MRI or not to MRI

[Fran16]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post, although I've been browsing since my symptoms first presented.  I'm in the UK, 33 year old female, smoker, non-drinker.  I've been having intermittant neurological symtoms for approx 9 months now; pins and needles, numbness, muscle spasms, weakness in my left side, mostly leg and arm.  I've been referred to a neurologist twice now and, typically, both times I was symptom free so physical examination was fine.  However, the second time I asked for an MRI.  What concerns me - apart from possiblity of MS - is that he was hesitant to refer me.  He said best case scenario is that it comes back clear and my symtoms go away.  Problem is, it might come back showing something but as my symtoms aren't debilitating, they wouldn't offer treatment anyway, nor confirm diagnosis.  So having an MRI could cause more anxiety than it alleviates.  Moreover, I will probably have problems with life insurance and mortgages.

I said I wanted it anyway but am since re-considering.  I've suffered from anxiety in the past and don't want to drive myself nuts with an inconclusive MRI.  However, it's easy to say this when I'm symptom free and yesterday my symptoms returned and I'm thinking I should get one.  My husband and I are planning a second child soon and I don't know if I would get pregnant if I had MS.

My father has MS so I'm aware of the nature of the disease, the frustrations and the pain.

Would really appreciate some advice or support.  Wondering if anyone else has experienced this?  Thanks in advance.

Fran x

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there. 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. You have many of these symptoms. 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 location. 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 and a spinal tap. Take care.

[Londres70]

Get the MRI; you are doing the right thing especially if you are planning on getting pregnant again.