Is Fibromyalgia hereditary?

[daleo717]

I have been wondering if fibromyalgia is passed down from generation to generation? Has anyone else found that other family members suffer from this illness? So far I seem to be the only one in my family with it. But then a lot of the older females from my family always lived in a different province and I have not talked with them. I am thinking much like arthritis we may be predisposed to having fibromyalgia.

 

[JayR17]

It could very well be. I've heard of families where they passed down a gene that caused Fibro. I've also heard most women are the ones affected by Fibromyalgia so it may come down from the female side of the family. Although I'm not 100% sure on this subject it seems very likely. My friend's mom suffered from Fibro and I believe her mom as well or maybe her grandmother, one or the other.

 

[Loftpat]

I was reading some research online and one hypothesis is that the genetic component has to do with how the Brain is "wired." Given the right set of circumstances, a person will develop fibromyalgia.

 

[Trellum]

I have heard there is a huge chance fibro could be passed from generation to generation, I have heard of whole families with females who all seem t suffer from fibro or CFS. So I definitely think genes do play a big role, I mean, look at cancer, some breast and colon cancers are inherited. So why not fibro? Big chance it is.

 

[LLM1]

Yes

I was told i have a genetic form of fibro, my mom and an older sister, both had and one of my two daughters...the way it was explained to me..is that you have the genetic predisposition...but something..like a virus or trauma activates it...

So i am thinking that there are many who have the genetic link but maybe never got activated? I always felt that mine began after a horrible flu one winter...it took me a couple months to regain my strength...

 

[IsisRose]

I think we also need to keep in mind that fibromyalgia has often been misdiagnosed as conditions such as chronic fatigue or something similar. There have probably been many unreported or undiagnosed cases of it. I am the only woman in my family that is known to have fibromyalgia, however my grandmother suffered with fibromyalgia like symptoms. I believe she had it and was not diagnosed with it. This was of course at a time when fibromyalgia was an unknown.

I believe that some accidents that I had as a teenager, and then again in my late twenties, triggered my fibromyalgia.

 

[Trellum]

Yes

I was told i have a genetic form of fibro, my mom and an older sister, both had and one of my two daughters...the way it was explained to me..is that you have the genetic predisposition...but something..like a virus or trauma activates it...

So i am thinking that there are many who have the genetic link but maybe never got activated? I always felt that mine began after a horrible flu one winter...it took me a couple months to regain my strength...

Woah, I had never heard such a direct claim! That does make sense, since I have heard of families, whole families where the vast majority of the females is being affected by this disease. Sad to heard. I'd not like to pass this into anyone :-? Guess we can't fight that tho.

 

[Determined2014]

I do not believe that fibrmyalgia is inherited, most of the people with it , that I know of do not have it running in the family, I think it is a sickness that just happens.

 

[links56]

Mayo told me they believe it is. My father has been diagnosed with it and my brother is showing symptoms. I also think my grandfather has it but was never diagnosed.

 

[kathleen]

I have Fibro and a female cousin on my Mother's side is afflicted with it as well. We are the only two in the family that I know of that have it.

 

[LLM1]

There are different varieties, not all kinds have a genetic link...mine does.. I think i had read that there are at least 7 variations

 

[Trellum]

Really? I had no idea there were variations! Where can I find more info on the topic? This is completely new to me! If there are different variations does that means that every variation comes with a different set of symptoms?

 

[Trellum]

Mayo told me they believe it is. My father has been diagnosed with it and my brother is showing symptoms. I also think my grandfather has it but was never diagnosed.

That makes sense! My sister most likely has it. It was most likely triggered by an injury she suffered as a little girl, it only got worst and worst. Mine started as a teen, I suspect our great grandmother also had it!

 

[trayne91]

I read somewhere that it is, but something still has to trigger it. I think I recently read a study that people who had rough childhoods, even difficulty at birth are at risk.

 

[PythonPlay3]

I believe it is. My mother had it and in her time, they had no idea what it was. So so of course, she was not believed about her body pain and stuff. I can remember clearly my mom in bed, crying because she hurt all over so bad. She was never given any pain meds, or any sort of support from my dad. Having to live with it now, and it has a lable- is hard to deal with. I get meds to help manage it, I get pain meds when it gets too bad, she had nothing. No one even believed her.