New, well, kind of...

[Erin65]

Hi there, All...

Hmmm...not sure how "new" I am; rec'd "prob". dx of MS back in '95 after 6 years of searching for what was causing both legs/left arm weakness, occasional (LP-spinning-watching-The-Beatles-Red-Album) vertigo and numbness/tingling/burning (ouch) skin patches, etc.  Quit docs, but when it got to be too much (again), found a neuro who said - "guess what? it's not MS...it's complicated migraine".  MRIs in past were clear until this Jan (only one lesion found in left temp lobe). Long story short...I gotta question : ).  A long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away..sorry, two boys - 5 and 10, raised, for all practical purposes, on Star Wars), I had an LP which was normal.  But the technician noted at the bottom of it "a gamma trace protein was found" and then drew an arrow to the band located, etc.  The thing is, my neuro is once again on the fence and thinking MS (due to my ongoing 6 week bout with leg weakness, some numbness, etc), and an LP would be the next step.  This is an awfully long post for a ridiculously short question: Anyone else have that "gamma trace" show up on their LP? ...means nothing, right? Thanks!!    Deborah

[tonyad]

    Hi there :) Well, i am NOT bio nor Quix but i think I can help you out just the same.

   I think the best way to start would be for you to understand the testing process that takes place when your LP was done....and your blood was drawn for comaparison.

    Electrophoresis is a technique used to separate different elements (fractions) of a blood sample into individual components. Serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) is a screening test that measures the major blood proteins by separating them into five distinct fractions: albumin, alpha1, alpha2, beta, and gamma proteins. Protein electrophoresis can also be performed on urine.

      In CSF, the total protein concentration is normally 0.015–0.045 g/dL, with gamma-globulin accounting for 3% to 12%. The main use of CSF protein electrophoresis testing is in the diagnosis of central nervous tumors and multiple sclerosis.

       Gamma-globulin levels are increased in multiple myeloma. The levels are increased as well in chronic inflammatory disease and autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, cirrhosis, and acute and chronic infection. The gamma-globulins are decreased in leukemia, in a variety of genetic immune disorders, and in secondary immune deficiency related to steroid use or to severe infection. Immunoglobulin deficiency due to inherited disorders can range from partial or complete loss of a single immunoglobulin class to complete absence of all immunoglobulins.

    Perhaps this is to much info...you are fortunate however, to have a Neuro to Re - Evaluate your situation.  now remember that a dx of MS can not be made on just an LP. Meaning that there are many people dx w/ MS and have a NORMAL LP and still be dx.....or even have a normal MRI (no lesions seen).  perhaps it would be benificial for you to take another look at the right hand top of this page at the "Health Pages" as there is a wealth of info on there in regards to dx criteria.....

    Now please remember, I am no expert on the particular questionn you asked but I hope that what I did post helped somewhat and made some kind of sense  :)

Take Care,
~Tonya

[rendean]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I love your sense of humor especially the vertigo LP spinning!  What a great descriptor of vertigo, may I borrow it next time I try to explain it to my 60 something neuro?

As for your question, alas I'm sorry I cannot help but perhaps someone else with this finding can shed some light on it. I googled it and found your question already posted on Google and a few scientific abstracts from PubMed but they were beyond my learning and training to make a statement .

I do have a suggestion about posting. A lot of members have vision issues due to MS and it makes it easier for everyone if you break your post into smaller paragraphs with small breaks between them like I have done.

I hope someone will be along at some point to help you out with this. Perhaps Bio or Quix.

Good luck,
ren