Question

I am now in my late 60s and have had ME for almost 30 years. I have never been severely affected and have always managed to remain reasonably mobile and my cognitive function hasn’t been too badly affected. Over the past year I’ve noticed that I am definitely slowing down both physically and mentally in relation to memory and concentration.  I still feel fed up and frustrated at times but not to the point of being depressed.

So is this just a natural part of growing old with ME? Or do I need to see my doctor? And has any research been carried out into old age and ME?

Answer

Firstly, in relation to research. This is definitely a subject that is worth researching because the evidence base on old age and ME/CFS is almost non-existent – apart from one small study that was carried out by Professor Julia Newton in Newcastle several years ago. This research compared various symptoms, including mental health functioning, in a group of people with ME/CFS who had either a short or long duration of symptoms and who were over the age of 55 to a younger group of people with ME/CFS.

One of the interesting findings from this research was that mental health functioning actually improved in people with a longer duration of illness suggesting that many people learn to adjust and cope with all the restrictions imposed by ME/CFS as time goes on.

As to what happens to people with ME/CFS as we grow older, there are three separate factors to take into consideration here:

First is the fact that around the age of 60 there can be a decline in both physical and mental functioning even in people who are healthy and have no medical conditions. The rate and degree of decline, where it occurs, can be extremely variable. But if you already have a condition like ME/CFS that affects mobility and cognition, any natural decline is going to have an additional effect.

Second is the development of new health conditions that become increasingly common over the age of 60. These can include conditions like hypothyroidism (low thyroid function) that affect both physical and mental functioning, dementia (which can develop very slowly), osteoporosis and arthritis  (causing joint pain and loss of mobility). There are also more acute conditions like polymyalgia rheumatica (causing pain and muscle weakness) that are far more common in elderly people and where early diagnosis and treatment is essential.

Third is the big unknown – which is what happens to the actual underlying disease in ME/CFS as we grow older, especially when this has been present for a long period of time. This is where we need research.

Finally, to return to your other question about when to see your doctor. If you are over the age of 60 and noticing either an acute or progressive decline in either physical or mental health this should not be ignored. You should always see your GP – who can check that there aren’t any symptoms or blood test results that might suggest or indicate another undiagnosed medical condition (like hypothyroidism) that is causing this decline.

Research reference: The relationship between age and illness duration in chronic fatigue syndrome

More Information: We have a range of leaflets in the Free Literature that may be helpful, including:

• Cognitive Dysfunction – Brain Fog
• Thyroid Disease and ME/CFS