Anyone else close to 50 when told may have MS?

Question

I'm just wondering if anyone else was near my age when they first heard that they might have MS.  I'm apparently at the top of the age range that MS shows up. I feel old. LOL. How old were you?  I have only had the MRI so far and waiting for the LP.  

Feeling old in Illinois.

sandythegeek2 · Answer

Tammy, does this happen every night?  What other symptoms do you have?

maxthecat43 · Answer

Thank you for this comment.  Both my arms go completely numb while I'm sleeping too.  I wondered if this was related, but wasn't sure.  

Mystery solved at last!

Tammy

rendean · Answer

51 at age of diagnosis but symptoms brushed off for more than 30+ years.

ren

JaneK1975 · Answer

Lots of scientific studies have confirmed the benefits of moderate exercise for MSers. Exercise affects not only the muscles, but also the circulation system, and it improves general mood. Like, Kyle, I truly believe that exercise is beneficial in the fight.

- Jane

kwarendorf · Answer

"she told me to exercise a lot.  I don't think that makes a difference if it's messing with the nerves.  It's not a muscular disorder right?"

I'm finding that it does help, a lot. I started exercising regularly 2 months ago and I feel much better. Nothing else changed except adding exercise. All I'm doing is walking, nothing crazy. I do it every other day for about 45-60 minutes. The improvement in how I feel has been rather remarkable.

Kyle

beema36 · Answer

I was diagnosed at age 50. I had most likely had ms for 20 years before they finally figured it out.

Guitar_grrrl · Answer

I was 50 when diagnosed, after some 20+ years of symptoms.  We (my neuro and I) now think I've had it since my teens.

Jacksmom516 · Answer

Yup I turned 48 October 17th and was dx'd December 13 of the same year! Now more than likely some of the symptoms I had earlier were early signs of MS but they never happened at the same time so I didnt think twice about them!

sandythegeek2 · Answer

LOL Thanks Supermum.  Thanks to you all for your advice and support.  It's great to have such a fantastic response from such a great group of people!  I just told a lady here at work that I was told by my Dr that I might have MS and she told me to exercise a lot.  I don't think that makes a difference if it's messing with the nerves.  It's not a muscular disorder right?

supermum_ms · Answer

Hey now folks of the older club, just you gond hang hold on a minute, since when did your 40's become 'old' [splutter splutter old?] I seem to have missed the memo on turning old. I'd like to firstly make a point that YOUR NOT OLD cause that means if your old, then that means that I am too and i soooooo didn't get the memo or sign anything yet!! lol

Now i've cleaned up the coffee i painted the wall with, I think the 'age' of dx isn't as relivant as when it started, and as many here have already pointed out. Their age of dx may of been outside of the AVERAGE age 'range' but they still experienced their todays (now correctly identified) sx many many years prior.

One thing to note though, the closer you get to the officially (government accepted) defined senior citizen age group 60> (lol) the harder and less likely it would be to get dx with MS, especially if the MRI evidence wasn't clearly showing MS. I'm just saying, note that I never said its impossible!

Cheers..........JJ

PS Just off to colour my hair blue lol

SarahL2491 · Answer

correction, blame it on my mind........I was almost 70 when Dx, close enough to call it that.......guess I had 70 on my mind yesterday.........2 months shy,
but agree with Lulu, many were years getting the label but obviously had it.
Due to all of the idiot neuro's and the extensive testing and ruling out other things, we were "in limbo" for a Dx (not that we wanted it)

We do whine here, we are one big family!

kwarendorf · Answer

There can be a difference between when the disease starts and when a diagnosis is made. My MS actually started when I was about 31. MS wasn't discussed until I was 51, when I was officially diagnosed.

Kyle

Lulu54 · Answer

How about that for a list of folks here who were older at dx? One point several people make is they probably had MS for longer, but didnt get a dx until they hooked up with a good neuro who saw all the signs and put it together correctly.

I my case I probably had MS for about 20 yrs before my dx, but didn't think anything of the fatigue, dizziness or my arms going completely numb when I was asleep.  Looking back, I am pretty sure this has been going on for a while.  Looking at my MRI there is enough evidence (black holes-T2 hypointensities) that this didn't just happen.

And Sandy, please whine all you want as long as you serve cheese with it! :-)
-L

hbananas · Answer

I was 53 when things started looking suspicious.  It's been four years, and I still haven't had anything happen that would officially constitute a second attack.

Mike_Shuswap · Answer

I was 54 when I was dx'd, and like some other LOMSr's, i'm a male.

Mike

Sailorsong · Answer

I was 61 when I got my DX, but I have been disabled due to the MS since I was 40.

Dennis

SarahL2491 · Answer

I was 70 when Dx with MS, they figure first flare started in 1981 but idiot neuro awards went out to 3  before I found the good one.  My neuro told me he's dx'd people older than me.........

sandythegeek2 · Answer

I feel much better now. Thsnk you!  I don't feel so alone. I was getting a complex because some friends thought I'm too old to get diagnosed. I remember about 4 or 5 years ago having my legs collapse on me when getting out of bed and I had to sit on the floor for a while waiting for them to start working. I laughed it off and thought i had bad circulation and it was normal. My lesions are listed as large and I read that migraine lesions are small.  This waiting is driving me insane. Sorry. I'll quit whining. :)

pauper · Answer

Lulu,  That is very interesting to learn.  Even though I've read about late-onset MS, it's heartening to know that some members here were diagnosed later in life.  My  neuro said I couldn't possibly have it, and small lesions were probably small-vessel disease, even though I have no other symptoms of arteriosclerosis, and carotid arteries tested fine.  In my heart, I feel I may have MS, but thought I was crazy.  I am in a wait-and-see mode, but appreciate your post.

monnie115 · Answer

My birthmother was 56 or so when she was diagnosed (after an episode of optic neuritis). I am 47 and going through the testing now. I've had an MRI showing lesions consistent witj MS and am now waiting for a second opinion. You're not alone!

Lulu54 · Answer

You are no where near the senior leader of this band - I was dx'd at 54, Quix was also diagnosed around that age.  Sarah and Essdipity were both in their 60's when diagnosed.

My neuro looked at me intially and told me I was outside of the typical age and probably too old and then just a couple weeks later he had to tell me I have MS.  I still tell him regularly I am "too old"  in our conversations.

pauper · Answer

You might look up "late-onset MS" online.  Apparently, some are diagnosed into their 70s and 80s (maybe 5 or 10 percent of MSers).  I am 65 and have been having pins-and-needles, loss of balance, leg weakness, etc. for about a year.  All tests (although on a low-strength MRI) have been normal, but doctors can find no other cause for symptoms as of yet.  I can date some milder symptoms back 20 or 30 years which I never quite paid attention to.  Anyway, don't know what I have, but my age does seem to play a factor in a dx other than MS.  I am interested to see what others have to say.  But to me, you are not old :)