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health advisory Hospital Diseases 2007-11-12 20:38:29

My cousin on my Dad's side died recently from MS and my aunt on my Mom's side has it. I have the symptoms and a Dr.told me yesterday that she wants me to go see an opthamologist to rule out optic neuritis, she says it is a sign of MS. I've found statistics on odds between siblings or parent to child,but nothing on having more distant relations or having it in both sides of the family.If someone could help me out I'd appreciate it.

Answer:

To answer your question, there is not a positive correlation between second-degree or more distant relatives having MS and any increase in your own risk of MS. It is certainly possible, but the risk would fall somewhere between 1 in 750 (average risk in society at large) and 1 in 100 (lowest risk with a first-degree relative with MS). First-degree relatives are parents or siblings. Wish I could narrow it down more, but those are the numbers we have to date.

HTH

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MS can be genetic as your family history proves.

I don't know a great deal about MS the condition although I have nursed people with the condition..

If you had it on just one side of the family your chances would be abourt 25%. But with such a history, the chance are stacked up against you.

I am so sorry if you do get diagnosed with MS. It will e a challenge, but life is what we make of it.

Good luck.

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Ask your doctor about the statistics.