MS? How long is too long to wait for treatment?

[MMichelle34]

I am a 34 year old female. I have been going to a neurologist for at least 10 years, with migraines and muscle spasms. I had an MRI ten years ago that was negative. Fast-forward-- Diagnosis of trigiminal neuraglia (not from neuro), jaw surgery, tmj, etc. Migraines continue and do not improve with medication, depression, muscle spasm increase and neck pain. Symptoms include random loss of feeling in right arm down to fingers. Periodic loss of feeling/tingling in right and left foot. Double Vision in left eye. Facial tremors. Muscle Doc and Pain Doc order new MRI which finds "few tiny scattered focal areas of T2 hyperintensity in the periventricular and subcortical white matter bilaterally." Neuro blows it off but suggests following through with second cervical spinal MRI due to pain. Pain doc orders it; findings subtle region of abnormal, increased signal intensity within the left dorsal aspect of the spinal cord at c3, (which was present in retrospect on study from 2012). Findings unchanged over the interval. No new spinal cord lesion."  Get my eyes checked - change - vision fine except now my left eye doesn't dilate like my left. Visual field test results aren't back but numbers aren't the same as previous tests.
So I call my neurologist and tell him about the findings and I'm told that if there is a lesion in my spine etc. The doc only goes my a spinal tap for a diagnosis. At this point I'm so frustrated and tired of hurting. This doc told me at my last five minute appointment "I thought this would be an easy appointment." I think he has been blowing me off for years and now I have damage. Am I overreacting? How long is too long to wait for treatment? Does it sound like MS to you?

[immisceo]

The short answer is yes. Lumbar punctures are more like 'supporting evidence' of MS, but the results are viewed in conjunction with the rest of the test results for a clearer picture.

If everything screams MS, it can be skipped, if its positive with other positive results (MRI, clinical signs, etc) they might be the clincher, if its negative they may wait for other results to make the diagnosis. It's not a gold standard test, but most of us do have one.

[MMichelle34]

Thanks. There are only 3 to 4 neurologists in my town. I have to travel 3 hours to see another one, which is not a problem. I already have an appointment with an MS neurologist doctor in a few weeks.

I hate that I continue to lose faith in the medical community. But if this is MS, I've been getting the wrong treatment for at least 2 years. And I've been telling everyone that would listen that the meds they give me don't work. It's frustrating.

Can you get diagnosed with MS without a spinal tap?  Seems like two Brain MRIs, two cervical spine MRIs, eye exam, visual field test, and clinical symptoms would let me skip the spinal tap.