Should I be worried about MS and get tested?

[Greenboy1996]

Okay, so I'm 22 currently and going on 23. I know for a fact I'm the most healthy person in my family. I was obese growing up with high blood pressure and cholesteryl, but now I'm a personal trainer and all that so obviously I take real good care of myself. However, one thing runs through my mind quite often, and that's MS. My dad had it, he passed my freshmen year of high school, but not from MS. He had stroke when I was young and pretty much became bed ridden due to the stroke and MS. Point is I hear to sides of this whole it's either genetic or it's not thing all over the place. Honestly, I'm super worried about it and idk if I should get tested now. I can't honestly say I'm  experiencing any symptoms. Closest thing I can think of is that part of my left hand falls asleep sometime, but not too often. Again, probably looking to hard into, but again with my dad and all. Who I will add is the only person in my family I know of with it. So idk give me your thoughts.

[supermum_ms]

Hi and welcome,

Technically MS isn't a genetically inheritable disease, at best it's a combination of genetics and environmental, having a parent or sibling dx with MS only very slightly increase the odds but it's actually more common to be the only person in the family with MS and keep in mind that even if was your identical twin who'd been dx with MS, it would still be uncommon for both twins to be dx'd.

Having a parent or sibling dx with MS is understandably concerning but there honestly wouldn't be any reason to worry about MS when you're in good health and not experiencing anything abnormal or unexplained neurologically suggestive symptoms....

If it would provide you with peace of mind, see your dr about your hand sometimes falling asleep and mention your concerns about MS because of your family history, it is more likely to be related to your training, diet or life style than MS but if getting tested would help you get MS off your mind then it might be in your best interest to talk to your dr about your concerns about MS.

Hope that helps.....JJ