New 4/4 Have Question About Siblings

[AKDeb58]

I found out I was a e4/4 a few months back. I'm 59, my mother who is 79 has advanced Dementia and the neurologist feels it's of the Alzheimer's type as there are no signs to suggest Lewy Body dementia, additionally my father died at 76 from Parkinson's. I'm glad to have found this out and have been trying to following all the recommendations made in the primer on this site. My biggest worry is for my two children, my son who is 33 is e3/4 and my daughter who is 40 is e4/4 (different dads). On the bright side they have learned decades before me and will hopefully take this to heart and make their own lifestyle changes. . . . So my question is what would the chances be of my siblings being e4/4. Neither are in the position to afford testing at this time and I not sure of the answer myself.
Thank you for this site and everyone's support of each other. I know I have a lot to learn.

[ru442]

Welcome AKDeb!!.... if you haven't already please read Stavia's primer:

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=1418

As for your siblings, you should also read in the Welcome about testing and discussing this with family etc. . It can be a slippery slope.

[Harrison]

Hi AKDeb,

As ru442 has pointed you in the direction of the primer, I'll specifically tackle your probability question.

Unfortunately, there is no way to answer this without more information. If you know both of your parents' genotypes, you can calculate the probability. If not, since you are E4/4, each of your parents has at least one E4, but you don't know if one or both is E4/4, E3/4, E2/4. Probability could be anywhere between 25-100% that your siblings are E4/4.

If your siblings have good health habits, there might not be much to change, and if they have bad health habits, they probably should change them regardless.

[Stavia]

welcome.
Testing is not a simple decision, lots of factors to consider.

[sylvieJ]

Welcome AKDeb58 to the forum.

Sounds like you already read the primer, that's a great place to start.
It's wonderful that you are already taking steps to make some changes. This is most likely the best way you can influence your children. Let them see you making positive healthful lifestyle changes and hopefully they will slowly make small changes too.

If you have any further questions on where to start with lifestyle changes, please don't hesitate to PM me. I will be happy to pass on any information I have gained at the Bredesen Protocol (Dr Dale Bredesen) training.

kind regards
Sylvie

[Tincup]

Hi & welcome.

One day I mentally worked this out for my 4/4 wife's family (4 sibs) while riding ski lift. If you know nothing about your parents, other then they have at least one E4, then here are the results:

I show my work here.

PROBABILITY
44 16/36 = 44.4%
4X 16/36 = 44.4%
XX 4/36 = 11.1%

[TheBrain]

AKDeb58, it sounds like your siblings would like to get tested, if I'm reading your post correctly, and that it's more a matter of finances that are keeping them from getting tested. If they do want to know their status, I hope they can find a way.

Hi & welcome.

One day I mentally worked this out for my 4/4 wife's family (4 sibs) while riding ski lift. If you know nothing about your parents, other then they have at least one E4, then here are the results:

I show my work here.

PROBABILITY
44 16/36 = 44.4%
4X 16/36 = 44.4%
XX 4/36 = 11.1%

George, I assume this probability is the same for each sibling. I'm just trying to wrap my head around this. I've been assuming that the probability of 4/4 for my siblings would be lower than 44.4%, but I've never had a number in mind. (BTW, I do trust your work.)

I've told my siblings about my 4/4 status, and they have decided not to get tested. I don't understand not wanting to know, but I nonetheless respect their decision.

[Tincup]

George, I assume this probability is the same for each sibling. I'm just trying to wrap my head around this. I've been assuming that the probability of 4/4 for my siblings would be lower than 44.4%, but I've never had a number in mind. (BTW, I do trust your work.)

Alysson, I don't guarantee my analysis is correct, but anybody and go to the link and see what I did. I basically thought through all the possible combinations in the parents (not knowing anything except they had a 4/4 offspring and going from there) and analyzed that.

As Stavia notes - there is no memory in probabilities, each of your sibs have the same probabilities. And, for what it is worth, none of my wife sibs seem to have any interest in finding out either.

[WhatNext]

I've told my siblings about my 4/4 status, and they have decided not to get tested. I don't understand not wanting to know, but I nonetheless respect their decision."

I remember getting my Promethease report and sitting in front of the computer asking myself "Do I really want to know?" The answer was yes, I really wanted to know; what was stopping me from opening the report was dread of bad news. I think it's not so much a question of not wanting to know--it's just the dread.

WhatNext

[Elizakirk]

My sister, who is 44, is two years cancer free after beating stage 4 colon cancer. She was given a .5% chance of ever being cancer free SO I am so not looking telling her I'm apoe 4/4. Our mother died of Lewy body at 65 and our father died at 55 of heart disease (related to agent orange exposure).
She has declined all genetic testing related to colon cancer so im not sure what to do
I found out this week completely by accident. I was given 23andme ancestry for my birthday and decided to use promethease. I honestly didn't even know about the apoe4 gene. My bad for not researching or
I am 41 and am in good health. Anyway I'll tell her after I meet with a genetic counselor. I also have a 1/2 bro and sis and a cousin who is on a paleo diet. They all need to know. Argh!

Sorry for rambling I'm still processing all this.

Is anyone facing ethical questions for siblings who may not want to know?