The Importance of Your Family's Health History

[outlaw]

Hi Tim
so any ideas why this sort of  problem occurs? and why was we told that this(inbreeding)was the reason why.
Paula

[Timbottawa]

Well, Paula,

I think basically the answer is "bad luck".  At some point, possibly in the 1800s, or before, a male ancestor had a gene mutation which led to this inherited genetic disease.  Exposure to some chemicals or radiation can, of course, increase the rate of mutations and therefore the likelihood of detrimental effects, but these need not be a factor.

I just never heard of any mechanism which could result in inbreeding increasing the likelihood of such a mutation.

Cheers
Tim

[MrsLizzy]

I've noticed over the years that my family seem to die of heart disease and strokes a fair bit, certainly over the last century or so.  In the nineteenth century some of them actually seemed to do better, living to be quite old and die of senility, which could be down to a healthier diet and less sedentary lifestyle.

But I was wondering if it's possible to show a pattern in families, showing an average of how long we tend to live after the deaths of our parents?  I haven't gone into it too deeply, but I think in my family it's an average of between 20 and 30 years.  Luckily both my parents are still alive! 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?


Moderator Comment:  topics merged

[Cal241]

This is interesting as I have thought the same!

I have in the 19th Century a few heart disorders, a fever after child birth(41), Cancer of the face (yuk) but most are old age and senility in their plus 3 score and 10 years.
My Mum is still actively hopping about at 75 but my dad died at 44 (eek the age I am now). Most of my mums 6 siblings died before 70 but one is still around at 84. So a lottery in my lot I am afraid.

I would say that considering the poor health care in the 19th C my lot did ok it was only later in the 20th C that good/bad living shortened it all.
Searching your family tree and the stress it can bring is almost certainly bad for you tee hee
Cal 

[annaandchester]

All of one line of my family lived into their 90's (which at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th cent was amazing)
Since then, cancer has taken all one line of my family - must have married a faulty gene!

6 siblings all dead of cancer before 75 (youngest being 54)

Anna x

[Kezlyn]

My biological grandfather died at 27 from a heart valve defect. Although my father, me, and my brother have tested ok and have been told the defect is not hereditary, in tracing that tree I have found many, many deaths of people in their 20's. In one family, 7 of the 11 children who made it to adulthood were dead by age 33. I've got a few of the death certs and they all say things like phthisis, wasting, and pulmonary congestion (which is an accurate description of what the defect actually does). So that line is pretty short lived.

My husband's great grandmother is 103 and is healthy except for her eyesight. Her brother is about 100 and also doing well (both of them still live in their own homes). Their kids, in their 80's, are all still alive, and I don't think any of the grandkids (in their 50's and 60's) have died either. Some of them have
'lived life to the fullest', i.e. drank a hell of a lot, smoked, and grew up very poor with virtually no medical care, so it's pretty amazing.

The rest of my tree is the usual, senility and heart disease in the 70's and 80's, but seeing the example of the hereditary disease above makes me grateful for mediocrity.

Kez

[Headbanger Veron]

I think it would be wholly beneficial if family history of ill-health and disease was available to GPs and hospitals.

Sometimes (unfortunately) however much the GP and hospital know makes no difference, as I found out.

My mother has osteoporosis. All the family know this and as she has four daughters, it is statistically likely that some of us will develop it as well. But.... when I fractured a vertebra three years ago in a not very serious accident, nobody sent me for a bone scan, despite the fact that while still lying on the spinal board I told the A & E staff, and also informed the ward staff, and the consultant, and my GP when I was discharged. In fact the consultant told me that as far as he was concerned, the fracture had nothing to do with osteoporosis and that was why he hadn't referred me. He reassured me to the extent that I stopped worrying about it.

It wasn't until a year later, that I was referred by a different GP for an apparently unrelated matter, that I found out I do have quite severe osteoporosis in my spine and was put on medication. To put everyone's minds at rest - I have just been for my second scan and it has improved dramatically 

But I would say to everyone who has a gut feeling about something like that as I did, not necessarily to accept what one specialism tells you, about a different specialism. At least ask for a second opinion. If you know that a large number of your family suffered or died from something hereditary, it's always going to be better to be sure whether you have it or not, rather than just hoping you haven't.

There - rant over!

Veron

[Jan Coggins]

FAO Paula Outlaw.
Hi Paula.  My maiden name is Outlaw and I was curious how we are related.  I was also told by the genetics team in Bristol that our medical condition was because of cousins being married.  I tried to create my family tree to determine when this happened but didn't get far.  My email address is email address removed by moderator, please use the PM system to exchange any private information and would love to hear any information you have.  Thanks Jan

[iolaus]

But I was wondering if it's possible to show a pattern in families, showing an average of how long we tend to live after the deaths of our parents?  I haven't gone into it too deeply, but I think in my family it's an average of between 20 and 30 years.  Luckily both my parents are still alive! 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?

My father was under the impression all his family died young (his father died when he was 11, grandparents all died before his birth etc - his mum being an exception in getting to 79) - then I looked into it and the generations before them seemed to live fairly long lives, usually mid 70s to 90s - just as he came from the younger child in each relationship they were old having children so you didn't have the multiple generations alive you'd imagine someone in their 90s would have