Hi there. You have to be investigated for a chronic demyelinating disorder, multiple sclerosis where the disease phase is characterized by active phase and remissions. It has multiple symptoms and signs and is a diagnosis of exclusion. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are loss of balance, muscle spasms, numbness in any area, problems with walking and coordination, tremors in one or more arms and legs. Bowel and bladder symptoms include frequency of micturition, urine leakage, eye symptoms like double vision uncontrollable rapid eye movements, facial pain, painful muscle spasms, tingling, burning in arms or legs, depression, dizziness, hearing loss, fatigue etc. The treatment is essentially limited to symptomatic therapy so the course of action would not change much whether MS has been diagnosed or not. Apart from clinical neurological examination, MRI shows MS as paler areas of demyelination, two different episodes of demyelination separated by one month in at least two different brain locations. Spinal tap is done and CSF electrophoresis reveals oligoclonal bands suggestive of immune activity, which is suggestive but not diagnostic of MS. Demyelinating neurons, transmit nerve signals slower than non-demyelinated ones and can be detected with EP tests. These are visual evoked potentials, brain stem auditory evoked response, and somatosensory evoked potential. Slower nerve responses in any one of these is not confirmatory of MS but can be used to complement diagnosis along with a neurological examination, medical history and an MRI in addition, a spinal tap. Therefore, it would be prudent to consult your neurologist with these concerns and wait for the follow up. Hope this helps. Take care.
Thank you for your advice, yes I saw my primary MD and had labs drawn the same day for Lupus work up, plus a referal to a hematoligst. I have also had a spinal tap, EEG, ANNA, ESR, lyme tyter, I was worked up 3 yrs ago for MS when they found the first lesion. Basically it has been a waiting game, I am a little frusterated because I basically didn't get any straight answers no f/u testing, now were just waiting again.
um lupus is a blood test.... get that done to be ruled out...and have you had a lumbar puncture yet??? wait 6mo and f/u then is outrageous! I'd get a new neurologist...even a GP would order blood work and a lp...good luck