer also runs in our family (I had breast cancer 17 years ago which thank god, was caught in time and my surgeon told me that is also immune linked).

I had glandular fever in my 20s as well. So there is clearly something in this running in families and possibly a hereditary link. It was one of the first things my consultant asked me - was there any RA in the family?

LavendarLady x

[LavendarLady in reply to LavendarLady]

Forgot to say I also have asthma as well and have done since 1992. don't know what caused that but it does run on my mother's side of the family. LL

[cathie]

My mother and paternal grandfather and aunt had ra, I've got asthma like my mother and hypothyroidism. Daughter is a wee bit asthmatic

Xx

[Hidden]

After the bit about asthma I checked out whether eczema is AI. I thought it wasn't - just psoryasis - but then I read this "eczema is not just a skin disease - it is a disease of the immune system that attacks the skin" - so having had chronic eczema all my life until menopause began I think I should include that probably too!?

[Glitterbear]

Do these things run in families ? Definitely! My maternal grandmother had RA, asthma and eventually died of cancer. My mum was arthritic. My twin sister had severe eczema and is now arthritic. My elder brother has RA. We all had various allergies. My maternal aunt was type two diabetic. I was severely asthmatic as a child. As a teen also I got psoriasis and RA. As an adult I added eczema and type two diabetes to the mix. My elder daughter had asthma and allergies as a child. My younger daughter had asthma and allergies also has Raynauds and is showing signs of RA. I am totally convinced autoimmune diseases run in families!

[eduk8]

Thanks everyone for answering. It sure does help to talk with others who have the disease.

[Tinwoman2]

Yes, I think it does run in families: my Grandmother had 'rhuematism', I have JRA/Lupus/Fibromyalgia/Sjogrens, my Mom & Dad had/have osteoarthritis, my Stepmom has Fibromyalgia, my Aunt died of ALS, one cousin has Lupus, a cousin has arthritis, a cousin & Uncle have diabetes and we have life-threatening allergies to nuts/foods/cats/dogs in my immediate & extended family.

[Beth58]

Does AI run in families...

Yes with some people however, my family have NO history of AI or any arthritic conditions. I guess if there is a family history that will be blamed and if not it will be put down to environmental and lifestyle or traumatic/infection triggered.

Mind you my mother is now 77 and no arthritis other than osteo, my father died at 58 all my grandparents died young and all but one of my aunts/uncles are now dead all with varying conditions.

I'm 52 now but lived with family members dying young. Or maybe in those days they just weren't diagnosed?

My generation;

Out of 6 of us we all have problems.

My sister has severe RA since 17 and sjogrens, her hands are now so deformed they're useless most of the time,

My brother had severe juvenile arthritis age 2 which seemed to go into remission as a child, he now has hip and knee problems.

My other brother is almost deaf.

My other sister has epilepsy, chronic lung problems and I had juvenile arthritis from age 7/8 which went on to develop into Ankylosing Spondylitis, Kidney disease, sjogrens syndrome and uncontrolled (despite medication) high BP.

So who knows it seems whatever fits gets the blame.

Beth xxx

[mark45]

hi im adopted and ive just found my birth mother cous i av r.a. and ive found out all my natural uncles had it i also av diabetes ive found out that runs on my fathers side so i hit the jackpot lol

[Ladyguest]

My brother has ankylosing spondylitis. Our mother died of lupus. Our mother is our adopted mother and my brother and I were adopted from different families so no genetics involved here just environment. I want to figure out how they both got Autoimmune diseases that have a genetic basis. I feel I might have a mild case of fibro. When I was 11 years old I spent the summer on the couch feeling nauseous and aching all over. That same summer, our mom got sick with lupus. We had just spent the previous two years on an island in the Caribbean. I feel something on that island triggered something in my mom and my brother and perhaps in me too. So I agree with you that something in the environment is also at work here.

[eduk8 in reply to Ladyguest]

Wow, thanks for sharing. I have yet to meet someone in the same boat. The adopted mother thing and then all of the other stuff. We, adopted mom, me, and my kids were all diagnosed within 5 - 10 years of each other. My brother has celiac, I have ra with mild fibro, my daughters have fibro and one has ra and the other has psoriatic arthritis! It's crazy. No one on my biological mother's side has autoimmune except for allergies and asthma. I don't know my dad's side at all. I am quarter Cherokee and I have heard that RA is more common amongst Indians.