raeoflyte
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Post by raeoflyte on Jun 20, 2012 15:39:49 GMT -5
The cost of getting the genetic testing done when we were getting pregnant was too high so we skipped it and crossed our fingers. I know it was at least $1500, but that probably didn't include all of the testing they would do.
I do think it is interesting, and may encourage it for my children since we used an anonymous 3rd party sperm donation to conceive. The donors are supposed to update the clinic with any new family genetic information, but I'm sure as they get older and their donation days slip farther behind them that happens less and less.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jun 20, 2012 15:41:31 GMT -5
If your kids are already here, what could/would you do about it?
If the kids are here and normal, that means that they're either carriers or not. Nothing you could do about it at this point.
If you don't have kids yet, would if affect your decision to have them?
For me, it actually HAS factored into the equation as to why I did not have children. My hip issues could be genetic and there is no way I would want to pass this issue down to a child.
However, there ARE ways of dealing with having children if you are a carrier. It involves using a substantial amount of technology, but with IVF you can genetically test embryos before they're implanted to make sure that you're not having a child with said genetic condition.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Jun 20, 2012 16:14:07 GMT -5
For me, it actually HAS factored into the equation as to why I did not have children. My hip issues could be genetic and there is no way I would want to pass this issue down to a child.
There's an argument FOR the testing. To eliminate the "could be genetic"....
There really are some good arguments either way. For me it boils down to '"I want to know"
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kittensaver
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Post by kittensaver on Jun 20, 2012 16:15:42 GMT -5
For me, it actually HAS factored into the equation as to why I did not have children. My hip issues could be genetic and there is no way I would want to pass this issue down to a child.There's an argument FOR the testing. To eliminate the "could be genetic".... There really are some good arguments either way. For me it boils down to '"I want to know" If you really want to know (and you have the money), then I think you should go find out!
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Jun 20, 2012 16:34:36 GMT -5
I sent for the test kit yesterday...
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weltschmerz
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Post by weltschmerz on Jun 20, 2012 17:04:53 GMT -5
I wouldn't want to know. I'd feel like there was an axe hanging over my head all the time.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Jun 20, 2012 17:15:44 GMT -5
For me, it actually HAS factored into the equation as to why I did not have children. My hip issues could be genetic and there is no way I would want to pass this issue down to a child.
There's an argument FOR the testing. To eliminate the "could be genetic"....
And it could also be caused by host of other reasons. I could be genetically tested, be negative and STILL have kids with this problem.
Just like you may not have the Alzheimer's gene but still get dementia. Just like you can still get breast cancer even if you don't have the gene.
Genetic testing for these issues is not an 'all or nothing'. I mentioned the few circumstances where it could be useful.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jun 20, 2012 17:18:14 GMT -5
I don't see the point. If you do have a genetic predisposition toward something like Alzheimer's, so what? There's really not much you can do about it except for worrying about getting it. And I try to not worry about things I can't control. Besides, something has to get us sooner or later. Sort of. However, Alzheimer's drugs that delay the progression of the disease are getting a lot better. If you know you're at higher risk, and work with your doctor to start treatment at the very earliest signs of the disease, you have a much better chance of greatly delaying the progression and getting several extra years of being relatively symptom free. With dementia specifically people usually wait until the disease has progressed pretty far before seeking treatment. If the genetic test shows that you're at higher risk, it make me you more likely to keep an eye on it and get treatment earlier. It's the same reason women get mammograms. Something is still going to get them sooner or later, but if you catch breast cancer early it doesn't have to be a quick death sentence. If you ignore the screenings, by the time you realize something is wrong you might only have a few months left to live, for an issue that if caught early might have been completely treatable and left you with decades.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Jun 20, 2012 17:47:59 GMT -5
If you know you're at higher risk, and work with your doctor to start treatment at the very earliest signs of the disease, you have a much better chance of greatly delaying the progression and getting several extra years of being relatively symptom free
That is one of the conversations I plan to have with DH. Early diagnosis along with the drugs that slow the symptoms in the early stages, could mean a few more years at home and fewer years in a NH - saving a lot of money in addition to a few more quality years.
By the time my mother was diagnosed, the disease had progressed beyond the point where Aricept (or another drug) could have helped. But mom hid her symptoms pretty well and my sister was in denial....
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Martivir
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Post by Martivir on Jun 20, 2012 19:27:30 GMT -5
Well kiddo #1 is already here and other than food allergies, he's completely normal. Well as normal as toddlers get. But it wouldn't change our decision to have more kids. Just allow us to keep a look out for things that may be serious. My poor kids are already doomed when it comes to their risk for health issues. But most of those can be controlled or prevented by life style.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on Jun 20, 2012 19:40:41 GMT -5
But mom hid her symptoms pretty well and my sister was in denial.... I'm seeing the same thing with my grandmother now. Except that I don't think she really hides her symptoms all that well. That could be because I lived with my in-laws along with my wife's grandmother who had Alzheimer's that was advanced enough that she could no longer live alone. My own grandmother isn't that bad yet, but the similarities are really blatant when you've seen somebody later in the progression. She's in denial though, and so are most of her kids. By the time they accept it and get her tested it'll probably be too late for treatment. Just so everyone here knows; senior moments are almost completely BS. They aren't normal. They don't happen to everybody. They're early warning signs of dementia and Alzheimer's. Don't ignore them. It's not normal to confuse your kids with old friends that you haven't talked too in 20 years. Even if it's a short episode, and something like that only happens once in a blue moon. If you ever find yourself arguing with friends and family about things that seem new to you that they insist have been there for a long time, like a traffic light at a particular intersection, or a new business in town, that's not normal either. Your kids aren't arguing just to make you feel like an idiot, and the business or traffic light really has been there for years. You just forgot, because you're becoming senile. Don't argue, don't deny it, just get help.
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Peace Of Mind
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[font color="#8f2520"]~ Drinks Well With Others ~[/font]
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Post by Peace Of Mind on Jun 20, 2012 21:43:38 GMT -5
I had the BRCA1 test for Ovarian and breast cancer. I don't have the gene. If I did my doctor wanted to have my ovaries, etc. removed since my mom died and my aunt had breast cancer (she survived). On my mom's death certificate they said it was from Ovarian cancer. After all of the testing and ultrasounds, etc. I had I found her medical records. She had uterine cancer. It was stage III Malignant Mixed Mullerian(sp?) uterine cancer. I've not told my gyno yet. I don't want more tests! But when I go for my annual I will show her the info. and do what I have to do. Had my mom had her hysterectomy when she was supposed to she would still be alive.
My best friend (since we were kids) had breast cancer. They went in and found it to be stage III. She went ahead and had the double mastectomy. She has the gene mutation and doesn't want to go through all of that again if it's preventable. Having them both removed lowers her chances of getting it again. She is now cancer free and should live a long and healthy life.
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Jun 22, 2012 11:13:14 GMT -5
I wouldn't do it. Usually I'm a fan of "more information the better" but when it comes to my own morality, I just can't do it. I don't want to know. Somehow it would interfere with my ability to live my life to the fullest. I don't want to be limited. I want to live like a dog; just get up each day and enjoying it for what it is. I don't think I could do it if I knew I was going to get breast cancer, or alzheimers, or... etc.
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Angel!
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Post by Angel! on Jun 22, 2012 11:51:00 GMT -5
I don't think I could do it if I knew I was going to get breast cancer, or alzheimers, or... etc. Really for most of the diseases, you don't get a sure answer. It is more like "the average person has a 7% chance of getting breast cancer, your odds are 12% (or 5%, could be lower)" Except for a few diseases like huntingtins, there is no 100% answer. And many of the other diseases that would give you 100% answer (sickle cell, cystic fybrosis, etc) - you already know either because you have the symptoms & have been diagnosed young or you were tested as part of the prenatal/newborn screenings. You aren't going to get any huge surprises like you are 100% likely to get alziehmers or colon cancer. Odds are if there is a chance you are at risk for alziehmers, you already know because people in your family have it. And even then the gene test won't tell you with any certainty because genetics only plays a part in getting those diseases.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Jun 22, 2012 11:54:11 GMT -5
I don't think I could do it if I knew I was going to get breast cancer, or alzheimers, or... etc. Really for most of the diseases, you don't get a sure answer. It is more like "the average person has a 7% chance of getting breast cancer, your odds are 12% (or 5%, could be lower)" Except for a few diseases like huntingtins, there is no 100% answer. And many of the other diseases that would give you 100% answer (sickle cell, cystic fybrosis, etc) - you already know either because you have the symptoms & have been diagnosed young or you were tested as part of the prenatal/newborn screenings. You aren't going to get any huge surprises like you are 100% likely to get alziehmers or colon cancer. Odds are if there is a chance you are at risk for alziehmers, you already know because people in your family have it. And even then the gene test won't tell you with any certainty because genetics only plays a part in getting those diseases. The results only give you your risk factor relative to the general population. Even if it turns out that I have two copies of APoe/4, it doesn't mean that I am going to develop Alz. It does mean that I have a higher risk.
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HoneyBBQ
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Post by HoneyBBQ on Jun 22, 2012 15:25:42 GMT -5
Really for most of the diseases, you don't get a sure answer. It is more like "the average person has a 7% chance of getting breast cancer, your odds are 12% (or 5%, could be lower)" Except for a few diseases like huntingtins, there is no 100% answer. And many of the other diseases that would give you 100% answer (sickle cell, cystic fybrosis, etc) - you already know either because you have the symptoms & have been diagnosed young or you were tested as part of the prenatal/newborn screenings. You aren't going to get any huge surprises like you are 100% likely to get alziehmers or colon cancer. Odds are if there is a chance you are at risk for alziehmers, you already know because people in your family have it. And even then the gene test won't tell you with any certainty because genetics only plays a part in getting those diseases. The results only give you your risk factor relative to the general population. Even if it turns out that I have two copies of APoe/4, it doesn't mean that I am going to develop Alz. It does mean that I have a higher risk. Yeah, I understand. It doesn't matter what the odds are (in my mind) I will dwell on them. I understand the statistics and probability of it all a little too well, actually, and would therefore dwell on it, even if it were unlikely. That's just my personality unfortunately. When I was having problems staying pregnant I often used to calculate that I was the 1 in 10,000 that had multiple miscarriages in a row, etc. It was really hard to enjoy being pregnant (the last time that actually worked ).
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