Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Group

I AM THE ONLY ONE IN MY FAMILY.

No, I am the only one in my family. However, my mom also has Parkinson's Disease. Not sure if there is any relationship between Parkinson's & MS.

I am the only ms in the family. Most relatives have diabetes in my family which I have also

Nope!

I've got 2 great aunts and 3 cousins (technically 2 2nds and a 1st cousin once removed, but details...) diagnosed with MS, all on my mom's dad's side of the family. There is also another 2nd cousin stuck in limbo with me on that side of the family, and on my dad's side I have a cousin that is in limbo also.

So maybe there is a genetic component to some types of Ms...or I have a very unlucky family!

So far, I'm the only one in my biological family (immediate or otherwise) that I know of with MS, but the rest of my family (my kids notwithstanding) are as "CRAZY" as a soup sandwich.....I'll take the MS! :o)

Ooops I forgot to add, a friend of mine has two sisters with MS, but so far she doesn't have it and she's in her 50s. I'm thinking she can exhale....but who knows?

While it is relatively rare anyway, statistically MS can have a mild genetic component, that is, certain groups tend to have higher incidence -- for lack of a better term "northern white women" are the biggest group -- and it can be higher in families.

That said, it still seems to take a set of viral triggers years apart to set in motion the "myelin reactive" white blood cells that do the damage in MS.

one on either each side of family and my dad has lupus.

I checked back 5 generations on Mom's side and no one had it.
But since MS has a strong presence in UK I am thinking my Dad's side had gene. He was only 1st generation here (his Mom born in Ireland)