do i have marfan's syndrome? how do i find out? AM I GOING TO DIE?

Question

I'm scared. do i have marfan's syndrome? how do i find out for sure?
I'm tall and thinwith long fingers but not very long, just a tiny bit longer than usual--but that runs in my family and i haven't finished growing--all my family are extremely thin before puberty is finished and my sister still is
my whole family is tall
is 5"6 really tall for a girl 15 years old?
heart disease runs in my family too

my face is heart shaped and long and im nearsighted

OMG!! OMG! do i have it???!!! how do i know for sure?

am i going to die???? OMG!

this is serious i don;t want to die yet!

i'm freaking out!

can you cure it?

my armspan is normal and not long at all

Answer 1

First of all CALM DOWN! What kind of jerk has been telling you such nonsense? Why does someone feel the need to frighten you?
Next, Marfans IS NOT fatal. Most people who have it live just as long as the rest of the population.
I am a 54 year old lady with Marfans Syndrome.
You are not overly tall, when I was 15 I was 6'1" tall.
The only way to know for sure is by genetic testing, but I do not think you need it.
When you wrap your fingers around your wrist does your thumb and pinky overlap by a full knuckle lenght? If you make a fist with your thumb inside your fist does it stick way out? Is your armspan 3 or 4 inches greater than your height?
You can contact The National Marfan Foundation for a list of criteria, but from what you have mentioned, I seriously doubt that you have Marfans.

Answer 2

By the time you are 14, if the docs are unsure you have Marfan syndrome, its a sign that you either have a mild form of it or you don't actually have it. You have already passed the window where Marfan syndrome causes the most serious problems (during early development). The symptoms that people develop and the severity of the symptoms span a huge range. The effects on health and lifespan depend on which symptoms you might have and their severity. Many of Marfan symptoms can be corrected, some can be treated to reduce their effects, and some symptoms are not treatable or curable. In the vast majority of cases the syndrome has no effect on lifespan due to corrective actions and treatments to manage the symptoms.

Answer 3

I think you are relying to much on coincidences. The national height average for women your age is about 6'5" you aren't that much taller than that. People with Marfan's suffer from discolation of the lenses, meaning that near-sightedness doesn't have to do with this. If you really think you have Marfan's syndrome you may also have a severely crowded mouth with your teeth. If you are still not sure if you have Marfan's go to thess site at the bottom and read all the info, if you still aren't convinced, consult a physician.

Answer 4

There are many, many tall thin nearsighted girls who are normal. Is your chest bone (sternum) normal or is it sunken in or protruding out? Do you have a heart murmur? Is your spine straight, or do you have scoliosis? The diagnosis of Marfan syndrome is not always clear cut. Discuss with your doctor whether he/she thinks you should be referred to a clinical geneticist. Sometimes it is difficult even with extensive testing, including echocardiography to measure the root of the aorta.

The odds are that you are normal.

Answer 5

http://www.marfan.org/nmf/GetContentRequestHandler.do?menu_item_id=4

There isn't a cure, but there are ways to manage the symptoms. However, i doubt you have it, because everyone is your family is tall, and you should proportionally be taller than unaffected people in your family. Your height isn't really that unusual either, it's pretty average. If you really are freaking out, talk to your doctor.