how probable is it to have a clear mri but positive lp for ms?

[happyvalley]

I am new to the site--currently lying flat in bed trying to not get the dreaded post-lp headache. I have made my way through several different specialties of dr's to get to a neuro who thinks that I likely have ms. My mri was clear--but there was no contrast. . .apparently my symptoms are pretty classic. . .and I'm a 32 yr old female who had a baby 10 mo ago. I'm just wondering if anyone else has had a clear mri--at least in the early stages--and a positive lp? thanks for any help--I'm freaking out.

[happyvalley]

I'm in Salt lake City--but raised in CA. We have some doctors(surgeons) in the family and with four kids I know my way around the medical lingo so to speak--I've just always called family practice docs GPs--funny though b/c now that I think about it, no one else really does-- :) I'll write in when I get my results. I hope by Friday. Thanks for your support. It really is a wonder to me that in this crazy world with wars and crime, and bad things happening all around that you can get comfort from a stranger in an hour or less! :)

[Rena705]

#1 don't worry about typos...worry about avoiding headache

#2 perhaps the neuro will order an MRI with contrast after this LP depending on the LP results...just have to wait and see...the waiting is the worst!

Hugs,

Rena

[happyvalley]

Sorry--I forgot to say that the neuro is reading labs herself and wishes that I had seen her before I had the mri b/c she would have ordered contrast--sorry for all the typos too--typing from bed!

[Rena705]

Hey girl...I am glad that you wrote back so quickly!  How's the poor head?  Just try to keep it down and keep pluggin' in those fluids!  

I am really happy to hear that you are dealing with an MS Neuro and to be honest I hope that in the future the GP's are trained to automatically send any possible MS'ers directly to an MS Specialist.  It may take longer to get in to see one but at least you are seeing the right doctor right from the start!

Are you from Canada?  I noticed you called your dr a GP!  I am from Alberta and have been through the gamut with my MS diagnosis.  Gee, you must have your hands full with 4 youngsters and not feeling well...I am genuinely sorry that you are going through this but it sure sounds like you have a great team of doctors working for you and if you have been reading of some of the limbo-lander's in here...you are very fortunate!

If your hubby is anything like mine, they just want to know what the heck it is we are dealing with so that we can treat it and have us better again...not that they are being selfish, they are just so concerned and it's so far out of their hands.  My hubby is incredibly supportive of me and I am fortunate because I have not had the same result with some of my friends...such is life, we move on right!!

I don't have an exact count but there are a few that have no lesions showing and if they don't have a lesion counter for a doctor they will diagnose on the results of an LP.  He may want to also do Evoked Potential testing if there is still some doubt but it is just putting little electrodes on your body to see how the nerves react...no big deal and if he suggests it I advise that you go for it ok?

Please let me know how you make out and please remember that we are here for you ok?  I have forged some pretty special friendships on this forum and when the kids are down for the night and hubby's watching something boring, pop in and see what is happening...your experiences can be very valuable to others as well and we need all the extra help we can get ok?

Best of Luck with the LP and I will be looking forward to hearing from you again!

Lots of Hugs,

Rena

[happyvalley]

Thank you so much for responding! I've been watching/reading this board for weeks and learning so much. I'm feeling pretty alone in this, despite having a wonderful support system around me. I thought maybe it was time to reach out to someone who wasn't so scared. . .
So, my story is that I'm almost 32--mother of 4. In December (07) I started having episidic blurred vision and dizziness. Not vertigo--but unbalance. Went to opthalomologist. Eyes looked okay. The dizziness and blurred vision transitioned to nearly constant by Feb and I went to my GP. He did bloodwork and ruled out lupus, diabetes, thyroid issues, etc. Ordered an mri with NO contrast. Came back clear. Told me it was probably a virus. Eyes got worse--back to eye dr. Now my eyes are "shorting out." My term for how they just don't seem to be working together. Still blurry. Still perfectly healthy eyeballs though. No ON. Eye dr thinks could be MS even though clear MRI. Sends me to a MS neuro. Well known for MS in our area. She works me up for 45 of exams--says possible ms and sends me to an audiologist to rule out any inner-ear issues as the dizziness is still strong. Took the ENG dizziness test. It was awful. I passed though--inner ears just fine. While this was goin on my left arm went to sleep. It started with pins and needles and then went numb. It didn't "wake up" for three days. Now it's mostly back but exams show marked weakness in left arm and leg/foot. Toes on left side still "asleep." So. . .the neuro ordered the LP which I had today. Now I just wait. My husband really doesn't want it to be ms--of couse--so he's thinking that since most people with MS have the lesions--and I don't--maybe it's not MS after all. My neuro is taking the philosophy of "looks like a duck, quacks like a duck. .  ." I guess I'll know soon enough when I get the lp results. I just wondered if any of you started off with no lesions--but were dx with ms? Thanks so much! It really helps!

[Rena705]

Hi Happy and welcome to the MS Forum!  I certainly hope that you don't have to deal with the LP headache but ensure you are drinking lots of liquids and also if you can drink a lot of caffeine it will help...Coffee, Cola whatever you like...it does really help.

I wonder if you can share some of your symptoms with us so that we can have a better idea of your history and what your story is?  It is actually quite common that an MRI is clear and that the Oligloconal Bands show up in the spinal fluid, indicating the presence of MS.  However, if your LP is positive and the MRI is negative it is generally due to the fact that the lesions are there but they are just not showing yet.

What sort of a doctor are you currently seeing?  It is a neurologist or an MS Specialist?  The reason I ask is the difference in the abilities of the two to be able to read an MRI and discern if there are lesions present.  Typically the neurologist will simply go by the report he receives from the Radiologist and doesn't look at the MRI at all whereas the MS Specialist is trained to read an MRI and will read the MRI him/herself.  The MS Specialist will also do a much more thorough inoffice examination lasting at least 30 minutes.  A neurologist tends to be a little skimpy on his exam and the MS Specialist's examination will tell him about your mental status, cranial nerves, motor skills, coordination and gait, reflexes and senses.

Please don't "freak out" my dear!  Don't forget that MS is not a death sentence and many of us with MS go many, many years without a relapse and the new Disease Modifying Drugs enable most of us to go even longer without a relapse!  You need to take one step at a time and please keep in mind that this forum is the best MS forum on the web and you are with a lot of wonderful people!  We are here for you 24/7 and we will back you up 100%!  Should you need to rant, rave, laugh or cry, we are here for you!  Please stay in contact with us and we will help you through this journey toward a diagnosis for your symptoms!

Lots of Hugs,

Rena