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  • cthornley
    cthornley Non-active member Posts: 627
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I really did worry about this when we decided to have a baby between my RA and my husbands asthma - poor thing doesn't really have a chance.
    However we have a wonderful healthy son and at least we know what to look outfor if there is a problem.
    I'm not convinced over the genetic side of things (i'm the only person in my family with it) and hope this remains the case. My parents may have been responsible for lots of things in my life but I'm pretty sure RA was just the luck of the draw. Although I was glad that I had a son because at least statistically he was less likely to get it :?
    Chrissie
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Non-active member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    I have wondered if females are more prone. Every time I go to the hospital the rheumatology waiting room is filled with women. Men are there to support but in all the years of meth jabs I have only ever seen the one male. Men are scarce on these forums too, it's mostly us girlies. I wonder why the gender bias. Ho hum. DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • carolanivey
    carolanivey Non-active member Posts: 64
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    dreamdaisy wrote:
    I have wondered if females are more prone. Every time I go to the hospital the rheumatology waiting room is filled with women. Men are there to support but in all the years of meth jabs I have only ever seen the one male. Men are scarce on these forums too, it's mostly us girlies. I wonder why the gender bias. Ho hum. DD


    It does seem to affect women more than men. I also wonder if a man's tendency to avoid doctor visits is a factor in those numbers? :) My husband practically has to be on his death bed before he'll drag himself to the doctor's office!

    Chrissie, that's the mystery of RA - no one knows precisely how or why it's triggered in some people, but not in others. My sister doesn't have it, but I do. Sometimes there seems to be a genetic inheritance factor, but like you, other times there seems to be no rhyme or reason.

    I've read about some studies, though, that connect seemingly unrelated maladies within families. Such as RA and diabetes, or RA and certain kinds of cancers. There has to be a reason why some cancer drugs also have an affect on RA.
  • tkachev
    tkachev Non-active member Posts: 8,332
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Just like Linda I(very recently )was told my grandmother had terrible rheumatics. I have nothing but sympathy for her. She died long before I was born and never had the benefits of medication like I do.Blaming her never crossed my mind.
    Elizabeth
    Never be bullied into silence.
    Never allow yourself to be made a victim.
    Accept no ones definition of your life

    Define yourself........

    Harvey Fierstein
  • carolanivey
    carolanivey Non-active member Posts: 64
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    tkachev wrote:
    Just like Linda I(very recently )was told my grandmother had terrible rheumatics. I have nothing but sympathy for her. She died long before I was born and never had the benefits of medication like I do.Blaming her never crossed my mind.
    Elizabeth

    I know...my grandmother was a farm wife who had no modern conveniences and no electricity. Thinking of her washing her family's clothing by hand, cooking all their meals, doing all the gardening, milking, etc. just makes me ache for her.
  • lindalegs
    lindalegs Member Posts: 5,399
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    dreamdaisy wrote:
    I have wondered if females are more prone. Every time I go to the hospital the rheumatology waiting room is filled with women. Men are there to support but in all the years of meth jabs I have only ever seen the one male. Men are scarce on these forums too, it's mostly us girlies. I wonder why the gender bias. Ho hum. DD

    Estrogen plays a big part in RA and that's why women are more likely to get it. It also explains why women are inclined to have onset or flares during puberty, after chilbirth and the menopause and can suffer more pain during their periods.

    It's another joy of being a woman :roll:

    Luv Legs :|
    Love, Legs x
    'Make a life out of what you have, not what you're missing'
  • livinglegend
    livinglegend Non-active member Posts: 1,425
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    carolanivey wrote:
    It does seem to affect women more than men. I also wonder if a man's tendency to avoid doctor visits is a factor in those numbers? :) My husband practically has to be on his death bed before he'll drag himself to the doctor's office!
    I read somewhere that the ratio for female/male is 2.5:1 for RA, but it is for OA where the difference really shows up. Women are more prone to erosive osteoarthritis, with a female/male ratio of about 12:1.
    e040.gif

    Joseph 8)
    Josephm0310.gif
  • speedalong
    speedalong Member Posts: 3,315
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Women are more prone to erosive osteoarthritis, with a female/male ratio of about 12:1.

    Did the article say why, Joseph?

    Speedalong
    I have had OA since mid twenties. It affects my hips and knees. I had a THR on the left aged 30 and now have a resurface-replacement on the right - done May 2010.
  • livinglegend
    livinglegend Non-active member Posts: 1,425
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    speedalong wrote:
    Women are more prone to erosive osteoarthritis, with a female/male ratio of about 12:1.

    Did the article say why, Joseph?

    Speedalong
    No, it was just a short comment about the ratio rather than the why, but I could suggest that reasons are similar to those given below for RA.

    From 'smoking' to 'because women are "weaker"', (their comment not mine), to 'hormonal imbalance', take your pick.
    That research is online: Women, men, and rheumatoid arthritis by Tuulikki Sokka, Lead Author. http://arthritis-research.com/content/11/1/R7

    Try not to get lost in all the medical info.
    k045.gif

    Joseph 8)
    Josephm0310.gif
  • caprica
    caprica Non-active member Posts: 195
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    Women's bodies are actually 'stronger' in a way - we store more fat and water and hence the whole living longer than men business.

    But what's the point in living longer if we're more prone to stupid diseases eh? *rolls eyes*
  • carolanivey
    carolanivey Non-active member Posts: 64
    edited 30. Nov -0001, 00:00
    livinglegend wrote:
    'because women are "weaker"', (their comment not mine)

    I'd better not read that article. My blood pressure is high enough as it is. LOL

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