Would you want to know?

[wvjules]

At the end of this week genetic testing will be available at Walgreen's Pharmacy. It can test for a genes for a propensity for Alzheimer's disease, breast cancer, diabetes and other ailments. Here is more on it from msnbc.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37076766/ns/health-more_health_news/

So do you want to know or not?

Me, I'm on the fence about this. For now, I'm not going to get tested. However I may in the future.

 

[si-am]

Not approved by FDA, unreliable results, at a cost of $250.

No thanks.

 

[MerMom60_94]

At the end of this week genetic testing will be available at Walgreen's Pharmacy. It can test for a genes for a propensity for Alzheimer's disease, breast cancer, diabetes and other ailments. Here is more on it from msnbc.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37076766/ns/health-more_health_news/

So do you want to know or not?

Me, I'm on the fence about this. For now, I'm not going to get tested. However I may in the future.

My mother and sister both have had breast cancer and I have been offered genetic testing by my doctor, which I have declined. For one thing, there is so much research being done that I would not take a drastic measure to stop this disease because maybe it will be curable by the time I ever get it. Also, I don't trust the insurance companies. Who is to say they won't then deny me insurance due to a "pre-existing condition" based on the results of this test. I just closely monitor myself and go for my exams each year.

 

[wvjules]

Not approved by FDA, unreliable results, at a cost of $250.

No thanks.

Why would it need to be approved by the FDA? It is not foot, nor is it a drug. It is a test on saliva. The cost is also dependant on what you want tested. It ranges from $25 for the cost of the test up to almost $500 for all markers to be tested.

ETA: Hopefully if a marker for a certain condition comes back as positive a person would follow up with their own physician and get more testing done. The test isn't the final answer, just a guide.

 

[Robinrs]

I already know my propensities due to most of my family is already gone. It wouldn't be a surprise to me.

 

[luvmy3]

Yes I would want to know.

 

[Colleen27]

I think the technology to know these things is likely to open a whole can of worms that we're not ready to handle. Think getting health insurance is a mess now, just wait until you have to provide your genetic profile on the application...

On a prsonal level, no, I really don't want to know. I know my family history and that's enough; I know that I'm the only woman in my family to make it through my childbearing years without gestational diabetes (just barely, I was "borderline" during my last pregnancy). I know that both my grandmothers were diabetic and 3 of my 4 grandparents suffered from Alzheimers, but the only cancer death has been my grandfather (smoker & steel worker) of lung cancer. I think I have enough to go on to take reasonable preventative measures against the things I'm most likely predisposed to without genetic testing.

I could see this as valuable for those who for whatever reason don't know their biological family histories, but I think the potential for misuse of the results makes this a technology likely to do more harm than good overall.

 

[Buckalew11]

I would want to know if I was going to have Alzheimers. It runs on both sides of my mom's family. I'm worrying about it now but just hoping I have menapausel fuzzy thinking.

I do fear the same thing Colleen mentioned with health care. Of course, health care is already a worry with the new things going on with it. Maybe it'll be best if I don't know which end is up!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

On a personal level, I would get tested and scanned to the end of kingdom come if I could.

Concerning pre exisiting conditions regarding insurance, that could be a real issue at some point. My hope is that pre exisiting conditions goes away however can't count on that.

I would rather get the "scan" than get tested genetically if I had to pick my poison. Unless of course it was a valid test they were saying I should get due to an unforseen circumstance.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I put it into the list of things that might have been useful before I got married. I kinda chose my genetic partner already.

 

[FireDancer]

I wouldn't want to know. For me, I am very lucky with family history. Almost everyone in my family lives to 100 if they don't die of a lifestyle ailment like emphysema from smoking. While we have a splattering of different illnesses in the family most of them are one off and most are with distant relatives. I don't have a single male relative that has had any form of cancer for example.

If I had a lot of family members dying of something or dying young I would very likely change my view. If my great grandpa, grandpa, and father all died of a heart attack in their 50's I would be more concerned about genetic markers for hypertension or heart disease.

There are a lot of healthcare implications for knowing about genetic markers. If you have a gene for breast cancer or Alzheimer's will an insurer want higher premiums or refuse you healthcare? Even if there is legislation to prevent this there are always loopholes. Our legislature hasn't had a good track record at not making certain laws that are quite sieve-like in their application.

 

[Micca]

Don't want to know, it'll mess with this highly effective denial discipline I've got going.

 

[Pakey]

I absolutely would want to know. Diagnosed with advanced stage breast cancer 4 years ago (and successfully treated), I get tested tested tested. And thank goodness. It has now spread to my lung but because it was caught so early, I actually have a chance to survive for a bit longer. If my oncologist wasn't on top of things, this tumor would have gotten a lot larger before detected. I'm 53 years old; I feel like I've got a lot of living left to do.

 

[Feralpeg]

My daughter is very interested in this. Since we know nothing about her father (I had artificial insemination from an unknown donor), she knows nothing of his family medical history. She already has some medical issues that the doctors can't seem to put their finger on. If this could help, it would be very worthwhile.

Of course, getting these results would only be the first step. If the test were to reveal something important, further testing by trusted medical professionals would only make sense.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I would.. I have three young cousins with huntigton's disease.. It sucks. I am allfor something that could possible let you know early one to monitor a possible disease (not that their is a cure for Huntingston)

 

[cteddiesgirl]

At the end of this week genetic testing will be available at Walgreen's Pharmacy. It can test for a genes for a propensity for Alzheimer's disease, breast cancer, diabetes and other ailments. Here is more on it from msnbc.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37076766/ns/health-more_health_news/

So do you want to know or not?

Me, I'm on the fence about this. For now, I'm not going to get tested. However I may in the future.

I already know my propensity for getting many of these diseases. My grandmother and aunt had Alzheimer's, cancer of all types run in my dad's family, and I already proved 9 years ago that I could end up with ovarian cancer, I could end up with diabetes due to my weight and diet and lack of exercise and heart disease as my mother had it .

I'm not buying it.

 

[Aisling]

Yes I would want to know.

Me, too.

 

[NotUrsula]

Only if I could take the tests under an assumed name and pay cash. No way on earth would I allow any kind of paperwork that would identify me to any other medical professional, an employer, or an insurance company.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Only if I could take the tests under an assumed name and pay cash. No way on earth would I allow any kind of paperwork that would identify me to any other medical professional, an employer, or an insurance company.

That.

I would only do it that way.

 

[Jerseylicious]

On a personal level, I would get tested and scanned to the end of kingdom come if I could.

Here, here!!!

My mother had breast cancer 12 years ago. She tested positive for the gene.

This past November, I too tested positive for the gene. I am 39 years old. Because I tested positive, I am now allowed not only mammograms, but also MRI's. I just had my first breast MRI 2 weeks ago. It showed 2 nodules. I just had 2 surgical biopsies five days ago. They are both BENIGN! However, what if they weren't? And what if I never got tested for the gene or had the MRI in the first place? If something runs in the family, to NOT get tested is foolish. Be preventative! Do it for yourself and your family.

If all of this gene knowledge was popular in the mid 1990's, my mother would have had preventative mastectomies and NEVER ever would have suffered through the horrific chemo and radiation.

Knowing what *I* know, I am having my ovaries out in Sept (because this gene also causes ovarian cancer which can be VERY hard to detect), and I will have preventative mastectomies this coming winter. I will NOT be tested and just 'wait' around for cancer, which I right now have an 87% chance of getting. No thank you. I will have nice reconstruction and reduce my cancer risk from 87% down to almost nothing.