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(Highly recommend) (Highly recommend) (Highly recommend) (Highly recommend) (Highly recommend) 4.97 (Highly recommend) from 25 votes (199 Visits)

Family Medical History...What do you know? What have you left for future generations?
cookclan by cookclan Young Parent(May 2007) (rank 8th)
After a few discussions with friends of my own and family as well I have decided to write an article on knowing as much as you can about yours and your family medical history....How important is it? How much about your family medical History do you know?

My reason behind writing this in particular as most who know me or have read my homepage Know I have a son with a mental illness...Bipolar is hereditary and so are some brain tumours...Especially the one I had and then there is also the fact that I have Duanes syndrome which you can read about here...

Acording to sunrise(a morning tv show in Austraila for those who don't know) the other day only about 30% of people know their family medical history...There now is a new campaign being started to make sure people do find out their family medical history...

Alot of illness or conditions are hereditary and do move down through the family line and for this reason alone we need to know what our family does have so if we or one of our children do get sick the doctor can have all the facts of our family history in front of them...

To get hold of your family medical history I think get a book and a plastic envelope...You need to make a list or a page for your siblings and your parents then uncles and aunts and grandparents alike go back as far as you can and get the years they were diagnosed with things and if they were cured or are living with it or are deceased...It is also a wise idea to make a page for your kids as well...Lets face it sometimes diseaes and conditions skip many generations and it is very hard to trace back...

The imporance of having family history is obvious to most...I know that one of my grandmothers died from heart disease so I do know that I have a risk of getting heart disease...knowing the history can lead to early detection and also help with preventing getting it at all...

Here are some tips to start getting your family history together...

  • First page yourself...Have you got anything how old were you when diagnosed etc...
  • Second page your partner...Same thing for him/her
  • Now a page for each immediate family member...Your parents brothers sister and your kids..
  • Ask people only blood relatives for you and your partner these things also and write them all down...
  • Over time you will need to add to this make sure it is always up to date...
  • Some people also like to give their family doctor a copy or discuss what is in your family with their doctor for advice on preventative methods they can use...

I really think that this is really a very important thing to look at in any family...fore warned is fore armed..Prevention is better than a cure....

Take care all
Cheers
Angie
Any contributed content above is the subjective opinion of that member or external author, and not of Minti.com Pty Ltd. If you are searching for health related advice we strongly suggest you seek professional medical support. View our Terms of Service for more details.

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ADVICE RATING
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janicepovey
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | janicepovey
Great Advice

As always Angie, great article and advice, so many of us do not know family medical history and it's usually the first thing a doctor will ask you. And a fantastic idea to have all the information at hand for future generations 

Regards Janice



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lexiw
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | lexiw
Great advice

We are asked all the time about our family history and because my mother slept with a married man (my biological Father) who I never met and don't know anything about I can't tell doctors about one whole side of my family medical history which is abit worrying.

 Lexi xxx



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nell18-3
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | nell18-3
Great advice Angie
I come from a large family on my Mums and on my Dads side so have quite a collection of possible Health Alarms
Great reminder for those who haven't thought of this to look now into their family medical history
xxx


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cheleinkal
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | cheleinkal
I know Mum's side only
I know my Mum's side as I grew up with them, the use, cancer, high blood pressure, stroke.....(YIPPEE FOE MEEEE), but I haven't a clue about my bio father's side.  My brother was diagnosed about 12 months ago with a heart problem (some kind of electrical short) and so after about 20 years for him he got in touch with Bio Father and now they are becomeing friends.  Personally I would rather be surprised and die than have that lying cheating scum back into my life.......but it is a good idea if you can get it.  I did wonder when I was prego and they kept asking me what my family history was.  Well written.


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hermy
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | hermy
family medical history
great advice angie......this is really grea,t will have to get organized to begin one .....i already know a few thing .....will have investigate for the rest.......thank you for a great piece....regards Sandra xxx


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jenlemen
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | jenlemen
essential advice
my husband has cystic fibrosis throughout his family--it was only after his brother was diagnosed as a baby that they realized this genetic disorder was present in distant relatives.  it would make a big, big difference in the ability to diagnose if they had known this earlier. 

a very important subject--thanks for drawing attention to this problem.


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      cookclan
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | cookclan
essential advice
My eldest boy also carried the gene for CF and it is something that will help him when he decides to marry the fact he knows anyway... thanks for your comment Cheers Angie


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emmysmum
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | emmysmum
fam hist....
I don't know all about my family history but i do know that cancer runs in the family, as does eye problems (which i have) and diabetes..... but am going to soon check up on everything....
I have added a new one to the line which is epilepsy, so am hoping my daughter doesn't develop it!
This is great advice angie.....
If everyone can get the information that they need, it may help them to prepare themselves for the worst!


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cazza
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | cazza
family history
THANX angie and i just spoke to mick about it, and he said his mum has it all documented in a book on all the family so that helps on his side, pity i cant get the same info on mine,... Great Advise by the way, and everyone should do as your advise says, as it would help us all in the future...


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lucky321
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | lucky321
well put

Good angie , i aways believe you should take down history of the the family heatlh . i have kept a record on all my kids  and both sides of the families . as you never know  when somethings might show up later down the track .

As some poeple know it might skip your family but show up in our kids or the grandkids.



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Kellzacar
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | Kellzacar
Family History

WEll done Mate - Family histtory is so very important.

It's something i have never known and wish with all my might that I knew because who knows, if I knew then maybe just maybe some of the illness's i had had could have been prevented. OR if not prevented I would have at least been prepared.

I think as parents its or job io give our children as much history as we can. I have a book for my girls called a "history book' sadly it only starts with me but at least its a begining . .

Cheer Kellz



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Shellshell
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | Shellshell
MEDICAL HISTORY

Great advice Ang!

I will have to look into mine.

All i know is that my mum, and my dad'smum have diabetes.

 



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MummaBear
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | MummaBear
Medical History
It's hard for some people.  My mother has nothing to do with anyone in her family and as a result I don't know the family medical history. It stops with her.  My daughter's father has no contact with us and I found out she was allergic to Combantrin (a worming tablet) once I gave her the correct dosage and she spent the night in hospital with symptoms of an overdose.  I was even questioned by social workers and DOCS over why I let her have them! I showed them the rest of the box, told them I had her weighed at the chemist directly prior to buying the Combantrin and was told how much to give her as I've never used it on her before and they checked the box to see what was left.  They then did tests that revealed she has an allergy to it. I have since made contact with some of his family and they have said that everyone in that family are allergic to Combantrin.  We now use another one, can't remember what it's called but I think it starts with V?  Anyway, we get it from the chemist.  I found out I was allergic to codeine when I took panadeine forte and ended up spending the night in hospital and again it turns out everyone in my mum's side of the family are allergic to it.  I found that out from my uncle from my father's side who became friends with an aunty none of us talk to now.  I think there should be a list on a computer somewhere about family medical history so that you can just click on it and see if you're family are/were allergic to things or had illnesses or the like.  Not sure how people go about finding out that kind of thing if they don't talk to the family for any reason, some allergies can be life-threatening.


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KathrynR1402
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | KathrynR1402
Need to do this

Great advice! I need to do this. Its amazing how information dies out - my mil said no-one on DH side of family before the current generation had asthma/eczema/allergies. Then I discover her grandmother-in-law had asthma badly, from Aunty who is nearly 90. If she hadnt told me, it would be a mystery where DH & DD1 gott it from, though I spose DD1 could have got it from my mum.

Is there a list anywhere for what they currently think is inheritable? Mum & granny both had/have clinical depr & Alzheimers. Do they think Alzh is inherited yet, I wonder?



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      cookclan
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | cookclan
Need to do this
I would like to know if Alzheimers is hereditary too cause my nan died with it also...
good point I wonder if there is a link like that.....Hmmm
Cheers
Angie


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           KathrynR1402
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | KathrynR1402
Alzheimers

See http://genome.wellcome.ac.uk/doc_WTD020860.html

I think the answer is "they're working on it"!



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                emmysmum
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | emmysmum
Alzheimers
i personally feel that it is hereditary...... my great pop has it...hasn't died yet but recently my nan has started showing the symptoms of alzheimers too.....
I get scared around people with alzheimers! don't ask why, cos i don't know


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winja
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | winja
wd again angie
yay u did it! i know my families medical background so i must be a minority, but it makes life so much easier for your doc s othey know what to look for and keep an eye out for! keep up the good work angie!


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