LOMS does it progress faster

[Rainbow434]

Two years ago I was DX at age 63 with RRMS. Although this is uncommon not unheard of. My questions is when diagnosed later in life does the disease progress faster? My MS symptoms are balance and fatigue. Never had ON. May have had some balance problems several years prior to DX.

I have read some articles that say the older you are when detected the faster it may progress. In the last month I have noticed some worsening balance issues as well as some leg, arm, face tingling and of course fatigue. This may be a flare ( not sure what that is) or a new symptom. Will have a new MRI this week.

[tspaulding]

I had eye problems at 9 and again at 16, CT scan showed no brain tumor. I had frequent urination at 16 then ON at 21.

I was dx w/ RRMS at 21 after MRI showed 4 lesions in brain/brain stem. Neuro said probably MS since 16.

I have read lots and I should be unable to walk at this point, since dx 18 yrs ago, but w/ meds today that's not the case for me.

So, I do not know what late stage vs early onstage MS does to people, as we are all different.

Have you spoken to your MS neuro re late stage MS?

[Rainbow434]

I have and he said nothing conclusive regarding age but could progress faster. The bottom answer is probably no one knows as each of us has individual MS symptoms and progression. Thanks.

[suenan]

I was diagnosed this past October, two months before my 60th birthday. I haven't talked to anyone with LO before this post (hard to find!), and have wondered if MS progresses faster for newly diagnosed patients of my age-group. I was initially placed on Avonex, but my insurance changed in January and would no longer pay for it. I'm now on titration of Rebif (start the full dose next week). I have mostly the symptoms you speak of, and have not done well the last couple weeks. Not sure if this is from the new meds, or if it's progression of the MS. I see the neurologist next week and hope to get some answers then. Good luck to you!

[ru4cats]

I don't know about moving "faster", but I do believe those who are diagnosed later in life have less ability to recover because those extra brain cells we are born with have been consumed "living life." Repair of damage due to MS is limited.

I was diagnosed at 58, and my neuro said that I would see some stability and possibly improvement before the normal aging process would catch up and take over.

Aging involves the body breaking down, and MS only accentuates this process. It is certainly what I've experienced in the past four years since diagnosis.

[Jules A]

I don't know about moving "faster", but I do believe those who are diagnosed later in life have less ability to recover because those extra brain cells we are born with have been consumed "living life." Repair of damage due to MS is limited.

I was diagnosed at 58, and my neuro said that I would see some stability and possibly improvement before the normal aging process would catch up and take over.

Aging involves the body breaking down, and MS only accentuates this process. It is certainly what I've experienced in the past four years since diagnosis.

This totally makes sense.

Over the years I have read, heard and seen so many different variations of the progression of this miserable, tricky disease that I tend to think that its not over until its over and there is likely no one that can make credible predictions.

[Canary54]

Rainbow:

Are you sure it’s late onset MS? Did you have any symptoms when you were younger that you just brushed off as being tired or stressed?

I was diagnosed at age 52, but when describing an episode I had in 1977 that my family doctor could not diagnose (but symptoms totally resolved in about 3 weeks), my neurologist is positive that this was my first exacerbation. After that 1977 incident, I had no further flares/symptoms until 2006…..a gap of almost 30 years! So.....maybe you don't have late onset MS....just a delayed diagnosis?

[Tawanda]

Rainbow:

Are you sure it’s late onset MS? Did you have any symptoms when you were younger that you

...just a delayed diagnosis?

So many early benign symptoms of M.S. could be shrugged off so easily. Fatigue could go on for years before it becomes "doctor appointment worthy". We could be born with M.S. Who knows for sure?

[dyin_myelin]

You've probably read that statistically the prognosis is not as good after forty, if you're a minority, if you're male, and/or if you initially present with gait issues. I wish that I got it after the bulk of my earning years and childbearing were completed, even if it tore through my CNS like a house fire.

There are exceptions to the statistics, and you'll meet some of them the more you go to support groups or participate on the message board. I hope that this is also the case with you, and this will remain a CIS. If you are RRMS and that was your only flair two years ago, statistically, you will have slower progression. Nobody knows.

[Scooter24]

I was dx almost 6 yrs ago at 52, VA has now found sx dating back to 1975-76 while on active duty from my medical records, fatigue, numbness in fingers and issues with left leg when tired and had some increased symptoms for a few years prior to dx that were wrote off to other causes.

I was dx more or less by accident while playing golf with my PC drs partner when I started having some trouble walking after playing 8 or 9 holes.

I have progressed more in the last 5 years but feel it is due more to radiation treatments for cancer that has done that along with now being 58, age has started effecting me also at this point. So in the final analysis I have progressed as I have gotten older but what exactly is causing it? is it in fact the MS or just plain old age setting in?. Does it really matter? No, if its going to happen it will and not much you can do about it so I go as hard as I can until the day comes when I can't anymore.

[RonPaulaD]

I wonder about this also. I was diagnosed at 48 with primarily gait issues. But where would a person be at in progression that was diagnosed at say 25 years. Maybe at the same place that I am at. So it could be that a late on set patient possibly had a benign or extremely mild case and is just starting to catch up up with those that had a more "typical" pace progression. Perhaps we all kind of end up at the same place around the same age. Just a thought.

Paula

[KatieAgain]

DMDs changed the landscape of MS...but we don't end up in the same place at the same time.

As someone who was diagnosed in her 30s and has lived with the disease 15+ years, I have had ON 3 times, temporary paralysis from the waist down, got permanently retired at the age of 46, one bout of cyclical flares that pretty much erased my memory for six months, gone from running marathons to using a wheel chair to using a walking stick to using a rollater back to a walking stick, and was recently hospitalized for a week. I have been through PT three times and keep bouncing back and forth from an EDSS of 3-6. Right now I am sitting on a 3.

Two of my friends died from MS both at the age of 50. Another friend of mine and I got diagnosed three days apart. The following year, I "ran" the MS walk while he sat on the sidelines in his wheelchair. We are the exact same age...I have approximately 30 brain lesions and he has over 200. I don't have any black holes, he has enough to make his MRI look like Swiss Cheese. He seriously got the short end of the stick.

So as you see...MS is truly as unique as our fingerprint. I don't give too much credence to the stats...most are outdated.

MS sucks...and no one can tell how they are going to progress at any age...and it sucks at any age. But if there is a single ray of Sunshine in getting a diagnosis at a later age it would be that ignorance is indeed bliss. Especially if you were experiencing minor/benign MS, have the kids raised, the job stuff squared away etc...

I hope for all of you your MS never progresses any further than it already has. And you can enjoy your Golden Years that you worked so hard for and richly deserve. Please don't take the time for granted and enjoy each day.

[pshrink]

In my case, yes, for sure.

Onset was at 69 (as transverse Myelitis) with Dx changed to RRMS just one day before my 70th birthday.
At 73 I had an EDSS of 1.5 (1 cane), and two years later, with dropped foot, it was 6.5 (two canes or a 3-wheeled walker).

Ok, so the fatigue is worse as well, but it waas teh mobility that got bad real fast.

G