Huh

[hedgehog]

I just found out that one of my first cousins on my father's side has the same autoimmune disorder I have - Sjogren's. It's surprising because autoimmune disorders run so strongly on my mother's side!

[Warpy]

1. Then you didn't have a chance

No one I know of in either extended family had it. My mother had gout, but that's almost an unrelated disease.

Then again, maybe that's another reason so many of them died of alcoholism, to kill the pain of a disease nobody had discovered yet.

[mimi85]

2. Ugh

I have Sjogren's also. And leukemia and just about every chronic autoimmune issue you can think of. In fact, the rheumatologist thinks I've had Sjogren's for a very long time and the leukemia came after. Damn, I don't know if I would even wish it on Dick Cheney! It sucks. The average time to diagnosis it is over 7 years! I figured it out by looking up my symptoms on the net and sure enough, the special blood tests confirmed it. Same thing Venus Williams has and she's so young - sad.

There are really only three drugs that supposedly help. Two of them just made me sweat like the proverbial stuck pig and the third one had such horrendous side effects, I didn't even want to try.

Hey, take good care! I'll check back here from time to time and see how everyone is doing.

[hedgehog]

3. Leukimia! :(

You'd think an over-active immune system would be good for something, wouldn't you!

[mimi85]

4. You would think so.

My primary was training his PA and told her I was one of the most complicated cases he has. Gee, that was great to hear.