Just wondering and trying to piece together where this supposely hereditary RA came from.....no one in my family has had RA. I had a dad (he passed away 4years ago) that had polio when he was 2. He was in and out of the hospital and was one of the fortunate ones.His leg was alot smaller then the other one but he was able to have a somewhat normal life. He played baseball in school and was prom king.
So what I am curious about is this: Does anyone have a mom or dad that had polio and now has RA?
CinDee
Hummmm.... never thought of the relationship. My mother had polio when she was about 7... She survived with no problems, but has passed on. My dad had arthritis, don't know if he had RA, but he had OA for sure. He died in 1964. I'm curious, as you are, if there is any connection. I dunno. My parents never had it. But I have JRA. Think there's a difference in that?I am just trying to figure out this stupid RA stuff. I have some much info running through my mind. MY ra doc said I have a choice to make between enbrel and humira. I have been online reading so much crap and trying to piece it all together and the thought of polio and my dad came into my scattered brain. I have a whole page of questions written on a piece of paper to ask my doc about. I am so confused about what meds to take (enbrel / humira). I think what it will come down to is what I can afford. I also am trying to sort out the disability. I am going to try to get disability but if I wait to get my shots the damage to my joints will be done. My hubbie has been great and says we will get a loan if we have to. What if it doesn't work and we wasted all the money. I'm giving myself a big headache with all this stuff running through my mind. uggggg!Actually...yes. My dad had polio when he was three and was in an ironDo you mean a parent having polio then their child having RA as if the polio had caused a 'defect' (?) to be passed on to a child? or someone who had polio developing RA later in life?
I know someone who had polio as a child and developed RA in middle life but I've never heard of a connection. Mind you, I knew nothing about RA until last summer.
I don't know about the polio/RA connection. No one in my family as far back as anyone can remember had RA. But both my daughter and myself have FM.
CinDee, regarding medications and disability decisions. Even if you try for disability, you will still have to keep going to doctors or Social Security will not take your claim seriously. What you have to figure out is how to keep insurance or go on a state insurance program so that you can get your medicines.
If you already have insurance through either yourself or your husband, then you will want to see how you can keep that insurance. Hopefully, your husband has good insurance on you. But the costs of medicines can really be high, even with insurance. In that case, you will want to ask your doctor about Patient Assistance programs that will help you get these more expensive medications.
I know it all seems a muddle right now. You've already taken a good step in putting it down on paper and researching it. It might help to take each of your questions and make separate postings on them. For instance, post the question about which is best, Humira or Enbrel. Some people have tried both. Like you said, you have all these facts. But I think what you are looking for is some real experience. The same thing with your insurance and disability questions. I know a lot of people give good answers and their variety can really be helpful in your making your own decisions.
I have RA. No one in family ever had polio. CinDee, I was told by my RA doc, that my form of RA was not hereditary based, but stress related. I know of no one in my family with RA or Polio