Research shows that the sooner they get started on DMTs the better.
Symptoms e.g. fatigue, etc.
The chances of having MS are significantly higher if they have a close relative with it.
My late brother had MS (diagnosed in the 90s), his eldest child developed MS and I was diagnosed with MS in December last year.
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That’s a tragic example of how statistics can work against you - sorry to hear that.
Apparently the chance of contracting MS in the UK is 1:450.
If a parent has MS, the chances go down to 1:80 for a son and 1:40 for a daughter.
If a sibling has MS, your chances are 1:20 and the same for non-identical twins.
However, if twins are identical, if one contracts MS the chances of the other getting it are 1:5.
My Aunt (Dad’s sister) had MS but that was regarded as of no relevance. It has to be a direct line.
After my diagnosis aged 58, I bought my kids (then 16 & 25) some vitamin D supplements.
Hiya John CCCC,
I was diagnosed 20+ years ago any my neurologist spoke to me about dmt’s on my diagnosis appointment; their thought process was that dmt’s could reduce the number of relapses and help reduce the level of the relapses ~ my diagnosis date was October (end of month) and I started Rebif (beta intereron) in January (start).
MS and my family on maternal side…
Grandfather had MND
Grandmother had MS
Aunt had MS (mum’s sister passed age 36 in 1976)
Mother has MS (diagnosed early 80’s)
Me has MS (diagnosed 1999/2000); as I’ve grown up with MS in the family when I started experiencing MS niggles mid 80’s I went to gp who sent me to hospital and they did physical checks and said not MS.
Then in the late 90’s I started to have issues again with pins & needles and some numbness so went to my new(ish) surgery and the doctor I saw told me it was ‘all in my head’ so I reiterated my concerns so they would refer me to a neurologist; I’m still waiting for that appointment.
I then went private and paid for MRI & VEP (evoked potentials tests) & Wouldn’t have LP and then went back to neurologist who discussed the results of my MRI and VEP and confirmed I do have MS.
When I went to see my gp following my diagnosis he made a double appointment for me to see the gp that told me my concerns were ‘all in my head’ as going forward I will possibly/absolutely need my surgery more - when I attend the appointment I spoke to the doctor about my last appointment with them and then I explained that I do actually have MS so it clearly wasn’t an issue I’d blown up in my head. I then spoke about the fact that I only got my diagnosis by going private and based on that I felt that them as a member of the NHS had let me down and how many other patients had they possibly let down? They were very apologetic (as they should be) and now I have to see them they arè very good.
Note; its clear to see that in my family on the maternal side MS has been and is present but that dosen’t mean to say thats the finding with all those diagnosed by MS.
Take care
Vke
There’s good info on the main part of this MS Society site about family history and genetic risk factors.
Also the MS Trust
Risk of developing MS | MS Trust.