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Age at time of Dx?

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    #16
    I'm not sure which would be better, find out you have MS in short order or having to wait over a period of time.

    Mine was very short order. Something like 3 months from first MRI for another problem till diagnosis about 3-4 weeks ago. I meet the McDonald criterion with the 2005 revision making it kind of hard to deny. I'm still in a bit of denial and just want to forget any treatment as there is no such thing as a good one. If mine, as I suspect, will end up being Primary Progressive, the meds are pretty much useless anyway. Current diagnosis is RRMS but seems everyone starts out with this and latter switched as indicated.

    For those younger, who think it seems fair to be older instead younger and come down with MS, no one, no matter what their age, is only interested in life not yet lived. Maybe if they are in ICU on a vent with no hope of getting out may not want to live. Odds are someone age 60 will have at least 20 more years.

    Thing about getting old is the older you get the older the concept of old age is.

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      #17
      I have been struggling (on and off) recently with my diagnosis in October. Not all the time, but since I have no symptoms really except the remainder of ON on my left eye, it is strange to be on DMD (I mentioned this in a post above...). So yesterday I sent my neuro an email (which is nice to be able to do) asking for a copy of my MRI report and she responded immediately with the written report, asked me if I wanted the films also (I didn't ask for those). and then we had several back and forth emails which made me feel much better. I told her that I felt that this "invisible" disease had me in denial somewhat and that taking a heavy duty interferon drug for something I couldn't see or feel made me feel strange.

      She reminded me to check on the NMSS website for the reasons that I needed to be on DMD (which I had already done), and then asked if I thought I should talk to a therapist to sort things out (I have already done both and my therapist thought it might be a good idea to get a copy of the MRI so that I could see exactly what it said.). So today I feel much better about things, although I know that the MRI won't really tell me what areas would be affected in the future (if anything ever develops).

      So here I am at age 60, with no symptoms and on DMD... that's my life for now... and hoping for no exacerbations.

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        #18
        oops... in my first post on this thread, I said I was diagnosed in August... actually diagnosis was in October, first symptoms were in August. my bad

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          #19
          I was dx. at 61. Had optic neuritis at 48 and in retrospect has some mild symptoms in my 40's. However, the ON subsided with no treatment and I functioned well teaching full time until I retired at 61 and then had my first full blown relapse. IV solumedrol stopped the relapse and I have been on Copaxone since (8 years).

          I have had no further relapses but the symptoms have become more constant and never leave. I am still doing what I want (driving, traveling, gardening, taking care of myself) but remain fully aware of the symptoms and how they are affecting my balance, strength, eye sight, etc.

          Those of us in our 60's and up usually try to think it's age but we know the MS symptoms too well. Just thankful that I still have a reasonable good quality of life and can enjoy my grandchildren.

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            #20
            Too long for DX

            I agree. I had ON at 50 and after years and being run through a gauntlet of tests I was finally diagnosed at 60. I have had many relapses over the years and had to quit my job because of disabilities. I applied for SSDI and was told I would be turned down the first time and would need a lawyer.Ha...they approved me in 5 months because I am so bad off now. I will finally be going on Avonex next week at 63. This has been some ride.

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              #21
              My official diagnosis of RRMS came at age 47 in 1990 after having alot of tingling, numbness, etc., in my legs and hands. Looking back, I believe it started in 1976 after my third C-Section, with ON and arthritis. With no MRI, DMD's, etc., MS was never mentioned then. Thankfully it stayed in remission until 1990 when my personal life "blew up" with ALOT of stress. Now at 67, I've been SPMS for five or so years and keep on taking LDN while using a wheelchair full time.

              All the best to everyone!

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                #22
                I was diagnosed before I was 25 years old.

                Had I gone to the doc and truly pursued my first notable symptoms, I'd have been diagnosed just after my 21st birthday.

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                  #23
                  Joey

                  I was diagnosed at the age of 32 years I am now 54 years old

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                    #24
                    Age

                    I was just diagnose as probabole at age 60, Took just over a year. I also have another autoimmune desease so it is hard to differate one from the other.

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                      #25
                      undeniable symptoms started 8 months ago when i was still 27. Official diagnosed in Feb at age 28. Not sure if that's better or worse as of yet

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                        #26
                        I was diagnosed at 59, but had what I think was a sign at age 55. Had pretty bad tunnel vision while moving our daughter into college. I went straight to my PCP who said there was nothing he could do for me and I just had to wait until the vision problem went away.

                        Four years later, I started having tingling and went to a neurologist who continually told me I was "too old" to be getting MS. But, she had me go through 11 MRIs (!), saw lesions, detected MS on a lumbar puncture, etc., but since I was showing no signs other than tingling, she wouldn't diagnose me.

                        So I switched neurologists and the next one had me have a sural nerve biopsy cause he thought I had a circulation problem. He refused to look at all the prior test results because he was sure I was too old. Wrong...............and the biopsy caused permanent loss of sensation in part of my foot and leg.

                        Finally the latter neurologist sent me to an MS specialist who diagnosed me as SPMS.

                        I now believe that had my PCP done an MRI on me in
                        2004, he would have seen lesions and I could have avoided all those MRIs and the biopsy.

                        All this due to the incorrect belief that MS has an age.

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                          #27
                          Kippy,

                          I kind of think your Primary Care physician should not be held accountable, but a real thumbs down for the neurologists, especially the first one. I might fault your PCP for not referring you to an Ophthalmologist for the tunnel vision, but if that was your only symptom, MS would be pretty far down on a differential diagnosis.

                          MS would be in the neuro's field of expertise. The McDonald criterion for MS came out in 2001. He/she should have been aware of it. Your statute of limitations is probably up now but current law is based on "standard and acceptable procedure" or "know or should have known". To make such an error by a specialist is inexcusable.

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                            #28
                            MS does not have a age ! I was DX's when i was 51 but the Neurologist i saw said i have had MS for 20 years or more, maybe as far back as 1982/83 when i was DX's with ON.mark
                            DX's,MS,1/8/04
                            copaxone

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                              #29
                              I was 55 w/ 1st. DX but, my Dr. is sure I had it long before that. It was 11yrs. ago this Mo. & I've been blessed to have the same neuro for all these years.
                              God Bless Nona Judy

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                                #30
                                First symptoms at 52

                                There is no too old for MS.

                                I am male and was 52 when I had my first symptom. I am now 62 and enjoying life.

                                Ten years later I can walk short distances and use a scooter for longer trips. I'm in good spirits, receive SSDI and LTD. My brain works about as well as it ever did.

                                I've been on Tysabri for four years after well over a thousand Copaxone injections, several hundred Rebif (I hated the flu like symptoms) and 2 years of Novantrone. I have primary or secondary progressive MS.

                                I take Ampyra, have found it helps with my walking.

                                Good luck, please know that MS is bad, but not always terrible.

                                Originally posted by gmahoney View Post
                                i am having symptoms of MS. mri's and ct's have shown lesions somebody told me that lesions are just a normal part of aging. My neuro suspects MS. how old is too old for an ms dx?

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