New here, 4/4 in IL

Newcomer introductions, personal anecdotes, caregiver issues, lab results, and n=1 experimentation.
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CharityCat
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New here, 4/4 in IL

Post by CharityCat »

Hello to everyone here... I’m 42, a married woman in Illinois, and I just learned of my 4/4 status after uploading my AncestryDNA data to Promethease. I wasn’t actually as shocked as I might have been, because I’ve already been living with the idea that Alzheimer’s might be in my future because of my family history. My mother is only 60 now, but her mother, and mother’s mother, and so on have all died of or with dementia. I just sort of assumed that it would be the same way for me one day. Now I know that at least one of those 4s is in my mother’s bloodline— so that does make sense! I’m also homozygous for MTHFR C677T, so one of those is present in her family as well.

I don’t know my father’s family history; he was not a part of my life. He died a few years ago, so I don’t know how his aging process might have gone.

I’m not a health-conscious person. I don’t know if any genetic differences have anything to do with it, but I’ve been preoccupied with mental health struggles throughout my life. I’ve been on medications like SSRIs and mood stabilizers my entire adult life, and I’ve always had a lot of difficulty with regular things like work and social relationships. I do the best I can just to get along with the least amount of additional stress possible, which usually means eating whatever is handy and filling... and probably not very healthy.

I don’t know that I can add the additional responsibilities to my life of having to maintain a healthy diet, or of maintaining healthy social interaction. I have already gotten some appropriate supplements to take, which I know is better than nothing. But even if I never end up taking all of the active steps you all are taking to reduce your risk, I’m still glad I know my status. I know some people would rather not, but I prefer it. And maybe one day I’ll be able to make more changes to my lifestyle.

I’m glad this community exists for all of us, wherever we might be coming from. *hugs*
NF52
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Re: New here, 4/4 in IL

Post by NF52 »

CharityCat wrote:Hello to everyone here... I’m 42, a married woman in Illinois, and I just learned of my 4/4 status after uploading my AncestryDNA data to Promethease. I wasn’t actually as shocked as I might have been, because I’ve already been living with the idea that Alzheimer’s might be in my future because of my family history... But even if I never end up taking all of the active steps you all are taking to reduce your risk, I’m still glad I know my status. I know some people would rather not, but I prefer it. And maybe one day I’ll be able to make more changes to my lifestyle.

I’m glad this community exists for all of us, wherever we might be coming from. *hugs*
A warm welcome, CharityCat, from someone who is also ApoE 4/4 and is old enough to be your mother--and still doing just fine--as I expect you will be also in 25 years and more! I could have written some of your post when I was 42. But here's what I've learned since finding out my status 6 years ago:

Our parents' fates are not the same as our own. Both my parents, for example had untreated coronary artery disease. I suspect your grandmother and great-grandmother may have also, since women were rarely tested for heart problems back in the decades when men dropped dead of heart attacks in their 40's and 50's. Your ancestors also didn't have the benefit of the education you've had, and the clean air and water and food standards you've had.

Most importantly, you have a wonderful attitude of wanting to know this information and wanting to be part of this community! We are so glad you have found us--and we truly support each other every day!

One of. the best resources I found when I found this forum was the encouragement by a doctor with ApoE 4/4 who has recovered from two severe brain injuries and counsels us to be kind to ourselves and be willing to take small steps--not beat ourselves up for not being "perfect" (And believe me, no one here can agree completely on what "perfect" means!) You can read her suggestions for basic strategies in our Primer.

Keep posting and hugs from an older version of you!
4/4 and still an optimist!
CharityCat
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Re: New here, 4/4 in IL

Post by CharityCat »

NF52 wrote: One of the best resources I found when I found this forum was the encouragement by a doctor with ApoE 4/4 who has recovered from two severe brain injuries and counsels us to be kind to ourselves and be willing to take small steps--not beat ourselves up for not being "perfect" (And believe me, no one here can agree completely on what "perfect" means!)
That’s definitely something I’ve had to learn in other contexts. If I wait for “perfect,” I’ll never manage to do anything at all. :)
AKA
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Re: New here, 4/4 in IL

Post by AKA »

CharityCat wrote:Hello to everyone here... I’m 42, a married woman in Illinois, and I just learned of my 4/4 status after uploading my AncestryDNA data to Promethease. I wasn’t actually as shocked as I might have been, because I’ve already been living with the idea that Alzheimer’s might be in my future because of my family history. My mother is only 60 now, but her mother, and mother’s mother, and so on have all died of or with dementia. I just sort of assumed that it would be the same way for me one day. Now I know that at least one of those 4s is in my mother’s bloodline— so that does make sense! I’m also homozygous for MTHFR C677T, so one of those is present in her family as well.

I don’t know my father’s family history; he was not a part of my life. He died a few years ago, so I don’t know how his aging process might have gone.

I’m not a health-conscious person. I don’t know if any genetic differences have anything to do with it, but I’ve been preoccupied with mental health struggles throughout my life. I’ve been on medications like SSRIs and mood stabilizers my entire adult life, and I’ve always had a lot of difficulty with regular things like work and social relationships. I do the best I can just to get along with the least amount of additional stress possible, which usually means eating whatever is handy and filling... and probably not very healthy.

I don’t know that I can add the additional responsibilities to my life of having to maintain a healthy diet, or of maintaining healthy social interaction. I have already gotten some appropriate supplements to take, which I know is better than nothing. But even if I never end up taking all of the active steps you all are taking to reduce your risk, I’m still glad I know my status. I know some people would rather not, but I prefer it. And maybe one day I’ll be able to make more changes to my lifestyle.

I’m glad this community exists for all of us, wherever we might be coming from. *hugs*
Hello and Welcome CharityCat!

Thank you for sharing your story, I was really touched by your sincerity and bravery. I'm so glad you found us and joined the conversation. I think you will find a wonderfully supportive community here with so much experience and knowledge to share. I often say learning is the first step to change and it seems to me you are already ahead of the game with getting some of the appropriate supplements! We all do what we can, when we can when the time is right for us. I learned of my 3/4 status about 4 years ago and now at 61, I'm still experimenting with different strategies and trying to figure out how to fit them into my lifestyle. Some are easier than others but I do what I can! ;) The old motto, "Inch by inch, it's a cinch" is a good one to keep in mind! There's a wealth of information here and I'd like to share a few links that may help you navigate through.

How-To Get the most out of the ApoE4.info website was created to help new (and not so new) members navigate the site. This area explains how to use the quotes button {so that the other member receives an email notification of your reply}, how to search for topics, how to subscribe to topics of interest, and more.

The Primer was written by a doctor who also is an E4/4 carrier, loves pastry, and believes in taking small steps. It's filled with helpful information. Finally, Just found out you're an E4 carrier? is a section in the wiki pages that you might want to take a look at, it provides links to the Welcome, a quick set of strategies (summary list) to boost brain health, and more.

Looking forward to your future posts and sharing the journey with you.
Again, a warm welcome to you, CharityCat!

Andrea (from OH)
CharityCat
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Re: New here, 4/4 in IL

Post by CharityCat »

AKA wrote:
Looking forward to your future posts and sharing the journey with you.
Again, a warm welcome to you, CharityCat!

Andrea (from OH)
It took me a minute to get back to it, but— many thanks for the welcoming words. I’m truly grateful to have found a group of people who understand what this gene means for one’s life. :)
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