is this typical of ms?

[kimstvr]

I am 38 yrs old. i had an mri and spinal tap at age 26 due to migraines. i had some markings on my braIN but was told it was not ms. Had another mri at 31 couple more spots than before but my neurologist thought I may have had that many the first time but they didnt show due to the age of the imaging machine. I was diagnosed on 09/01in our ER with bells palsy but when i went to my doctor she said no to bells palsy we need an mri to test for ms. i told her that my old doctor(retired) went this route twice and she said that she felt i needed tested for it anyway. Is it possible to even have ms and go years without symptoms? im just not sure if it is possible to have these totally different symptoms and they always think it is ms. Also, other than these 3 cases i am never sick not even as much as a cold or flu.  
To:

[kitten o]

HEY JON YOU ARE PRETTY GOOD.
YOU INFORMED ME . THAT HELP ME TOO.
KITT

[kimstvr]

well thank you. you have been quite helpful and it is greatly appreciated. thanks again

[Johnny Utah]

Hi, your in the right place. I can't say you've got MS, but I can say that some people with MS may have a single episode and never have another. Its the strangeness of the disease. The spots you mention are referred to as UXOs. Its white matter. In someone with MS they are called lesions. Anyone can get UXOs, but until you have some other symptoms that are associated with MS like cognitive issues or pain and numbness in your limbs you probably won't hear much about MS even if the doctor suspects MS.

They go through a long, long period of trying to rule out other possible causes andI believe migraines do cause UXOs or lesions.

Advances in MRI technology make it possible to see more accurate detail of the brain including lesions. There are differences in the power of the magnets and as many in this group will attest you can have an MRI done at one location and go to another and have it show far more lesions than before.

You may or may not have developed more lesions over time. What they like to do is a series of MRI at the same power level over time (not weeks, months or years) and look for differences. However it wouldn't be good (at least in my mind) to have one done at a higher power now and than two years use a lower power tool. You might think some of the lesions have gone away which won't be the case. Clinical trials try to maintain everything as close to the same to be able to rule out equipment or human error.

I suggest you start and keep a time line of your symptoms. I was at a seminar this past weekend and the woman I sat with took 15 years to get an MS diagnoses. Be you own advocate and when you don't feel well stand firm and tell your PCP or neuro that you need more tests done.

Don't be at all surprised if at some point they think you need to see a psychiatrists. If it is MS, most symptoms present themselves internal and sometimes they try to rule out things like stress or depression.

Hope this helps a little,

Johnny