I'm the only/chosen one...

Nobody in the history of my family has ever had MS (that we know of). I pesonally think there are some environmental and/or sociological factors involved. For example, I spent my first 10 years in home 1. The lady who lived there after us moved to Florida and got diagnosed with MS. My mother had some immune problems but MS has always been ruled out for her. I wonder if the doctors have been wrong all these years and missed something. So many questions, such a fickle disease. We moved down south when I was 14 so there's one correlation with spending the first 14 up north and then moving down here where some things thrive in this climate that don't in the cold.

I have a sister with MS, two nieces with Crohns, and an uncle had Parkinson's. I have an extremely large family, I'm sure there's more with other autoimmune stuff, but just two of us with MS.

My mom refuses to go get tested for MS but there is a chance she could have it

Youngest of 7 kids but only one with MS --parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, zillions of cousins (they're country folk) Still...nothing. Just me.

I agree its not JUST genetics but a panoply of factors all coinciding at once--genes, environment, diet, climate, personality, etc

Let's play Russian roulette and compare how we all lost LOL

I'm the only one in my family with MS, including extended.

My father + his side of the family does have CMT which is an autoimmune disease.

I should of added other auto immune diseases in gene pool, on both sides worse on paternal side resulting in death of several family members. Both parents have type 2 diabetes, mom has psorosis as well.

yes uncle, and know a father and daughter with ms too. One of the reasons as we read about it is that ms is genetic, so I wouldn't be surprised to see it in multiple members in a family.

My Mum was not dx but she passed away young but from her symptoms she did have it.
I think it is possible for many to have ms & not get dx I have had ms since 14 got my dx at age 40 after being paralyzed.
It is easy for doc to chalk it up to old injuries other health problems.
I think ms can be linked to environmental issues toxins you are exposed to. Also they need to look at trauma emotional and/or physical links to other health issues & illnesses it might be a combination of several things.
Here is hoping that one day they will know.

My mother had MS and I was dx'd in 1998.

My biggest complaint with MS is the way it strikes without warning for seemingly no good reason. If I smoked, I would understand if I developed a related problem, or maybe if I lived a hard lifestyle, or neglected my health, or made poor choices to put myself at risk, but I've lived about as good as a person can, so it is hard to understand sometimes why these things happen. I do wonder though, if MS may become more common, like autism, which has become more prevalent today than in previous years. Thanks for sharing. Very interesting.

Hi, when my daughter was dx I kept thinking ,where did this come from, I raised her very healthy, breastfeed her till 2, no sodas, etc. I though,water , microwave, bulbs, second hand smoking, etc, when I was dx it got worst, then Peace,,,I read ms It's been known since the 1800' s , many things blamed for causing ms where not available then. I stopped thinking about that. My ex mother in law died from breast cancer, never smoked.
I forgot to add my cousins daughter, she has muscular distrophy.

Alma

I am the only one. I have a theory though. When I was a baby I didn't have my own antibodies, and I wold not nurse. I think I may have had a transfusion. Idk, as there is no one to ask anymore. :(

On my Mom's side of the family only: aunt with MS, first cousin with MS, uncle with Scleroderma, uncle with Lupus and first cousin with Hasimoto ( not sure of spelling). Not to mention lots of people with cancer. I wonder if there was something wrong with their well water or if they all ate paint or what ;-)

I feel a bit screwed about a pretty bad start with mother who smoked during pregnancy and didn't breast feed....

One of the first things that came to mind when I was diagnosed was breastfeeding. It was not fashionable back in the 60s when I was born. I know it is good for a baby's immune development. I started having immune problems during childhood already. The only reason I've ever been to an ER is for allergic reactions. I did breastfeed my own children, so I feel good about that. Not sure how much it really makes a difference, but it is worth the effort.

Wisconsin is known for higher rates of MS diagnosis. I don't have to go far in my neighborhood to find people. My neighbor just a few doors down was diagnosed the same time I was five years ago. Not sure if it's the cloudy tendencies being near the Great Lakes or what.