When were your lesions found?

[Ley5792]

Is there ANYONE that is currently diagnosed that had lesions that didn't show until a few months after symptoms began?

[mae1]

Hi Ley, Im april and like heather. I didnt know it at the time but knowing what I know now and looking back I too was very lucky that with my first MRI I had 8 lesions show up on my brain . no lesions on my spine and spinal tape showen no bands but with the brain, sx, and neuro exam, recived a dx of ms. that was nov. of last year.
I had sx for 2 years befor my dx.  fatigue (the worst), dizzyness, and hands and feet falling asleep alot. I just thought I wasnt eating right and taking good enough care of my body. I also am a single mother of 3 teenage boy's and work full time as a hairdresser so I thought standing on my feet all day and running the boy's around was just getting to me.
at one point I even had myself convinced I was just getting lazy.
one day I left work and was heading to the middle school to pic my youngest up from practice and my right leg started to ach and got real heavy(scared the Hell out of me).
I made an appt. with my pcp for a good full check up sence I hadent been to him in 2 years and within 3 weeks I was sitting in a neouro's office getting a dx. of ms.
good luck to you and I hope you have a great New Year!!!!!!!
april

[shoshin]

FWIW, when I was diagnosed recently, the brain MRI was still read by the radiologist as normal (after 6+ years of symptoms). I did have lesions on the spine and a positive spinal tap. From some other threads, some things that make a difference seem to be how strong the MRI machine is, how thorough the person reading the MRI is (might be helpful if your neuro or someone more specialized looks at the images and not just the report--my neuro said there were a couple spots on my brain), and also in many cases you should have the spine done and not just the brain.

And yes, this is a great site for comfort and answers!

[Ley5792]

Thank you Heather,

....I have been able to find so much comfort in communicating with people who have walked this long road. It is encouraging to know that it has taken so long for everyone else, too. Not that I would wish the wait on my worst enemy.....it's just nice to know that I am not getting the run-around from my Neurologist (I guess I have it pretty good after reading some of the forums here.

It really does mean alot, though, having this place to look to for comfort and answers.

Everyone here is so awesome!

[Heather3418]

I guess I was lucky in a sense.  The very first MRI with my first flair-up, showed 5 lesions in the brain and one in the spinal cord.

There are alot of people on here that will tell you that 5% percent of people with actual MS never do show any lesions.  I am under the impression that with time, all people diagnosed with MS will eventually show lesions.  With the newer MRI machines, and them being more sensitive; the people that have not showed lesions before, are finally showing the radiologists and the doctor's that the lesions have been there all along.  Just took better equipment that was more sensitive to show these lesions.

Heather