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Multiple Sclerosis
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Posted 7/11/2006 10:12 AM (GMT -7)
I just found out that there have been 4 males, in my neighborhood....6 houses or less on any side of my house that have been Dx'd (including me)with MS in the last 10 months.

Has anybody heard of this happening? Or do you think it is just
a coincidence?

Posted 7/11/2006 10:51 AM (GMT -7)

It may or may not be a coincidence, but here are some of the questions researchers would ask, if they were to investigate it:

For how long have each of these individuals lived here.

For each: when did symptoms start.

For each: what is the family history of autoimmune diseases.

Was there any precipitating event (illness, virus) that they can pinpoint as a possible place when they first started having symptoms.

Diet, including water.

Jobs, and possible exposure to a trigger in the work place.

Envirnomental factors.

and a whole host of other questions.

I think lots of people are getting diagnosed with MS..and other diseases..more quickly these days because of better medicine, the availability of equipment like MRI's, and a greater awareness of the need to seek medical treatment, early (Many of us rocked along for years with various symptoms before ever going to a doctor..)

Posted 7/11/2006 1:24 PM (GMT -7)
Man o' man...I think I want to go to Las Vegas with you guys...the odds...

Where do you live? I live in MI, a VERY high MS population...

John
Posted 7/12/2006 12:38 AM (GMT -7)
Where I live everyone knows at least one person who has MS. It is very common around here. I live in Saskatchewan, Canada. My boss thinks it something in our water.

So to answer your question I don't really think it is too wierd, it is a bit scary though.
Posted 7/12/2006 4:17 AM (GMT -7)
CALL your local health department and the EPA and see what they say. it would be interesting to know if you have a problem in your area. you might also want to talk to the other people to see if you have common factor. ie.job, as more woman get ms then men. also google {MS CLUSTERS} ALSO WWW.ATSDR.CDC.GOV
Posted 7/12/2006 9:25 AM (GMT -7)

Wow........a bit overwhelming. Feel like I caught a Brick with my face.

I found out that they all moved in within months of myself, 22 years ago.
We all had different backgrounds, some in the Armed Forces, some
lived in this state all their lives, some moved from other states. I just don't
see anything similar except this neighborhood.

I know these guys, coached their children over the years, now one has
moved because he had more stairs than I do, and thought it would
be a good idea to get a level playing field. One I didn't even know he
had MS, died a few months ago....suddenly. I went to the funeral never
knowing how he passed away, and his widow and son moved 3 weeks ago.
And the other, was DX'd within a month of myself, with his journey
to find out what was causing his "tingling", starting within weeks of when
my ON first started and my symptoms excelerated.

Unfortunately, the people in my neighborhood are scarred silly now. Clusters
have never been proved and I think this is just a strange, warped coincidence.
But you never know I guess.

Thank you for all your thoughts and input. That's what makes this such a great
support tool.

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