Does It really take 2 years to diagnose MS

My best friend is very sick ,they suspect MS, her life is awful now, and not may answers for her from many doctor visits. Please help us!

[sickinmo]

I wasn't technically diagnosed with MS until two years after my first onset.  The tests that they ran on me at the time, a spinal tap, came back inconclusive.  So, 2 years later, almost 3, I had another relapse.  This time, Bell's Palsey.  So, I was finally diagnosed with MS after MRI and spinal tap.  This is a very mysterious disease.  There's no one person whose symptoms are like the next person unfortunately.  www.nationalmssociety.org is the main website for info on MS.  If you have to, go to a different city if that is an option for your friend.  Don't forget about just searching for MS websites and Neurological websites.  This can provide you information, but without the correct diagnosis, it might make you feel helpless as it did me.  But, keep going to doctors until they figure out what is wrong with your friend.  It takes time.  At least they don't seem to be misdiagnosising your friend like they did me.  Hang in there and keep faith.

[Tahiri_Veila]

I am sorry to say that sadly MS can take time to diagnose.  You have to have a lot of patience and courage as it can be a long and tough road to a diagnosis.  On the other hand getting a second opinion could be a very good thing.  I have heard of MS being diagnosed sooner than that.  I have also heard later.  I don't mean to sound negative, but take courage that your friend is not in this boat alone and that by being cautious the doctors are making sure they know before they diagnose them with a very life changing diagnosis.
  Tahiri

[Wobbly]

Hi there...yes this is a complex Disease and many symptoms can be from so many Diseases as well as MS...so they have to rule out so many things...it can take quite a few years...or it can just get Dx...

I'm still waiting and having tests after three years..

take care
wobbly
undx

[Lulu54]

Good morning, This is a very difficult disease to diagnose if it is not perfectly aligned with symptoms.  Please stay with your friend by encouraging her to learn all she can about MS, be proactive about her care, and listen to her.  If she uses a computer encourage her too to check in here - there are tons of experts on this site who can help guide her on this journey.

The number of mimics of MS are large, and the doctors have to eliminate those diseases first.  You would not wantto be treated for MS if in fact it was another disease.  

I hope you and your friend will check in here often.

My best, Lulu

[woodsprincess]

Thank you for your responses ,she has been to many doctors. the last one found an abnormal MRI of her brain.then came up with MS, but she or both are not sure! I am encouraging her to get on the site ,but she may be to sick! she has a lot of dizzyness.

[doni54]

Welcome to the forum, and what a great friend you are!!  You will love this forum because friendship is a big thing here for all of us too.  We support each other and try to answer questions and if we don't know the answer we will start researching to see if we can find it.

My friend Shelly, who is a community leader on this forum, didn't realize she was even having symptoms of MS but received her dx fairly quickly.  I think it was hard for her because her dx came so quickly and was such a surprise.

There are many on here still searching for a dx, some who searched years and are finally dx, and some who were dx rather quickly.  As Lulu says, there are many tests to eliminate the mimics, and tests for MS that have to meet strict guidelines, etc.

Sometime, but very rarely, a good neuro will dx on symptoms the patient is exhibiting.  The point is, finding the neuro who is willing to go forward until a definite dx is found, sometimes does take more time than most of us are comfortable with.  But, the bottom line is to keep trying.

You might want to check out our health pages up in the upper right hand corner. Just click on the icon and read  what ever ones you think might help you to understand what your friend is going through.

Could you explain to us what your friend has been through?  When we have someone's story it helps us to understand and answer questions better.  If you could do it on a new post, it won't get lost in this one.

Take care of yourself and your friend, we will try to help any way we can.  We just need more info.

doni

[sllowe]

What a good friend you are.  It is important that she feel comfortable with the dx.

Like Doni says, I did not think this could possibly be MS for me.  When the Dr mentioned it, I said "what is it?" He said it's an autoimmune disease.  I said "how can I have that if my bloodwork doesn't show anything autoimmune deficiencies?" He said "it's a clinical diagnosis." I said well can't it be the herniated disc in my neck, and I smoke.  He said "no" to the HNP and did some math ref. the yrs I smoke, and said "no."

I thought for sure I had a stroke, but you see I really knew nothing about MS at the time.  I was very jacked up to say the least, knew there was something the matter with me, and was out of commission for months.  But the more I learned, and the more educated I became about the diseas (most all from this site) , I began to believe albeit slowly.  I can be pretty stubborn.

Would your friend be interested in getting a 2nd opinion? Maybe this would help.  Not everyone gets a dx so quickly, some it does take years, and some don't even get one. Don't let her think, oh, well, it takes 2 yrs to get a dx of MS, so I must not have it.

We have great health pages - maybe you can point out a few facts to her since she is so dizzy.  This too is common, vertigo.

Thank you for coming to us on your friend's behalf.  We're glad to help out in any way we can.

ttys,
Shelly