View Full Version : Got my genetic testing back and it's causing bad anxiety.
So I took a 23andme DNA test and it tells you about your ancestry. Well I am 75% northwestern European 100% European in general 5% French and German and 44% British and Irish. To my surprise I found out I was 20% ashkenazi Jewish. Anyways I took my raw DNA file and uploaded it to a site that tells you about your health. I'm at risk for a number of conditions such as coronary artery disease, heart disease, pancreatic cancer(but only a slight risk) , prostate cancer and lung cancer. Also schizophrenia. This site was crazy accurate because it said I have a risk of going bald And my hairline looks like someone who does go bald and I'm only 22. Naturally these reports have put my hypochondria on high alert. I'm not sure if I will definitely develop schizophrenia or pancreatic cancer or lung cancer or if it just means I'm at risk for it. Getting cancer is my worst nightmare. 'My grandfather died from lymphoma and I saw what he went through as far as treatment goes. Can anyone give me some guidance here.
Schizophrenia is not something I would say you should be worried about developing if you have no known direct family history of it. It is more common in men, and shows up around 18 years of age, but it is now treatable with medication and should not cause you anxiety (not saying it isn't bad, but you specifically shouldn't be worried about it).
Don't smoke if you're worried about lung cancer; that is the main cause of it. Avoiding smoke will greatly decrease your chances, even with a family history of it.
All humans are genetically susceptible to cancer. That's why anyone can get it. Knowing your family history from your DNA doesn't change your standing in health, as only direct genetics really matter (parents and grandparents, maybe great grandparents). Don't read too much into your DNA. If you look hard enough into it, you'll find every known illness if you try.
I am amazed at how many people are doing this DNA stuff. I don't see the value in it really. I mean, okay, if you are not prone to HA, maybe it could be a fun kind of thing to see. But people with HA? Why would they want this? All I see is a way for a HA person to take the info and start freaking out about % of this and chance of that. Basically reacting as you are doing. Personally I know my families of origin, so that is good enough for me.
But
If a person has a pancreas, lungs, stomach, etc, there is a risk of getting cancer. Having a heart is risk enough to developing heart disease. You are at increased risk of dying in a car crash because you ride in cars. You could die from a plane crash.
Saying "getting cancer is my worst nightmare". Means nothing really. It neither means you will nor means you won't. Drew-- We are all gonna die. Ain't no way around it. So you can fret over X,y and z diseases but it is not going to change what happens in the end.
The best you can do, is the best you can do.
My best advice is to toss that result and just live your life.
To my surprise I found out I was 20% ashkenazi Jewish.
Being of Russian descent... Western Siberia on my father's side and South of Moscow near Poland on my mother's side and a heritage of Judaism, I found this interesting. You don't happen to crave smoked salmon on a bagel do you? :whistles:
Positive thoughts and Oy Vey!
I know we're all going to die at some point but self preservation is very important to me. I want to live a long time and reading this info from my genetics were kind of alarming.
I know we're all going to die at some point but self preservation is very important to me. I want to live a long time and reading this info from my genetics were kind of alarming.
Okay I still don't get the logic here?
... Why would you do genetic testing if you knew this would be the outcome?
How is getting this done any part of self-preservation? How is wanting to live a long time change whether you do or not? I mean we all do. How is this DNA determine how long you live? It is only 'alraming' because you have HA and any of the information---whether it is even accurate---you see will be skewed into the most horrible possible light.
---------- Post added at 19:33 ---------- Previous post was at 19:32 ----------
... Why would you do genetic testing if you knew this would be the outcome?
EXACTLY MY POINT. A HA person will see it in the same manner as HA person engaging in a Dr. Google session.
Capercrohnj
10-03-17, 00:44
These are very general DNA tests. They aren't accurate prediction of diseases as compared to tests done by an actual geneticist
I still want to know about the Ashkenazi Jew connection. Do you have an affinity for laying on guilt trips (why can't you call your mother?) or offering food to your friends and family and feel insulted if they don't eat? (What?... you don't like my cooking or that I slaved all day over?) ;)
(I can ask... Judaism background ;) )
Oy Vey! You're being meshuggah!
Positive thoughts
nope lol I am only 20% so 1/5th. I didnt know that would be the outcome
nope lol I am only 20% so 1/5th. I didnt know that would be the outcome
Try some matzo ball chicken soup... It's Jewish penicillin ;)
Positive thoughts
Catherine S
10-03-17, 01:41
Checking on my family history would be ok, but checking on past health history? Nein danke!
ISB
MyNameIsTerry
10-03-17, 03:59
Aha, you may be half British. So, this can give me some insight into how you might lean towards the negative. Here is my own test for this:
1. Do you purposely stand in long queues just so you can have a damn good moan about it later?
2 - If the weather is bad, do you have a damn good moan about it? If it's too hot, do you have a damn good moan about it? If it's "just nice", do you feel a bit despondent & unfulfilled and then have a damn good moan about that instead?
3 - Does a cup of tea solve all problems? (After having a damn good moan about them, of course)
Welcome aboard, you must be one of us! :yesyes::winks:
snowghost57
10-03-17, 04:40
Being of Russian descent... Western Siberia on my father's side and South of Moscow near Poland on my mother's side and a heritage of Judaism, I found this interesting. You don't happen to crave smoked salmon on a bagel do you? :whistles:
Positive thoughts and Oy Vey!
You crack me, I enjoy your posts!
This site was crazy accurate because it said I have a risk of going bald And my hairline looks like someone who does go bald and I'm only 22. Naturally these reports have put my hypochondria on high alert. I'm not sure if I will definitely develop schizophrenia or pancreatic cancer or lung cancer or if it just means I'm at risk for it.
Saying you have a risk of going bald does not make this site crazy accurate. A massive percentage of the population from all walks of life goes bald. And, you aren't even going bald yet, so not even necessarily accurate.
For the other part - it 100% does NOT mean you are definitely going to get those things. If there was a test that could tell us exactly what diseases we would get in our lives it would not be free on the internet, someone would have won a nobel prize, and we'd be living in A Brave New World. All these results are telling you is what things each ethnic group tends to be more prone to... usually when it comes to disease that means if the general population has a 2% chance of getting lung cancer, people in that one specific ethnic group might have a 2.5 or 3% chance. That's it. And even then, that doesn't really mean anything, especially when you only have a small portion of each ethnicity.
The most important lesson here, though, is to stop purposely doing things that trigger you! One of the most valuable lessons I got in therapy was to avoid my triggers. If I see a news story about something that I know will make me anxious I don't click it. If there is a movie with a topic that might trigger my anxiety I don't watch it. If I feel a weird feeling in my body I don't google it, I get up and go do something else, etc... You were just setting yourself up here.
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