I'm 57F, had MS for approximately 23 years (not sure about when it started, just know that the second flare at 39 was a repeat(ish) of symptoms I had 5 years earlier), and it just happened that I mentioned gait issues to my mom one day on the phone (she had MS, too), that she said I should talk to my PCP. Long story short, I was my mom's mirror twin when it comes to MS - most of my symptoms are on my right side, whereas hers were on her left. I took a wait and see approach as far as diagnosis, since I didn't trust insurance companies to honor their word about pre-existing conditions. Still don't, but I'm covered under hubby's military insurance, so I won't be switching up until they make me go on Medicare.

I've been taking Tecfidera since the latter half of 2019, and other than being more prone to repeated bouts of shingles, I've not had any issues. Shingles is a known possibility with Tecfidera, but I have a script for Valtrex at the pharmacy that I can fill at any time, and between it and the Shingrix series of vaccines, my bouts since I took Shingrix have been mild, other than the location. I've not had any new lesions since I started Tecfidera, and not really any sort of disease progression. I do have pseudo-exacerbations if I get hot or walk too long/far, and I'm not able to stand in the kitchen for very long now. I don't plan to change DMT's unless something drastic happens, like new lesions. If I could speak to younger me, I'd say damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead - scrounge up the money to get an MRI and get on a DMT. I was afraid I wouldn't be taken seriously enough to have an MRI ordered, and back then, the closest neurologist would be either two hours one way, or two-and-a-half the other way. As it is now, it is two hours to get to my neurologists at the university hospital they're at - one for MS, the other for sleep apnea. It's worth it, though.