family affair?

[Nessie]

When I was in hospital they asked me about my family history. If relatives suffered from related illnesses.

My answer was no. (brain not working)

My sister's answer was yes.

My dad was 37 when he had his first heartattack, my mum's twin sister suffered a SAH aged 41 (survived), my dad's brother was found dead after a cerebral heamorrhage aged 48. My grandpa died of a stroke aged 82 (but that seems more natural than the others in my family).

And after my SAH a lot of aunts and uncles came forward telling my parents that most of them have been treated for high BP for a long time.

I was wondering; how Is that in your families?

(hopefully I put this in the right place, if not.. and it gets moved.. please let me know in the daily bit where you move it to.. #easilylost

[donnamarie]

Hi Nessie my family dont really have a big history of stroke or SAH im the only one

Blood pressure i think is ok too nothing major only my great granny does that count :confused::confused:

Heart Attacks different story i lost my mum to a heart attack aged 32. i was 11

my grandad died from a heart attack

3 uncles on my mums side have had heart attack (all still living)

hope this helps donna

[kempse]

This is where you've been moved to Nessie!

My Grandad, (Mum's dad) died of a sah - I'm not sure at what age, but I would guess at late seventies. I have 3 siblings, who are ok as far as we know. My youngest sister got knocked down by a car when she was 4 and sustained a head injury and has suffered bad headaches ever since and in recent years bad migraines.

I have 3 kids, but you just have to hope and pray they are ok. I try not to worry about them too much, but I was a bit put about last week when I heard, on the local news, that a lad had died following a head injury on the football pitch, they later discovered it was a brain aneursym - he was only15 - so sad.

Sarah

[Louise]

As far as Im aware Im the only person in the family both on my Dads side & my Mums to have had a SAH....not sure about family history on my Mum's & on Dads there wasnt anything like that (cousin has done family tree stuff).....

This is why I think it SO important to know your family history, example I was 43 when I found out I was born with jaundice you think I'd know that thoughout my life but nope.....

[FionaH]

I am the only person in my family to have a SAH but heart problems and high blood pressure are quite common in my family.

I understand my SAH means my daughters have a 14% increased risk of having one? I am trying not to worry too much about that although I really want the hospital to scan them both I know they won't.

[Super Mario]

Fiona my sister and my daughter were both scanned at the RHH. They went to their GPs and told them about me. They were then referred to neuro and were scanned.

It will not happen as a matter of course, it has to be requested.

[FionaH]

Fiona my sister and my daughter were both scanned at the RHH. They went to their GPs and told them about me. They were then referred to neuro and were scanned.

It will not happen as a matter of course, it has to be requested.

That is good to know thanks Penny.

They are currently only 3 and 5 so I guess it would be better to wait until they are older. Rosie also has brittle bones disease (mild) like me and we have mentioned it to her specialist as she was due a regular check up just after it happened but he didn't seem worried. I will push for it when they are capable of laying still then.

[Karen]

Hi Nessie,

My Dad's family seem to have a history of both SAH and stroke, even though we're unsure as to how his Mother died ... we were told it was a stroke, but not sure what kind, as it wasn't until I had my own SAH and when I started to become curious and probe the medical history (death certificates, I know that sounds maudlin!) and possible genetic link there wasn't too much interest in the family medical history.

My Dad's Father, two Brothers and his Sister have died from a SAH. With his Father, it was a SAH in old age, late 70's. His younger brother died in his 50's and his older brother was in his 60's.... my late Aunty Val was in her 70's and immediately knew what was happening to her, re: the baseball bat around the back of the head symptom which had been described by her younger brother, before he eventually passed away. My Grandfather used to occasionally smoke a pipe, but 2 out of the 3 siblings, didn't smoke and lived a pretty healthy life style, (Aunty Val had 8 children and passed away in 2010..) ... it doesn't seem to have made much difference to the eventual outcome. My Dad is going to be 80 this year ... he has smoked, but gave up years ago ... has always been active and kept his body and mind in good shape ...

The twist to my story is, that my late Husband's Mother also had an unruptured brain aneurysm coiled, so I do fear for both of my kids, as it seems to feature on both sides of our family ... or is this condition perhaps more common than we think?

[Sandi K]

Nessie, I can't think of anyone in my family having one of these but I wasn't close to my biological dad's side so don't know much of their history. There are other threads on the forum where members have indicated an apparent genetic connection. Funny how you said 'no' and your sister said 'yes'!! I think I'm right all the time but since my NASAH I'm really mixed up but still think I'm right! Hahaha! Makes for some good laughs between my husband Peter and I!

[Sandi K]

Karen, you came in just before me. Gee, it's hard not to believe there is a genetic connection when reading your history. I think there are others with similar stories.

Sandi K. Xo

[Karen]

Hi Sandi,

Yes, I think that there is some connection with the gene pool in my case .... however, I do wonder if unless you actually probe into your family history, whether or not you would have this information? .... as far as I knew, well, before probing .... I was told that my Grandad died suddenly/naturally in his potting shed .... my Dad kept the death certificates for both my Grandad and my younger Uncle and I asked to see them and it was at that point, that I could see that they had both died from the complications of a cerebral haemorrhage ... My Dad was also quite shocked when I pointed it out, as he didn't really think to look at the documents and I don't think that he understood the medical jargon anyway!

Mind you, sometimes ignorance is complete bliss .... but being the nosey type of person that I am, then I prefer to have the knowledge to a degree and hopefully put it to good use!

[jess]

As far as I know I'm the first person in my family to have one. I actually am quite calm over wether my children have them I could wrap them in cotton wool but I don't they would have pretty miserable lives if I did. At least I survived so if something ever goes wrong with them I know what to check for. Jess.xxx

[anderss77]

In my family, I'm the only one who have suffered from SAH/ stroke. But my grandfather died from a heartattack when he was 60.

People usually gets quite old in my family. My mothers dad just turned 93 and is still pretty healthy.

[Gill C]

My dad had a heart attack & a stroke in his late 50's I only know his stroke was caused by a large bleed on the right side as he was paralysed on the left by it. My mum had an Ischemic stroke & some TIA's after a large op to remove her lung, the clot from the op travelled to her brain & then she was virtually sedentry so the chances of TIAs were pretty high. I don't think my mums stroke would have happened if she hadn't had the operation though.

Both my dad's parents died when I was little (so not very old) but I have no idea from what.

[Skippy]

Hi there

Speaking to family members, I'm the only one who's had an SAH, but my great grandma died of an aortic aneurysm besides suffering from hypertension - but then she did have 18 children!!!!!!

My Mum's Dad had a stroke but survived for a few years after - don't know whether it was the stroke that finally killed him.

My Dad's Dad died of a heart attack and had suffered from angina for years - my Dad has high blood pressure but thats mainly through bad diet and beer - I eat healthily (everything is low fat) and very rarely drink (despite popular rumour ) However, I do smoke and have done since I was 15. My GP and Consultant both assured me that this has and had nothing to do with my SAH. My blood pressure has always been "perfect" or "slightly low" - I've never had any serious illness until my SAH and have had nothing since.

[winter]

Another good thread - I remember one similar a while back. It's intereting how different doctors approach our family histories and our own lifestyles. I know my paternal grandmother had a stroke and TIAs - although she was quite elderly when these occurred. Healthy all her life otherwise. My dad, his brother and faher all had high BP and heart disease - they all smoked and died of heart attacks. My dad also had cancer. My mom's mother had diabetes, had a stroke in her 80s and died. My mom had high BP, obesity, ovarian cancer and died at 58. I have only 1 uncle left - he's now in his late 70s and has had cancer.

My neurologist told me one of my articulating arteries is much smaller than the other, which is probably what caused my aneurysm to form. He told me my 2 adult children should have MRAs done as in my case, the malformed artery could be hereditary (even though I have no knowledge of this with any relatives). He and the interventional radiologist, who placed my coils, have both told me that smoking is the worst thing I could do, as this constricts the blood vessels. I have smoked since I was 14. When I had my first MRA 6 mo. post SAH, I was asked if I realized my smoking could possibly cause another aneurysm to form and therefore cause another SAH!!!! Talk about shame and guilt I am still smoking and I wory every time I light up - although for some sick reason, it seems not enough of a scare to make me stop:oops: I was quite healthy for the most part, before my SAH.

[JayKay]

Fascinating thread! My maternal grandmother died of a brain haemorrhage, apparently, but as she also had some TIAs, it might have been a clot. My mum had an ischaemic stroke 5 1/2 years ago - she was on tablets for BP and cholesterol. Apparently, she had atrial fibrillation which threw off a clot, but she also has very hight platelets which can cause strokes because the blood is stickier/thicker. We only found THAT out after my sister was diagnosed, and one of her sons.... My platelets are fine, as I have blood tests regularly for the Methotrexate I take for my arthritis.

My daughter, Claire, has been under a lot of stress at work and has been having strange "surge" headaches in the front quarter of her head. Because of my history, and also because on her dad's side of the family there is a HUGE family history of heart attack and stroke at a young age, she has been referred to a neurologist for scanning, and has an appointment early May. She wasn't at all worried about having an aneurysm when mine happened because we were told the risk was slight, but now she's having headaches it's more worrying!

[Janet]

As far as I'm aware I'm the only person in my family to suffer and SAH and there is no history of high blood pressure or heart disease either.