There's a 50% chance of them being able to indicate from the genetic testing that her alzheimers is genetic based.
Interesting appointment, but not a great deal of information that's very practical. Once we get the results, if it is considered to be genetic, me (and my siblings) will have 50% chance of having the alzheimers gene from mum. And all her siblings will also have the same 50% chance of inheriting it from my grandfather.
The only factor that i found useful in deciding to be tested or not, is that if you have the genetic testing, and are proven to have the defective gene, it will affect you in getting life insurance, income protection insurances etc. you are then obliged to pass on the information if you know, and therefore they will either not insure you or charge alot more to insure you, or insure you, with exceptions to alzheimers related stuff. So essentially, if you know that information, you are obliged to tell them. If you don't know the information, you can't tell them. I presume this will have effects in the future on things like health insurance, applying for certain jobs, pretty much anything where they ask you about medical history.
Essentially he said there is not much point in being tested, as there are no medications that would be useful to someone of my age to take to try and delay alzheimers. But in the future, if something were to become available, it may become worthwhile knowing.
We will await the results, but it won't make much difference to me. I have no intentions of having the genetic testing, i'd much prefer to stick my head in the sand and pretend like it would never happen to me. Quite frankly I'd rather not be judged on things that may happen to me in the future if there are no real medications or treatments that will make much difference. If my life is going to be short (or torturously, painfully long) I'd rather enjoy it for now rather than trying to stave off the inevitable.
