My Sister has MS… I’ve started to question my own health

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
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My sister was diagnosed with MS years ago. I too have had health issues, autoimmune tests, gp believed I had lupus. They just kind of gave up and gave me the fibromyalgia title.

My sister is often shocked how similar my symptoms are to her? But is it hereditary? What’s the chances of siblings having it?

Here’s my symptoms- I’ve had many for years and I have good and bad days that turn into weeks.

Limbs feel like lead weights- I ‘run out’ of steps on a daily basis where walking gets harder and harder as everything is so heavy.

Pain and stiffness in joints

Hypersensitive thighs

Feel like hot water is running down my legs

Feel like ants are crawling on my hands

Weakness in both arms from the elbow. Struggle to lift things.- this is the new one.

Pain in fingers

Ulcer and coldsores

Light sensitivity

Weak bladder/ nothing can hold my wee in these days (could be childbirth related I don’t know)

Iam overweight- I’m 39- but I’ve been slim and overweight yet these symptoms have always been there.

Are these enough to ask the gp to look into MS.

I can’t even get life insurance because my sister has MS and it’s on my record that I have numbness in legs!

Thank you .

3 Likes
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I think you should talk to your GP, yes.

MS isn’t strictly speaking hereditary - my guess is that many on here, me included, know of no one else in our family with MS. But it is also true that it can show up quite a lot in some families so there is a genetic link. If you go on to the main part of this MS Society website and search on there you will find some info and risk factors relating to genes and MS.