How many others of us with RA have inherited it ? My grandmother had RA. My mother did not but her sister (my aunt) did.
My grandmother's was not as bad as mine. She only had it in hands and feet until she died at 78. My Aunt's RA was very bad like me. She had it everywhere like me. She died of other causes at 75.
Are you hereditary RA too or do you suspect something else gave RA to you - if so what ?


Hi - when I first read your post, I wondered if I had written it! (almost ...) My grandmother had very bad RA, had cortisone shots in her joints occasionally (caused her a lot of bruising and fragile skin), went to mineral baths in Europe (they were well off), and took some medicine they ordered from England as it was not available (or probably legal) here. She died at 79 of pneumonia.
My aunt had pretty bad RA - she had been a tennis & golf player all her life. As with my grandmother, it started with her in her 50s and 60s (I also started in my 50s,I'm 58 now). She had gold shots which helped her the most. She didn't want to live past 80 and died a couple of months before her 80th birthday - she had a massage stroke (after having a wonderful reaction to her first couple Remicade infusions...). But I just think she'd had enough...
My aunt's daughter (my cousin) also has RA and is a year older than me. Hers must be fairly mild as she had worked as a nurse (a rheumatology nurse, giving Remicade to Crohns's patients!) and didn't really want to take anything. She's recently retired. I have not seen her in years and can't judge. She told me she wasn't taking anything but someone (one of my sisters) thought she was on Methotrexate.
Her two sisters, and another one of my cousins, both have diabetes.
My mother did not have RA but had a bald spot late in life, which is immune-related, alopecia areata. Two of my sisters have polymyalgia rheumatica, and are on prednisone. One is 52, (too young for it really, I'm wondering if she'll end up with RA), the other is 64.
Because of all this my sisters and I, and my daughter, are participating in a study involving the first-degree relatives of RA patients - basically blood tests and genetics studies. If you're interested in participating in this study, let me know and I'll give you the email address of the person in charge.
Ellen - yes please I'd like name of person doing the hereditary study. Their email as I live in Australia and can participate by email. We don't have as many people in our country only 22 million so many less sufferers of RA and no money for reaearch like USA.
Some people tell me that its not hereditary for them but got it after glandular fever or I've met 5 people now who say they reckon it was printing ink as they worked in the printing industry.
keep in touch
I don't think it can be done by email because blood tests are involved, but I think they have a couple of research centers participating, and they may be able to work something out - they did for me off-site, had samples taken where I live and sent FedEx shipping materials and instructions.
I would suggest first finding out if any of your first-degree relatives are interested in participating with you, and then emailing her to ask about participation. She would then give you the details of what is involved for both you and your family members. If you want to ask me more about it, please email me privately since this is not the purpose of this support site. (Thanks for understanding - my email is egalo@stlawu.edu)