For MS O-bands only in the CSF not the blood. It took me six weeks for my LP results they have to send them to special labs. In my case they sent them to several.
Alex
Thanks everyone for your replies. I guess I will find out the Neuro diagnoses after the LP Tuesday.
sue
"and so if there are no O-bands in the blood and O-bands in the CSF it IS MS?"
This is the only combination that points towards MS. It does not state definitively "You have MS". The finding of o-bands in CSF but not in blood would support clinical findings, MRI's, Blood tests etc.
As immisceo said, there is no smoking gun test for MS.
Kyle
Ah, the mysteries of the LP. It's confused most of us at some point or another! We've people on here who've explained it far better than I can. You may find this page (from our health pages) helpful.
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Multiple-Sclerosis/Can-you-Diagnose-MS-with-an-LP-that-is-Negative-for-O-bands/show/142?cid=36
Unfortunately no test rules MS in or out completely. We wish it were that cut-and-dried.
So if I am understanding you correctly, the O-bands have to be in the blood as well as in CSF for it NOT to be MS? and so if there are no O-bands in the blood and O-bands in the CSF it IS MS? or if there is O-bands in blood and not in CSF it IS MS? Please forgive me, I am having a lot of trouble comprehending things with the stress and depression right now.
Another autoimmune disease will not distract the findings for MS with a LP. They look for O-bands in serum of the brain, CSF, only not the blood. They do a blood draw at the same time and compare them. If you have O-bands in the CSF and blood its not MS. I had no O-bands in the blood serum and 12 in the CSF. Some people with MS have no O-bands so a LP is inconclusive.
Alex
neurontin will give you a run for your money til you get used to it. it can mask tingling as a pain sensation . I am going to PM you tomorrow with a reading suggestion. have to crawl in right now
Thanks for the reply Sarah. I hadn't thought of the which comes first, and that kind of bothers me (how could he possibly know?).
and having not looked up neurontin, didn't realize it was for pain. I am not having any pain and he said it would help with the tingling. Maybe why I have been drunk all day. hmmmm. I am definitely going to get a 2nd opinion. I know that MS can cause paralysis but I have not read anything as of yet that says that one kind of MS definitely cause paralysis. Maybe I haven't been reading the right material.
Thanks again
Sue
So, how can he prove which started first, the ones in the brain or the ones in the spine? kinda like which came first, the chicken or the egg?
neurontin is for pain.
I'd want a 2nd opinion before I accepted any diagnosis and prognosis that intense. Just for peace of mind. The LP may or may not help. Many people have no bands in their LP tap, I don't.
I can't help you on the other problems you have but many have gotten 2nd opinions often help one way or another!
Another thing to look at is gluten ataxia. It causes 90% of the same symptoms as MS. It could also explain your stomach bloating and gastro distress. If you haven't already, get yourself tested for Celiac disease as a lot of Crohn's disease is really Celiac. Gluten ataxia may not necessarily show up on a Celiac test as not everyone with GA has gastro involvement. There are other tests for GA, but you'd have to have a look at the article "Gluten Sensitivity: From Gut to Brain" to find out what they are - my brain fog won't let me remember the names.
All my symptoms were initially put down to gluten ataxia until I wrote to the world expert (Prof M Hadjivassiliou) and he categorically told me that the sudden deafness I experienced, was not a GA thing.
Hope this is some help to you.
Poppy
Okay, I went and tried to read that and to be honest didn't understand a word of it. lol
Thanks
Thank you, will go and read that now.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21091817
Hi Sue, I can't answer your questions but I believe that Crohns Disease can cause lesions on the brain. I will see if I can find an article for you regarding this, perhaps it's something to discuss with your neurologist.