Kickas.org Forums Ankylosing Spondylitis General Discussion #1 AS Web Support Group Where Did Your AS Come From???

Interesting Question.

No one in my family has AS. Don't know how I got it.

There has to be something more then genetics that so many of us without any family history have this.

Got it from biological father, as far as I know he was the only one in his family with AS, but seems everyone else has some different type of arthritis. My thought is that any autoimmune diseases in your background may have contributed to the AS. It seems to me that most people with AS aslo have something else autoimmune related.

Hi Steve,

Do you realize that you are the only guy in KickAS who could tell me a story like that and I would believe every word of it. I gotta believe this because you're a lawyer.

Ankus Ankus? Oh boy!!!

George

1492. Columbus goes on a sailing binge and look what happens. It's all Queen Isabella's fault.

I think the more interesting thing to do is to look at where your ancestors are FROM, and see how close they lived to the artic circle, and if you've got any indigenous ancestry if you're North Amercan. The closer they are to being "true northerners" the greater the chance you're going to have these spondylarthropy type genes. But this is not saying that other people from other places don't get this.

Grandmother, Aunt, on my mother's side both had severe "osteoarthritis." My first cousin has Rheumatoid. My mother had no problems but her 4 offspring all have at least weirdo allergies. The kicker is my youngest sister by her second husband also is developing gut problems. I've been trying to figure out how to break it to her gently she might want to try to cut out the gluten products. So the maternal line is suspect, esp. as my aunt's arthritis obviously had spinal complications and I resemble her somewhat other than hair color. The stock on that side was solidly northern european...but... we also have the mystery of the true ancestry of my mother's father. Have you heard of the "black Irish?" Irish with lovely dark hair and light blue eyes, that were really part N/A?

No way to trace my father's parents health history as he died when I was young, and my grandparents were already deceased. I am digging around a little on the internet geneological sites trying to figure out where they really came from, and that's a hoot, because I think somebody was fibbing! I can go back to the revolutionary war period of the 1700's on the paternal grandparent side, my father's mother was descended from someone who looked pretty solid English/German. The grandfather. Hmm. Last name is not what ancestry they told me at all. Hmm. Hmm.

Unfortunately my mother while she was still living was not the most reliable source for family history. Sigh. A few months before she died she told me my father had been adopted when his mother remarried. Oh good grief. But he kept his birth surname. Okay. But he changed his first name, which was orignally the same as his fathers. Oh good grief. He had a brother. (WHAT!?) My own brother is named after him. (WHAT!!!???)

I am not making this up.
It was a good thing I was on the telephone so she couldn't see my facial expression.

Haven't found this uncle yet, almost surely he would have died of old age by now. Not really sure what his name is. Groan. I am not really sure what my father's birth name is, either. Oh, at least I know what his grown up name was!

So on a whim I plugged in a possible combination of the grandfather or brother's possible name(s) on google a few weeks ago... and came up with a hit listing this name in a military cemetary about 2 hours from here. If only stones could talk.

I was born all the way over on the other side of the country.


And so, Angelmom, I would just like to say...sometimes things are not really as they seem.

Im so happy to hear that little Jack is doing better and gaining weight. I am in the same boat you are with trying to figure out who in my family has had or may have AS. Is it possible im the first? I really think thats a long shot but geez who else!! I would really like to know also where or who this gene came from.

Scotty...

Eric was the first in our family...have no clue where it came from...

My mom and myself and Eric are all HLA-B27 positive..

I am pretty positive it is from my Mom's side of the family.
She has osteo-arthritis. One hip replaced, the next one will be done in October of this year.
Her uncle had severe RA. (and I suspect AS as well from pictures)
My oldest brother was diagnosed with AS over 30 years ago.
I was diagnosed 9 years ago.
One sister was diagnosed 7 years ago.
Another sister diagnosed 3 years ago.
Another brother has had surgery to fuse a few vertabrae together. (says he doesnt' want to know if its AS or not. says why bother? its pretty much a given)
My oldest son diagnosed a year and a half ago.

And I am so hoping that I never have to add another to that list.

Take care,
Pam

Hey Lisa,

I am so happy to read that little Jack is gaining weight, and that you were able to visit again to help out! That must have been a big comfort for Tiff... and I really hope she's started to feel a little better.

No family history of AS in our little tree. I was the lucky first. Ten yrs later my brother was dx'd with AS too, and my sis has since been dx'd with Hashimotos. Both my siblings are in lasting remissions, so that's something! Then just 5 yrs ago at age of 74, my maternal uncle was dx'd with RA.

I believe most researchers feel that it's likely a combo of genetics plus an environmental trigger that results in AS.

Hugs,
mig

My dad has it, as does my sister.

Hi Lisa,
It's me again. I looked up some snapshots of my Dad at the same age that I am now. (50, but don't tell anyone). It was really surprising to see how hunched he looked. My parents were separated and I was not around him too much. I don't know much if anything about his side of the family. Looking at his picture, I would guess that mine came from his side of the family. Thanks for asking, Wanda