CNS Testing

[JemmAus]

I'm going to an MS specialist neuro next week. Hopefully I will finally get a dx. But I ahve a question. (and I hope one day I will type 'have' instead of ahve)

Last week was the 3rd week of me having symptoms: parathesia, dizziness and ataxia with  headaches thrown in for good measure. I spent last Monday in the ER becasue it was to the point where I couldn't even walk in the house without having to grab furniture.

The drs there did lots of cns tests. They found sensory loss in both feet, from the toes to about halfway up my feet. There was no reaction in my left foot when they did the Babinski test thingo. The right one was ok. Bar that, I think all other things were ok. I peeked at their notes when they weren't looking and they had written "?ms relapsing remitting".

I eventually saw a neuro, but he was a brand new neuro and I was his very first ER patient. He wasn't sure, and because I wasn't dying I was sent home. He DID, however, answer a question which I had posted inhere, which was "can you have more than one type of lesion, eg MS and ischemic?", and he said, yes, you can have a myriad of things. Oh, happy day!

Anyway, here is my question:

Since last night I have felt ok for the first time in near a month. I managed to go to the shops without needing to grab onto things. (It was very exciting).

So, if one HAS ms, and one is in remission, will the cns tests come back normal? Or does the damage remain?

[JemmAus]

aargh stupid censor......pin p r i c k

[JemmAus]

I think maybe I didn't write my question very well....

My symtoms have been going for over a year(not 3 weeks!) , just the latest bout went for 3+ weeks.

What I meant was, when you are NOT showing symptoms, will the things that previously showed up as abnormal (in my case, loss of feeling in both feet and zero reaction to the babinski test in the left foot), then show as normal?

That still sounds wrong......try this

last week in the ER when they checked for numbness, i couldn't feel a pin ***** in either foot from the toes to about halfway up both feet.

This week I can feel it.

Is that "normal" for MS, if one is remitting? Or does loss of sensation become permanent?

[sllowe]

Hi Jemm,

I'm so glad you are going to a specialist.  Like Mary Kay says, there are many mimics to be ruled out 1st and this takes awhile.

If your CNS shows lesions via MRIs, the only way to know if the damage is still there or has gotten worse, is through re-imaging.  My Dr. has mentioned to me that some lesions can heal.  None of mine have thus far.  If the lesion remyelinates then from what I understand it's still not as good as if it never demyelinated in the 1st place.

Can you get the reports from testing in the ER/hospital? If it were me, I'd be sure to get my hands on them and bring them to this appt. that way you have some groundwork done and something for the specialist to review.

Hope you are able to read Quix's HP on How MRIs show lesions as it's much more thorough then I could ever describe.

I'm so glad you've gotten a bit of a break in 3 wks time, this is good news for you symptomatically and that will help you get through.  Just be sure to describe this to your Dr.  Knowing your history is so very important as it gives the Dr. background info that they need to begin the workup from here.

ttys,
Shell

[mary_kay]

Sorry to hear you are having some awful symptoms.  Did you say your symptoms came on all of a sudden 3 weeks ago?  The doctor was right..there are SO many things that cause the symptoms you mentioned.  If you get a dx in only a month, I think it would be a new record!!  We will be so jealous!  LOL   I would bet that you will have to have many, many tests when you see the MS specialist.  Usually they have to rule out the mimics.  Good luck with it and keep us posted.  The people here have so much experience and information...plus the health pages can answer many questions too.
Blessings,
Mary Kay

[JemmAus]

In case I didn't make myself clear, where I wrote

There was no reaction in my left foot when they did the Babinski test thingo.

I mean no reaction AT ALL. I didn't feel it.