Father tells me that the crohn's diease I have isn't genetic because we are not jewish?

pb4 said...

Nanners said...
I am the only one in my family that has Crohns and I am not Jewish either. You should tell your Dad that some get Crohns not because of anything heriditary but just because we have a faulty gene that has triggered Crohns in us.

But that's contradictionary because of the fact that you are talking genes which do stem from heredity.

Plus, there is no guarantee that Redjeeps father (or other family member(s) won't end up with an IBD at some point, my mom didn't get UC until AFTER I got sick with CD.

:)

regarding genetics you can have a condition which is (1) hereditary or a condition which is (2) from a mutated gene.

the difference is that the hereditary gene is something that is passed along that exists in your bloodline somewhere.

the mutated gene could occur in you and only you and not be inherited.  this could happen during labor/childbirth while you are born or from exposure to something in the environment that mutates or affects your DNA. 

agree with the second point that IBD can occur at any point.  The ashke**** jews were a concentrated group so it makes sense that certain diseases/disorders may have been passed on.  but this disease occurs worldwide - also Indian.  it is very difficult to do epidemiological research on ibd, especially in developing nations where people die of dysentary and other causes, or lack the facilities for proper diagnosis.

i'm also the first one to have ibd (that we know of).  my family members also used to blame me and still do at times.  people assume because it's digestive it must have been something you did or ate and that you had 100% control over it.  guess it's easier to cope when you can direct the blame at SOMEthing.  but yeah, it sucks.

Post Edited (Jen_J) : 7/16/2009 2:43:09 AM (GMT-6)

I am glad your arm is getting better! I'm praying you get full use of it back! I'm also praying your Dad fully recovers from the sin of pride. Sounds like he thinks it is all about him.

There are several diseases that are more prominent in certain groups. Take Sickle Cell Anemia, for example. Does your Dad think that any group that has more susceptibility to a disease is inferior and weak? Reality is that we all have a likihood for getting something. We all will die so what does it matter?

This is such an interesting topic, because I identify myself as Jewish but I am only 3/4. My 1/2 is aske**** however, no one in my family has suffered from IBD...but my non-jewish parent has had IBS, but no diagnosed colitis or chrohns and I have 2 brothers and sisters who don't seem to have any problems yet either, knock on wood. Either way, yes, it is true, and I have read that the prevelance amongst aske**** jews happens to be about 25% higher than the general population but to say that only jewish people can have this disease is to say something like only homosexual men can have AIDS...it's PROPOSTEROUS!!! And, honestly, I can completely relate to what you're experiencing with your parents. My family hasn't been the most supportive either. My older sister for example, when I tell her how bad I'm feeling from this or how serious mine is, pretty much has told me well, I know this person and that person that have it and they're fine. Sometimes, family just doesn't get it. She also loves to blame me, like you just aren't eating right, ect...so I think sometimes they are just in denial and don't want to really accept that we are fighting a chronic illness, because then it might make them upset. And, what they don't realize is that they are making it harder on us, the ones that are actually having to deal with this instead of just accepting what is going on. I'm sure he doesn't see you as a bad apple or a genetic anomaly...it's just a lack of knowledge. Give him literature and have him even speak to your doctor or doctors..whatever it takes to get him on board and to realize that this is something you are going through...because it's real and it's painful whether he wants to admit that you have it or not....you know that you do if the tests show it.

So, yes, in conclusion, the incidence is higher amongst aske**** jews, but no one in my blood line has had it so far that I know of. And, no one really knows what causes Chohns, but it isn't your fault. Don't ever let anyone make you believe for even a moment that it is.

I cringe to think of what your dad thinks of as good genes.

Donnaeil

RedJeep, I'm sorry sorry to read about your accident and the severe damage to your arm!!! May you experience full recovery and use very soon.

As to your father - snort - probably one of those "jew haters". I'm sorry, he's your father. But he is an ignoramus. To treat you this way, and to take out his predjudice and hatred of jews on you is disgusting. Maybe it is even self-hate or fear that somewhere back there he does have some Jewish blood.

I'm the only one in my family with Crohns and any other digestive disorder and I'm not jewish. Tell your dad that he's the one with the bad genes instead of making you feel bad.

kinda funny.... millions of people of the jewish faith abandoned it during hard times for them such as wars, coutry takeovers and such. or they hid it in their basemnets etc... not letting on that they followed the faith. the fact that at this time their are no jewish faithfulls in the family is moot because of what happenned earlier in history. because they married the same faith (mostly) their were probably many realted people marrying and having offspring. thus passing on any defect in the system. so as some of these people denied or stopped being faithfull, the history was lost. so basically what im saying is that ANY one can have jewish ancestors. :o)

I know a couple black people that have crohn's. I have read that crohn's is more prevalent in Jews though. I am also the only member in a rather large family (I have no siblings but my dad has 7 and they all had 3-7 children each) to have IBD or really any stomach problems at all.

I have Crohn's and I am not Jewish either...hope you feel better..I am of European descent...

It is not written anywhere that only jewish people can get IBD, just that research has shown that among askenaz- jews the prevalance is higher than the general population.

:)

Similar to what most of the other people have posted here, I too have no jewish ancestry and still am atleast a 3rd generation crohnie. My grandma, her son(my uncle) and now me all have it. Of course, I am not sure if any other in my line have it because it was not a diagnosed disease back then. I used to try and fight the whole world in convincing them that this disease is real, diagnosed by multiple doctors for me, and a real burden upon my life. It is just not worth the stress, work, or waste of my lifetime to get them to understand me. All it did was make me look like a hypocondriac, throw me into a mini flare from the stress, and just cause depression. If you father does not want to believe you, then pity him and let life go on. This does not mean to lose you relationship with him, just don't discuss your disease with him and love him for being you father. Whether he believes you or not, you are still going to have this disease and the crap that comes with it. It is natural for a person to seek their parents support and approval and it does hurt when you feel like you are not living up to their standards. He will always love you know matter what he says or does because a parent's love in unlike any type of bond. He may not show it now, but the fact that he did enough research to find out that Crohn's is sometimes more common among those with jewish ancestry, shows me that he cares. If he did not care, why would he have looked that much up? Let him handle this the way that he wants to and eventually if his heart is open then he will come around.
I rarely talk about my disease now around my family and friends unless they ask about it or if I can not make an event. When a person talks to much about their problems, those around them become desensitzed to it when you really need their support. I am not advocating hiding you disease or not talking about it at all, but do not become a person that has to tell everyone their problems. There are certain people that I open up too when I need to vent and this website it one that really helps. Not to sound rude, but people typically do not want to hear all the gory details about poop and the problems that we have from this disease. It makes them sick and frankly scares the heebee geebees out of them. We are so used to talking about colons, bags, poop, bowel patterns, throw up, and accidents, but other people typically don't focus on those things as much as we do.
Now all of this may sound like an offtopic tangent, but let me bring it all together. Your father sounds as if he is in denial mode due to the fact that he may feel helpless in solving your illness. We guys, are naturally problem solvers and it kills us when we can not find and answer to help those that we love the most. It drive my wife crazy sometimes when she starts venting to me because although I am a good listener, I have to find a solution to all that is bothering her. She always says that sometimes she just wants to vent and is not ready to hear the solutions yet.(this is when I have her give her sister a call to vent lol)