Does anyone ever worry about.... | Arthritis Information

Does anyone ever worry about passing RA on to their children??

The other day my 25 year old son was visiting and got up from sitting down and OMG he was walking like me!!!! I asked him what was wrong and he said his ankles and top of his feet hurt!! My heart sank, but he reassured me it was just from playing too much Lacrosse and he was out of shape.

Also my daughter got really ill at college a few years ago with a rash like bruises on her lower legs and severe join pain in her hips, knees and ankles. The doctor there said it was Erythoma Nodosum (sp?) from strep throat

It just breaks my heart if my kids have to go through this!!!!

Sorry about any misspells or typos. I just noticed the spell check here though. I am not a Techie!!! Lol!!! Oh no it says I have to download something if I want to use the spellcheck?? YIKES!!!!

Yes, I worry about it all the time. I wished I would have known about it earlier in my life and could have made more informed decisions.

Hind site is 20/20.

I have two children. 17 & 13 and my son's already been tested for RA. He complained of his hands very simular to mine when I started so I asked his doctor to check it when they were running some blood work. He's negative.....but then again so am I. I think he goes through short spells where a lot of his symptoms could be thought of that way; but as of now it hasn't been anything serious. BUT to get to the point the long way around; yes. I too worry about that. I think a lot of us do.

My youngest son is 28 - he has been having problems with his elbow and both shoulders - his PCP kept saying tendonitis and stuff, but finally he reffered him to a rheumy - he goes in May - I am keeping my fingers crossed that it's not RA, but it wouldn't surprise me if that's what it is. If I knew then what I know now I would have still had my kids and do what I am doing now pray they never know this disease up close and personal. Hugs and good vibes.Thank you all!!! Glad to know I am just not being neurotic, well maybe a little!!!!Daisy, Yes, I worry too. And my ten year old has probable RA. At first If felt almost responsible, but thanks to support here on the board from JRA 'ers I realize that its better to find out early and begin treatment. Its also possible for RA to go into remission, a constant prayer. I also have a 25 year old son and he stays sore from sports, etc. He is fine,try not to worry. They say RA is not proven to heriditary. Anyway worry gets us no where. I worry to... lets try not to? Ginni

Nobody in my family before me on either side as far back as anyone can remember, ever had RA. I'm hoping it begins and ends with me, and that neither of my children suffer like I have. I didn't have symptoms until I was 37, and they came on very quickly. My daughter will be 24 this year, and my son is 18. If they are so unfortunate as to get it, I hope I am living my life as an example of grace and positive mental attitude so that they won't allow this disease to devastate them, as it so easily can.

I pray this daily.

I hope if any of our sons do get it, they will get DXed earlier than a lot of us did, AND the treatments keep getting better and better. There is HOPE for all of us and our kids.

[QUOTE=Daisy]I hope if any of our sons do get it, they will get DXed earlier than a lot of us did, AND the treatments keep getting better and better. There is HOPE for all of us and our kids. [/QUOTE]

Amen, sister!

Hey! Where'd my mouse avatar go?

I'm more worried that I will pass on Type 1 Diabetes and wasn't going to EVER have children because I'd had it since I was 12. My husband felt otherwise and I didn't get RA until I was PG with the 1st DD. I will be very sad if they get either one, and have from time to time wondered if they got IT! But my girls are the best thing I ever did for myself and neither disease is a death sentence. I can't imagine the heartbreak that parents who have devastating hereditary diseases must go through.

Deidre I worry everyday that I will pass this on. Everyone on my maternal side of the family has arthritis. My oldest daughter does. Now my youngest daughter (12) has popped up with very red, swollen, and painful hands. She is going to the doc on Thursday morning. Sigh. OH no!!! I am so sorry. I hope the best for her.I didn't know it was in my family. My daughter was a teenager before I was diagnosed. Now, going through letters that relatives have given me, I know that my mother had it - and probably my great-grandfather - plus other aunts, great-aunts, etc. We never talked about it. My mother would say her hands and feet hurt, and her wrists hurt, but I didn't really understand.

I have moderate RA, so it's a lot easier to say I'm glad I didn't know. I might not have had my daughter, and I'm glad she's here. I have more good days than bad, at least for now. And I'm one of those who believes in a cure.

But yes, I do worry. This is not a thing I want to pass on at all. It would break my heart.

So glad to read this post. I am a consummate worrier of my kids. They are 3, 7, 9, and 12. Whenever they complain that they hurt somewhere I always worry about RA. My son will complain that his feet and leg hurt and he hasn't done anything to hurt it. Kids just shouldn't 'hurt' like that. I keep it to myself though. I don't want them to worry too!

RA does seem to run in my family on the materal side anyway. I am adopted. I met my birth family almost 4 years ago. There are several women with RA in the family. My birth mom is in the process of diagnosis right now too.

Oh my!!!! Laura, you have your handsful!!!!! But I am sure you love it. I have 3 children, all older now, I miss them being little sometimes, but now I look back and think about what hard work it was and I didn't even realize it at the time. What a wonderful family you have!!! Yay!!!

Gramma I am so sorry and will be praying that your daughter does not have RA or for taht matter any AI or arthritis.

If any of our children must deal with RA, which also worries me when DS hurts anywhere, at least I will have a much better knowledge base to assist him than I had. If that very unfortunate event happens I will be able to at least prevent some serious mistakes that have costed me greatly.

Deidre,

My brother has had Diabetes since he was 2, he is now 54. He has two daughters that are 20 and 22 now and YAY!!!!!! neither one has had any signs of it yet!!! We are all very relieved and happy about it!!

Karen

I think questions like this are so difficult, but we all think about them. I already know I have a strong family history autoimmune disease, and allergies. Everytime I hear something that makes me wonder in the least if it could be an autoimmune disease, I get upset.

My daughter, who is 22, told me the other day how much her hips were bothering her that day. I wanted to cry. Today she asked me if it was normal for her body temperature to always be a couple of degrees lower than normal. Here we go, I thought - she's right where I was years ago. I'm glad she has my twisted, demented sense of humor, but I really wish it would stop there!

At the time we got married, my husband and I went to genetic counseling, because he had a strong family history of epilepsy. We wanted to understand what we were facing. At the time, I didn't know about the problems I was going to pass on. It's one of those things, you can't blame yourself, but damn it you do!

I really try not to blame myself. It really isn't my fault the genes I have or the genetic disposition I have. It is really no one's fault. Sometimes my daughter complains of pains here and there but I had been passing them off as growing pains. Which I hope they are. She does pop fevers out of nowhere that will just rage if we don't catch them quickly. Sigh. Someone forgot to tell me that all this worry comes with having kids. I am gonna have another gray hair from all of this. I wish we could stop worrying about them even after they are grown up and independent adults!!!! I am trying, but now I can worry about my grandbabies too!!! LOL!!! I love my maternal instinct!!

Yea i worry about passing it down to my daughter. She says that her hands hurt and the other week her fingers were red. But its hard to tell if she really is hurting or if she is saying it because i say it

Is the lower then normal temp related to RA or autoimmune disease?

I have lower temp, low PB and low heartrate because of my thyroid, at least that is what the DR. says, but I don't know if RA causes it?my normal temp has always been low. the norm is what 98 something? but growing up i can remember it being as low as 96

The low body temp is a symptom of hypothryroid disease, which I have. Tori was tested a few years ago, but I want her to be tested regularly, because I'm afraid the chances are, she will develop it also.

hmmmm i just looked up hypothyroidism and now im wondering if i should get checked for it. Not that i want to add another illness but hmmm its interestingI worry about this all the time. My daughter is 14, my son is 12, and my baby girl is almost 9. A few days ago my wrists were killing me and my son asked, "Is this going to happen to me?" Of course I said "No way", but I do wonder. Maybe there will be a cure by then.

I know what you mean. My daughter has linear scleroderma and my son has a skeletal deformity from a connective tissue problem. Both are doing fine now bu I always have felt it must be my fault. My husband gets mad at me when I say that. I remind myself that they are happy wonderful people who have been made stronger and more empathetic by the physical problems they have dealt with. It is just a part of what makes them the special people they are.

Low body temp is a sign of hypothyroid? I have been wondering if my daughter might have low thyroid. I think I will ask the doc to check that when she goes for her physical. She has a low temp and BP like me.

Laker