Age of diagnosis?
I am just starting the diagnosis process of MS after an abnormal brain MRI. My daughter was diagnosed in her mid 30's. I 61 years old. Even though I can now look back and see how health problems I have had through the years may very well have been MS related, I didn't think many people get diagnosed as late in life as I am. My daughter attends a support group and tells me quite a few people there were diagnosed later in life, which surprised me. At what age were others here diagnosed? I am curious about this!
Hi
! That's a really great question and one I always wonder when I'm reading about others with MS! I was diagnosed in my early-20s. When trying to get diagnosed some 22 years ago, I was at first considered way too young to have MS. Things have changed a lot since then! The average age of diagnosis, at this time, is between the ages of 20 and 50. While that's the average, plenty of people still get diagnosed much younger and much older. I've met many people not diagnosed until their 60s. It can be such a hard disease to diagnose, with no one specific test that says "this is MS" as well as having symptoms that fit into other illnesses, that it can take that long before a doctor even thinks it's MS. As it seems to be with you, I think most people, myself included, can look back and notice issues in their life way before they were diagnosed that were probably MS-related. It's the kind of disease that varies widely from person to person. I am definitely interested to see the many varied responses to this question! 
I was diagnosed on Easter Sunday in 1999. I think I was 36 years old. I spent 1 month in a rehab hospital because I couldn't walk or rollover. I was released to go home because I could walk. I was very active riding bikes and exercising. Now I muse a cane to ambulate and a walker at home. Thanks for asking Devin. Eileen
Thanks for your reply, Eileen. It is interesting that you say you had problems rolling over. Do you mean rolling over in bed? In the past couole of months I have had some very strange struggles with rolling over. I am a side sleeper and it has become very difficult to reposition myself from my right side (the side that has all the current problems). It is actually very distressing in the middle of the night to sort of be "stuck" on my side. Not until I read your post did I even consider this may be part of my possible MS.
I was diagnosed at 28 after some classic symptoms popped up - tingling in hand, optic neuritis. That was 25 years ago. Started treatment as soon as I could and still in mostly good shape, though I'm on the verge of changing therapies for the 4th or 5th time.
Steve....what made your doctors suspect MS?? I am looking back through the years at different issues I have had....including being sent for a nerve conduction test 😬...but no one ever mentioned the possibility of MS. I have had many issues over the years that NOW scream MS to me (and to my daughter who was diagnosed in her mid-30's) but no doctor ever sent me for the diagnostic tests. Actually...I lie. They wanted me to have a spine MRI in 2016....with contrast....but I had very suddenly developed a LOT of food, addictive and medication allergies so they were afraid to do an MRI with contrast. ☹ Which is exactly how my daughter was diagnosed. What made them think "MS" with you???
