Hi Winny.

Mum has Sjogrens and hypothyroidism and had endometriosis treated in
her 30s by hysterectomy..  (endo is now thought to be autoimmune)
Daughter has hypothyroidism, MVP, and a positive ANA (but no other
autoimmune dx at this time - she's 20)
Sister has SLE (dx about 15 yrs. ago) and was recently dx'd with MS as
well.  Sister had endometriosis treated a couple of years ago
(hysterectomy)
Brother has no AI diagnosis but wears a constant "butterfly" rash and
has for several years.  He has a lot of AI-like symptoms but of course
he's a man so a) he doesn't care what they call it just fix it and b)
most docs miss AI disease in men.
I have UCTD/FM/Raynaud's and probably Sjogren's made worse by
medications used to treat the various things going wrong due to the
UCTD.
Aunt and Cousin (My mom's sister and niece) both had endo - I believe
both have had hysterectomies but am not certain.  Cousin had hers when
very young and it was *severe* - Aunt also has MVP.  

In addition to all this - there are some indicators that the gene for
Marfan's Syndrome is present in my maternal grandfather's family that
has been passed down but expressed "mildly" - this would account for
my very tall Aunt, her very tall kids, and my daughter's incredibly
long limbs.  Same aunt and daughter that have MVP - common in
Marfan's.

we're a fun lot aren't we?  :-)

I will say that despite all of that - only one family member is
looking at life-threatening illness at this point - my 44 y.o. sister
with the MS.

'zat help? :P

the party line is:  Most families will not have multiple SLE diagnoses
but will have instead a variety of autoimmune conditions if caused by
a genetic predisposition.
***********************************
KCat - I am not a medical professional.  The contents of this post are based soley on my experiences and opinions
http://www.ghg.net/schwerpt/kcspages/
http://www.ghg.net/schwerpt/ASLFAQ/

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My son is having symptoms:Joint pain, some rash, fatigue, unexplained
fevers.
My little sister has the rash, fevers, and joint pain when she has the rash
this is all unexplained.
My grandmother has Sjogrens, positive ANA, joint pain and fatigue...no
diagnoses of Lupus though.
These are on both sides of the family tree.
My great grandmother had rheumatoid arthritis which is what I have along
with Lupus.
I can see a family connection.

My mother died of MS at near 80 years old after having about 30 plus
years.

I'm male, 76 years old and haven known having Lupus for about 5 years
now.

I have often wondered that in 1982 I had a four plus Staph infection
and was give some pretty strong medication for five days and that may
have messed up my immune system. I keep wondering what could have
started my having Lupus as i'm the only one to have it, both sides of
my family. I am half Seminole-Creek Native American.

Maybe some day there will be an answer.

No one formally diagnosed with lupus except me, but... my daughters
(ages 12 and almost 15)both have some problems that are very much like
things that were going on with me at that age.  I wasn't diagnosed
until 5 years ago.

Gretchen

My uncle had it, my brother might have it.
I have autoimmune thyroid.
He and I seem to get things around the same time (sister, brother and me
thyroid)..now he and I elevated glucose levels.
However he's the one with the consistently elevated ANA and had the malar rash.
(I don't know if he still has it or not).
J

I am 50 years old and was DXd with Lupus about 5 years ago.  This was after
many years of "something wrong" but no one knew what.  I have a first cousin
with confirmed RA.

My grandmother (same side of the family) - whom we lived with when I was a
child, had enormous joints on her hands and feet.  We are talking about a PA
Dutch woman who was married in 1900 and probably never went to a doctor.
She had all her children at home and had to cut holes in the bedroom
slippers she always wore so that the pressure on her joints was relieved.

When encountering a situation like this, it is very difficult to get to the
heart of the matter.  Science and society were both very different then.
How can you say if someone from that generation and with that socialization
had a disease?  You can only guess, and do your best to pass the information
on to future generations.

My family is filled with similar ills and possible links............. both
maternal and paternal - I am of partial Native American descent, part
Irish...

My entire family has arthritis of one sort or another, sun sensitivity in my
grandaughter and son as well as three nephews and neices - my daughter has
had many questionalbe problems.... I was a DES baby - from the fifties when
woemen miscarried they gave them this - so for much of my life it was either
linked to this or arthritis or central nervous symptoms..... I have had four
doctors in my life tell me that I have Lupus SLE.... I have had four tell me
I have MCTD.... I have had four tell me I was simply menopausal and somewhat
imbalanced.....

what does one do?
the best I can

Leslie

In my family tree there's every autoimmune disease under the sun.

Nina