<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

On 5/23/01 Joan Bernet asked for responses from people who have been
diagnosed with other autoimmune diseases, or who have family members
medically diagnosed with autoimmune diseases. She has been unable to
post her results for some unknown technical reasons, so I am posting it
here.  Further correspondence should be addressed to Joan Bernet at
[log in to unmask] .

Dave Westheimer
Minneapolis


Re: celiac and diabetes, and other serious disease in families of celiacs

Of the 48 list members who responded, note disease and number:

Diabetes-- 42 total.  5 of the responding celiacs have diabetes; 7 of their
children; 6 siblings; 24 close realatives (aunts, uncles, cousins,
grandparents
Multiple Sclerosis--5 close relatives
Rheumatoid Arthritis-- 9 persons, including one celiac
Celiac Disease--23 close relatives
Lupus--13 persons, including two of the responding celiacs
Sjogren's--5 persons (two respondents; 2 parents; 1 sibling)
Crohn's -- 2 relatives
Hashimoto's--3 respondents; 3 parents
Autoimmune Thyroiditis--24, including five of the respondents

Other diseases celiacs have themselves that were mentioned once or twice:
myasthenia gravis, Graves, myositis, epi-scleritis and fibromyalgia.  I did
not include various references to a relative "being tested for" or "symptoms
strongly suggest"  or wheat allergies, epilepsy or autoimmune hepatitis.

Several questioned, in retrospect, earlier colon cancer deaths within their
families.

Within the numbers shown are some families with"far more than their
share," e.g.  great grandmother (wasting disease, died at 32);
grandmother (cancer of the intestines--undiagnosed celiac the family
asks); mother (diabetes); uncle (rare liver disease); aunt (MS); aunt
(kidney disease associated with celiac); three cousins (diabetes, one of
those with thyroid cancer); cousins' children have celiac disease,
diabetes and severe allergies.  Two brothers of this respondent died of
complications of diabetes.

There were others with sizeable lists!!  I now know that our family has
lots of company. (I might have guessed had I the accumulated  knowledge
of CD that some  on this list exhibit.)  Time now for more pleasant
diversion: a walk around a lake with loons and a great sunset.

Thanks to all who responded.  Pax et bonum!