PA and family links

[24yearsandcounting]

i just want to say to the people who have replied to me that i shall be away for a few days - maybe more - as i have to take my husband to Papworth Hospital for open heart surgery. i will get back to you when i can.

One thing i really want to know is how close do relatives have to be ,to contribute to 'family history'?

I wrote an enquiry about this, some 8-10 days ago but never received a reply. My granny had an identical twin (Eliza) who lost 3 of her children; one to PA, (a young female): one to Neurasthenia, (a young man just back from WW1) and a toddler to cause unknown. I searched Neurasthenia and found many references to PA. Eliza had no grandchildren. My actual granny (Alice) had 2 children, my dad who was often tired, but lived till 95.

any thoughts anyone??

[Narwhal10]

Hi 24years,

I hope all goes well for your husband and you. Plus, everything goes as smoothly as possible.

Maybe you speed read my reply or have so much to juggle especially with your circumstances. Yes there is a Genetic Link, although as yet, the scientists have not produced the research to comment which Chromosome the PA/B12D is located on. They would also say which allele and loci.

If it is PA, then all autoimmune diseases need a trigger. It could be a virus, an infection, pregnancy, menopause or even a broken leg. Sounds silly doesn’t it ? It is medically called an insult. Same with the condition of B12D, something has upset our inner workings.

Now, Neurasthenia is an old fashioned medical term which you will not hear or read about any more. But other people who have traced their Family History and have Pernicious Anaemia report seeing the same diagnosis of Neurasthenia on family death certificates.

So, it looks like Eliza had the gene, currently little known about her. It was triggered in her 1st child at an early age, her young daughter died because of PA. Eliza’s second child, was exposed to all sorts of chemicals and environments fighting in the war. This most probably triggered his PA. He died as a consequence. Eliza’s third child also died, very young and most probably is connected with PA.

So, what was different about Granny Alice ? She too may have had the gene but it was not triggered. So is referred to as a Carrier. She could have passed it to your Dad and again, it was not triggered (again, he is known as a Carrier) but then you came along and the gene lay dormant until possibly the 1970’s. It is when you reported you started experiencing neuropsychiatric symptoms.

So, that is Mendelian inheritance in a nutshell. Oh and just for fun, one Valentine’s Day for a laugh, I once sent a Consultant Geneticist a card signed from ? To this day, he doesn’t know it was me. Hee hee.

Sending my very best wishes.

[24yearsandcounting in reply to Narwhal10]

thanks friend; i will print it out and read it instead of biting my nails all day! i have read it already - quickly. Pete went a few weeks ago for the op, and sat all ready to go from 6.30 am till 3 pm when they told him he had been cancelled - an emergency came in and had to be seen to. i shall go mad!!!

PS love your grammar and punctuation. i wish it would capitalise the 'i'

[Nackapan]

Although very different presentations and symptoms. My mum

Myself

My youngest daughter

All need B12 injections 💉

[Funkyfaerie]

How strange, our family names are the same! ☺My great grandmother "Alice" lived well in to her 90's, don't know about PA with her... My grandmother "Eliza" had PA around 60, but treatable by then... I have it and out of four siblings my brother has it, but no other relatives that I know of... None of her children had it... Hope that's not too confusing!?

Strange how just a few developed it, if it is genetic, and my consultant told me it is, he wasn't surprised when I told him about my Nan!

[Ghound]

Wishing your husband a speedy recovery and all the very best to you both xx

[MoKayD]

In my family, myself, my daughter, my sister, my cousin's daughter, and I'm convinced my grandmother had it but was undiagnosed. None of us were tested for PA but have been prescribed B12 shots by our doctors. My doctor feels testing for PA is so often wrong he bases treatment on symptoms and B12 testing.

[JanCymru]

From my family experience, yes, there is a link - my Mum was diagnosed very late in life (80's) after me pestering her GP to check her, especially as her own Dad had PA. So, 3 generations in that family line for us. I think B12 as a vitamin/treatment wasn't discovered that long ago. My grandad had to eat raw liver. And many died simply because the condition was unheard of. I can't direct you to the history, but the PA website is a really good source of information. Best wishes with your husband's surgery, hope all goes well and recovery is swift too.