Got my DNA kit back...

[Cat Mom]

The good news is that the people at 23 and Me didn't feel that the M.S. was bad enough to padlock!

That IS good news! I was going to ask if it was locked... but chickened out!

You're extremely brave to do this test (as well as everyone else). As far as I know, MS is the only thing wrong with me.

I did however DNA my rescue dog to see his breeds!

Thank you for posting this, it's extremely interesting. I hope other Members keep sharing any stories like this.

Jen

[tommylee]

I am also 2.9 percent Neanderthal, higher than the average of 2.7. I always thought my forehead was pretty short!

I don't think this test will tell me anything I want to know.

I have seen where I came from (like a horror film) and can see no point in looking any deeper.

It would probably be a depressing report for me?
Wow Tom, it says here your 12% Butt Head. Hum... I would have guessed that to be much higher?

It sounds like a pretty interesting test but as impressed as I am with my proud family heritage... Ignorance is bliss!

[onlyairfare]

What rand of test did you all use?

I see the 23and me looks pretty comprehensive and scientifically sound, but there is also a DNA test offered through Ancestry.com. Since I already am doing my family history with Ancestry, I am wondering if that would be a better choice.

I am not worried about bad news - I already have MS and had brain tumor surgery, so what else could go wrong?

[MarkLavelle]

It strikes me as odd that someone would be able to resist the urge to open the locked diseases in their profile. Maybe its just me but if you had a chance of getting one of those diseases who wouldn't want to know so they could make appropriate plans.

It strikes me as odd to go looking for trouble!

I guess I see the 'entertainment' value, but there's not much you can learn from these tests that would actually help prevent future health problems.

[bubblebabe]

Ancestry only gives you the geneology portion where with 23 and me you get the geneology portion and the health portion.

[Tawanda]

It strikes me as odd that someone would be able to resist the urge to open the locked diseases in their profile. Maybe its just me but if you had a chance of getting one of those diseases who wouldn't want to know so they could make appropriate plans.

I think these diseases would fall under your post about getting your affairs in order...as would MS. I think the locks could be based on the idea that there is stronger genetic data out there than average for these particular yucky diseases.

Its kind of like a Los Vegas gambling site...there are odds on, in my case, a European woman of (ahem) a certain age, and odds on someone with my particular genetic variant(s) present.

23 and Me also presents where on the spectrum your problem(?) is in regards to genetics vs environment may lie. For example, psoriasis was widely attributed to genetics whereas they are reporting that MS seems to be more of a genetic with an environmental trigger thing, but admitting they are far from having enough information to make that call. That's probably why it wasn't padlocked. Psoriasis isn't that bad and there are plenty of available treatments on the market which is probably why that one would not be padlocked.

I am actually having a blast with my new toy. I have already heard from 2 third cousins! This site will continue to evolve I'm sure. At the moment it is pretty benign...

[Tawanda]

I did however DNA my rescue dog to see his breeds!

Thank you for posting this, it's extremely interesting. I hope other Members keep sharing any stories like this.

Jen

Did you ask your dog how he felt about it? LOL! Actually you did get me wondering about the ethics of doing my daughter's DNA....

[Tawanda]

What rand of test did you all use?

I see the 23and me looks pretty comprehensive and scientifically sound, but there is also a DNA test offered through Ancestry.com. Since I already am doing my family history with Ancestry, I am wondering if that would be a better choice.

I am not worried about bad news - I already have MS and had brain tumor surgery, so what else could go wrong?

I had my worst case scenario in life come true as I saw firsthand what my mother went through with her MS, so doing this kit was easy for me.

I did the 23 and Me kit. Took awhile to spit enough spit though! I know one of the other kits just require a cotton swab. I read an article about a reporter who did three kits but that was awhile ago. She did mention a few variations between them. This kit matched everything I already knew about myself, so I am satisfied with it, myself.

[Jules A]

Although I do think this field is in its infancy I'm glad people are interested and willing to spend the money to investigate the information available at this time.

Knowing what could possibly lie ahead allows us to be proactive now, imo.

[onlyairfare]

I am particularly interested in the genealogy/ancestry part because of my family history.

My mother's father died when she was only 7 years old, and she and my grandmother moved to another part of the country, and my grandmother remarried. That is the only part of the maternal side of my family I have ever known. On Ancestry I recently discovered many aunts, uncles and cousins that I never even knew existed.

A similar adoption event occurred on my father's side of the family. Again - lots of unknowns.

When I was first diagnosed with MS and considering another pregnancy, we saw a high-risk pregnancy specialist who had his staff do a fair amount of research into the family history on both my family and my husband's family - no history of MS or auto-immune anywhere. But compared to the number of relatives known then to now - well, there is no comparison.

I have 3 children in their 20's who will be considering whether they should have kids. I see an opportunity for a lot more information for them than I had. My MS has been labeled "benign" (and I know it's benign until it isn't, but I am in my 60's and have had MS for almost 40 years and am pretty "healthy"), but my kids may be at risk for more serious illness.

So this testing interests me. Maye I should do more than one version?

[lusciousleaves]

On the future problems list and looking for trouble, I'll share a few more details about what mine showed.

2x greater genetic risk of blood clots than average (average is 5%, mine is 10%)
Warfarin metabolism is slow, meaning they should give me half the dose normally recommended.

This is some important info to have, and I've had PTTs done a couple of times during all of this testing. One was below normal, the other on the very low side of normal. It tells me I was right in the past to avoid birth control pills and that I probably should avoid hormone replacement in the future. If they ever have to treat me for this condition, we'll know to start with half the typical dose of blood thinners or serious consequences could result.

It just so happens that two weeks ago I ended up with a bad stick from a blood draw. My arm swelled up and a large purple knot developed near the site. It hurt four inches above and four inches below the area starting about a week after the draw was done.

After seeing this, the NP had me run over to the hospital for a venous doppler ultrasound on that arm to check for, tada, a blood clot. It turns out there wasn't one, but the whole time I remember thinking, "I'm so glad that I know that my system isn't going to process blood thinners well, and that we can at least avoid a problem if they have to prescribe any."

During the exam, they asked me if I was prone to blood clots. I had to tell them that I've never had one, but this genetic testing revealed my risk is double that of the average. They were so excited to finally meet someone who'd done the 23andme testing, and were full of questions about it. It gave me a chuckle.

[bubblebabe]

Onlyairfare,

That's what I was thinking of doing. I will probably do both kits, the Ancestry and the 23 one. I'm very much into my geneology so I would like to see how it come out from two different places.

Good luck

[Tawanda]

Onlyairfare,

That's what I was thinking of doing. I will probably do both kits, the Ancestry and the 23 one. I'm very much into my geneology so I would like to see how it come out from two different places.

Good luck

Doing one test was already more than I could afford. I figured one good thing about my DNA is what little gray hair I have for a womam my age. I bought the kit in lieu of a two step chemical process I was going to do on my hair before attending my husband's highschool reunion - heck is wasn't my reunion and who checks me out these days ANYWAY?!

I hope you will report back. It is only a matter of minutes before they are selling these things near the cholesteral kits or the ECards!

One other good thing about the DNA kids is that a lot of adopted people are getting some answers.

[misslux]

Okay... I think I am going to go ahead with 23 and Me despite the $60 shipping. I searched around and JUST an ancestry test here is like $179! For $160 USD I can get ancestry and health stuff.

[BEANBAG]

DNA ?

Where do you get the genealogy and health test for $160.00 USD, I am really into my family tree and maybe they can figure out why I am the way I am. I do know most of my family is from western Europe and I am the
gggggggggggggg Granddaughter of King Henry II of England and his last and nuttiest son John was also a grandfather of mine. There is to much craziness in my family. I would love to know where the MS came from and the Breast cancer I had 8 years ago. I have relatives I don't know about yet. I have found 3, 4th cousins. If my humor is sounding black, I don't mean to.
Cheryl