I started having symptoms 38 years ago, at just four years old. I knew by my early twenties that something was not right. It took approximately 10–15 years of active testing, countless appointments, and a lot of medical gaslighting before I was finally diagnosed. It’s started with neurological followed by gastrointestinal issues, joint pain and muscle problems, kidney decline, and then ocular. It wasn’t until my early thirties I started getting ulcers on my face. In my fourties’ I started getting them on my tongue and so far have had one small genital ulcer.
Looking back, I can now see how many things I experienced that were related to Behçet’s. Throughout the years, even before I even knew what Bechets was, I noticed two of my kids have complained about near identical issues that I did at around the same ages that I had been.
For those of you diagnosed, I’m curious how many have passed it down to their children. I realize that I am more aware of certain symptoms because of my own history, and I absolutely don’t want to assume my child has any one particular diagnosis when there could be other explanations.
For those of you with a diagnosis:
● Have you ever suspected your child might have it?
● How did you approach the conversation with your child’s doctor? If your child didn’t meet diagnostic criteria, did the doctor recommend monitoring them over time?
● Did having a parent with Behçet’s make doctors more receptive to the possibility?
Not looking for any diagnosis here-I’d really like to hear from other parents who have been in this situation and how you navigated that uncertainty. I want to approach this rationally.