Psoriasis and MS

My husband thinks I've already posted this question, but I honestly do not remember it . . . which is a common occurence anymore . . . blasted lesions : )

My 14 year old son was diagnosed with psoriasis.  Are all auto-immune disorders related?  He is also being monitored for possible Marfan's?  Could any of this tie into my having MS and genetics?  It just seems bizarre that within 2 years, we have 3 different things going on.

Full of questions,
Sherry

[6-paq]

That is a good question.  I'm guessing that we have a certain genetic pre-disposition to things and many factors contribute to "trigger" it.  

That does seem bizarre in your family's case to have 3 different auto-immune things going on within a short timeframe.  Maybe there is something environmentally where you are that may be the trigger?  There are so many unknowns.  I don't think anyone really knows.

How is your son doing??

Take care!  Pat :)

[risnerrose]

Thank you for asking.  My son is fine, spotted . . . but fine.  The psoriasis is currently on his trunk and legs, so it is hidden - not that it seems to worry him.  I don't think Marfan's is auto-immune, and I am hopeful that he simply has some of the characteristics - but not the disorder.

I just read a study from the UK, and psoriasis was grouped with MS.  I wondered if it was something we needed to monitor more closely.  

I fear I may be reading too much.  Surely this desire for more information will fade some . . . but for now . . . it is my therapy.

Have a great weekend,
Sherry

[6-paq]

I'm glad your son is doing well.  I'm not familiar with Marfan's.  I'll have to check it out.

I remember that my father had psoriasis.  He did not have any other auto-immune diseases, nor did any other members of my family.  He always had this tar-like substance that he put on it.   Can't remember what it was called, but that was so many years ago.  I surely think that they have much better meds out now!!

I know what you mean about "reading too much".   Sometimes it is so hard to pull away from this computer.  But on those days that I can, I do sense a better overall emotional well-being from not concentrating so hard on what's going on with my (and my family's) ailments.

Take care and you and your family have a great weekend also!  Pat :)

[mikemolly]

Sherry,
I hope your son is feeling better. Psoriasis drives me insane sometimes!

I have Psoriasis, Raynauds, Adie's Pupil and Allergies for which I took shots for. All of my bloodwork came back negitive for conditions like RA or Lupus. My blood has been tested countless times for everything under the sun and always comes up negitive.

My husband asked me a few days ago if there was a link between those problems and MS. I have no idea, but plan to ask the MS neuro dr at my first appointment in two weeks.

Take care,
Bethany

[risnerrose]

The study I read made a connection between psoriasis and MS, but the article became too complicated for me to totally understand.

[Siddy1]

Hi Sherry,

Psoriasisand psoriatic arthritis is one of the autoimmune diseases,  as you say, where the immune system is inappropriately turned on in the skin and in the joints. It thinks it’s fighting an infection but it’s not.

Here is an interesting article which addresses autoimmune diseases and their possible connection to relatives:

"In the so-called autoimmune diseases, the body's immune system begins attacking normal cells as though they were invading viruses or bacteria. MS has some, but not all, of the features of an autoimmune disease, so it is thought to be an "immune-mediated" disease, says Patricia K. Coyle, MD, a professor of neurology and director of the MS Comprehensive Care Center at the State University of New York in Stony Brook. The actual cause of MS remains unknown.

"There are multiple genes that can serve as disease risk factors. Basically, the immune system that a person inherits" plays an important role in determining whether they develop MS or an autoimmune disease.

For the study, published in the journal Brain, researcher Alastair Compston, MD, and colleagues studied families in which one or more members had MS. They mailed questionnaires to each participant, asking about any autoimmune diseases in their parents and siblings. Along with MS, the diseases they asked about included thyroid disease, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis.

When a patient identified a relative with an autoimmune condition, the authors confirmed the diagnosis with the relative's physician. They also asked each patient to choose someone without MS -- usually a spouse, partner, caretaker, or friend -- to fill out an identical questionnaire about their own families.

About 21% of the patients with MS had one or more relatives with at least one of the autoimmune conditions the researchers asked about, compared to only 12% of the participants who did not have MS. The strongest association with MS was seen with autoimmune diseases of the thyroid gland, which governs the body's metabolic activity. The researchers concluded that the autoimmune diseases looked at in their study occur more frequently in the family members of people with MS than in others.

"This article gives added weight to the idea that some autoimmune diseases share risk factors with MS, and that there are genes that may put people at risk for MS..


Given the strong association between MS and thyroid disease, she says, MS patients and their relatives should ask for a thyroid screening test if they experience any of the symptoms of thyroid disease, including a dramatic, unexplained change in weight, an increase or decrease in pulse rate, or hair loss.

Marcie




  


  

[Siddy1]

Sorry about the long blank space :)

[Quixotic1]

Your in line to be flooged about the excessive use of white space.  But, this is mitigated by the interesting info!  Thanks.  I knew the association was there.  This is a nice discussion.  And it again, discusses the association of MS with Thyroid disease.  Q

[Siddy1]

Yay! And I am also in line to be flogged -  although flooging sounds more interesting!

[Betty_BoopAL]

I am 46 yrs old and have had psoriasis since I was around 8 yrs old.  I have always been depressed about having it and then to hear the doctor tell me there is no cure was horrible.  I've learned to deal with it.  In 2001, I was diagnosed with MS.  To hear the words again that there is no cure was almost to much for me to handle.  So, the curious question I've wanted to know the answer to is:  Is psoriasis and MS related?  Good luck to you all.

Betty

[laana]

I healed it. You just treat it the same as at the Dead Sea Spa in Israel. Sunshine, beach, mud, seasalt bathes, and message, light therapy box from Dermatologist office. Changing diet. Cleansing fruits and vegetables. I think I was eating to many eggs.  Get tested for allergies. (I got it after I had a shoulder injury my nervous system was shot and I got strep throat.) Just your body tired doesn't mean you have some disease.