Hi everyone, I'm new to this forum!
I don't even know where to begin! My boyfriend has huningtons disease and I'm not really sure how to handle it. Let me start off by saying that I love my boyfriend more than anything. He is the most amazing, loyal, and caring man. Well, until his huningtons gets him down. Most of the time, he is great. But sometimes he doubts absolutely everything in his life and gets into a very dark place where I can't seem to reach him. Is that the norm? I really need to know what I'm getting myself into because we're moving in together and might have a baby on the way.
Thank You!

Hello and welcome to HDLF. Depression (that dark place you refer to) is common for both the HD patient AND the caregiver. Some of the treatments for depression have been shown to delay progression. Refer to Stanford University's info page on SSRI medication at https://www.stanford.edu/group/hopes/cgi-bin/wordpress/2011/09/antidepressants-and-hd/.

We are here to provide information for your journey with Huntington disease. Also check to see if you have a local HD support group that is active in your area. I've found them to be very helpful.

Steve

Welcome to the forum Whitney...reach out to us and someone will help you find your answers. This is a fantastic community of pHD's and wonderful caregivers. Steve and Marsha do a fantastic service to us and do so with personal connections to HD itself.

Like Steve said there are some dark places for all in this process but they don't all have to be so dark. Many here manage remarkably with the person with HD and as a caregiver.

If you feel comfortable, give us a little background on the HD history and your questions.

Good Luck,

Mike

Do not have a baby , adopt

Perhaps it is best that we allow Whitney to reflect on her situation and ask questions, as opposed to people giving unsolicited advice on a very touchy subject. I say this in the most respectful way. Please be sensitive to the subject matter. We all have different opinions on parenting with HD as well as the potential of children with the HD gene. Again, let's let Whitney ask the questions. Thanks, Ty


GFG Wrote:
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> Do not have a baby , adopt

Whitney, many of us have children and they are asking the same questions. HD can seem unreal and it can be very real. There are so many variables. I don't thing any of us can tell you what to do or what you should not have done. We are a community of people affected and brought together by the same disease.

Mike