Besides MS what are other demyelinating diseases that present with...

[kim]

Dear Doctor,

Thank you in advance for any information you may give to me regarding my posting.

My question is, what other demyelinating disease could cause a person to have a low gamma globulin?  I have been undergoing numerous tests in the past few months.  I have had an MRI of the brain, EEG, EMG, and numerous blood tests which have all been normal until the last blood test 1 month ago.  I had a serum protein electrophoresis done and it showed a low gamma globulin.  I also had a urine electrophoresis done but haven't got the test results yet.  I had a LP done 8-18 but due to a paperwork screw up the MS panel wasn't ordered so the LP has to be redone.  The last time I saw my PCP he said the abnormal bloodwork COULD indicate some sort of demyelinating disease, if not MS then perhaps another kind similiar to MS.  What are some similiar demyelinating diseases that would have the same symptoms of MS that a person would have a low gamma globulin?  I posted here in the end of June under the title "Sound like MS", it should be in the archives if you need any more information about my symptoms.  Since that posting I have been diagnosed by a neuro-opthal with "peri optic neuritis".  Thank you for your time, and for any guidance you may offer.

[CCF neuro MD MM]

I would be very reluctant to jump at the diagnosis of a demyelinating disease on the basis of a single blood test showing an abnormality which is very non-specific.

The fact that you have had all the other tests you mention without any concrete evidence of demyelination makes it evem more unlikely.

Demyelinating diseases can affect both the central and peripheral nerves, the peripheral type causes peripheral neuropathy which would be detected on an EMG and the central types are rare in adults with the ecxception of MS and acute disseminated emcephalomyelitis which presents with an acute attack like MS and would be obvious on MRI scanning.

I think that the blood test should be repeated, but without further evidence to suggest a demyeinating disease I doubt if this is a very strong possibility.

[Kim W.]

Thank you for your prompt response.  In addition to the blood test, the doctor is also considering my numerous symptoms of numbness, tingling, myoclonus, weakness with falling, pain in lower back, legs, neck and shoulders, urinary frequency/urgency and leakage, debilitating fatigue, the list goes on.  The eye exam reveals abnormalities of the optic discs (tilting and cloudy), the neuro-opthal said it was suggestive of some sort of CNS disease, and called it a "peri optic neuritis".  Neuro exam was essentially normal with the exception of weakness of my upper extremities and hyper-reflexes.  My pcp didn't go into detail of specific names of other demylinating diseases that he thought it could be, thats why I posted the question on this forum.  If any of this additional information helps and you have any more comments I would appreciate it, if not thank you for your time that you have taken to read this.

Thank you,

Kim W.

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