Hi All,
On Saturday morning, after hours of non-stop vomiting and diarrhea I ended up in ER completely dehydrated and with chest pain, but no fever. Turns out it was not FMF-related and not food poisoning or the flu. I was told it's esophigitis)---but, Dr. Yoshida, the attending physician had actually heard of FMF, because his second-cousin in Japan has it. Her uncle, (also in Japan) has it. I was so surprised!

I had read the article saying that seven Japanese were diagnosed with FMF; but to meet the cousin of one in ER was pretty amazing! Anyway, Dr. Yoshida told me that his cousin's family crest includes a Turkish Crescent and that there were stories of Turkish ancestry dating way, way back.

But to me this means, they must have a dominant strain going. After all, how likely is it that BOTH the Uncle's parents and BOTH the cousin's parents had this Turkish ancestry with the genetic mutation? Anyway, it will be interesting to find out how the seven cases can be accounted for.

You know how difficult it is to get diagnosed with FMF here in the US. Most doctors have never heard of FMF. Can you imagine what most of those seven in Japan went through to get their diagnosis?

Take care all!
Diane in sunny California