Aa
diagnosis
hello everyone. I have alot of symptoms. Since fibro, and MS symptoms are so closely related I was wondering, is the lumbar punctur a pretty good shot at a good chance for a diagnosis for MS. I checked on the net. It says the MAY. It doesnt say ALWAYS. Wanna rule MS in or out either way if its possible. I don't care which way it goes at this point. I'm just lookin for an answer. I know people say it is an awful test, but these daily symptoms are pretty awful in themselves. The answer would be worth puttin a few doctors in their place for me. Any help would be a blessing. Thanks to all.
Hey. Yes, I've been reading on the health pages and will definately ask for contrast and will pray for a strong machine and a good tester....I don't know if the doctor will give me a referral for a neurologist or not. He thinks I have carpal tunnel. It only took me a couple of min of lookin it up to know he was an idiot. It affects the opposite fingers that my problem affects. I just changed doctors. The one before refused to see me for a year. After calling and calling and wanting to know what the problem was he called me and told me that everything was in my head. Well the VA only allows you to change doctors once a year. The good thing is this doctor I have is a temp. He will be leaving in Oct. He said he only works 6 mo per year. I will get a new one in Oct. Maybe that one will be more caring. I hope so.
That is ridiculous that you can't see another doctor. Is this dodo doctor your PCP or a neuro? Can you get him to refer you to a neuro or MS Specialist (that may be stretching it)?
If you do happen to be "lucky" enough to get an MRI, make sure you find out what type of machine it is. Don't do it on the open MRI without contrast--it's a waste of time and money.
Deb
If you do happen to be "lucky" enough to get an MRI, make sure you find out what type of machine it is. Don't do it on the open MRI without contrast--it's a waste of time and money.
Deb
Yep. The thing that is really getting to me is that the farther along this all goes, so does the problems with my memory. I used to remember everything...hubby hated it. Now i have crs. I dont think they ever did an MRI on my head. They did a CT scan. Is that helpful on any of this stuff? I just got a new doctor because of the other one telling me it was "all in my head". He is a quack too I'm afraid. Told me I prob had carpal tunnel cause the fingers most affected on my numb hand were the pinky rink and middle finger. It only took me a few minutes on the mayo clinic website to learn that carpal tunnel affects the exact opposite fingers, thumb, index and middle. Then he put me on some new medicine (prior to some new blood work...sed rate, ANA ect) a steroid, muscle relaxer with a anti inflam and an additional inflam....when I was studying up on the testing for what we were looking for it was very evident that the tests would come up negative because of these meds. I wanted to scream. He's the NEW doctor. Can't change again for a year now. Since the CT was clear, I don't know if I can get him to order an MRI or not...kinda doubt it. Especially since he is convinced I have carpal tunnel.lol I am just discusted (can't even spell anymore!) by the whole stinkin thing! why on earth would he want to destroy my test results that way? oh, just looked above...and most of tht is already written up there...sorry...see, memory is gone!!!!take care and thanks...hugs .amy
I like your handle! My doctor jokes with me, now, about it "all being in my head," because it is--that's where all the problems really are! You are long overdue for the MRI.
Rena has some excellent suggestions. I would take a look at the Health Pages.
As for the MRI, if your doctor won't order one, it's time to see another doctor that is preferably an MS specialist. I would make sure your next MRI is done with MS protocal. My first MRI done on a weak open MRI machine without contrast was negative.
Sometimes an LP is not needed. My LP was more expensive than the MRI (and more of a hassle and painful, too).
Rena has some excellent suggestions. I would take a look at the Health Pages.
As for the MRI, if your doctor won't order one, it's time to see another doctor that is preferably an MS specialist. I would make sure your next MRI is done with MS protocal. My first MRI done on a weak open MRI machine without contrast was negative.
Sometimes an LP is not needed. My LP was more expensive than the MRI (and more of a hassle and painful, too).
thanx and God bless...i just know SOMETHING is wrong....one of these days we'll know what maybe....hugs everybody
thanks guys. i appreciate everything. i have had a recent ct scan. i think i had a mri, but cant remember how long ago, but if i did it has been years. i know i had one on my spine....i think. lol my mind is getting progressively worse. i used to really pride myself on my memory, but i just dont have that pride anymore. i did get to go see a neurologist but they sent me there for my knees. they did the mri i think on my spine and said that i had arthris and bone spurs but that was all. the other time i saw the neuro was when they did the nerve conduction study which supposedly came up normal but now my hand has been numb for about 5 months now. the pins and needles thing is getting much much worse and it is all over. my eyes are just awful. i did some reading up on ms. i have alot of the symptoms, but they do fit with fibro too. I don't know if I can get them to do anymore mri's or ct scans or anything like that. that was why i was asking about the lumbar punctur. i figured maybe if they saw that if i didnt care about the pain, they would do the test. if it was pretty definitive it would sure be worth it to me. just like you guys, answers are worth everything in the world. i don't understand why they wont do whatever it takes to get those answers for us, ya know? its not like its their money...its crazy. especially like that doc putting me on those meds that will change those test results, whats that about anyway? If I hadn't gotten on the net and read up on this stuff and met plateletGal, I wouldn't have known some of that....just so very wrong, ya know? Ya'll take care. And best of luck to you too.
don't let anyone tell you it's all in your head. i'm new to this forum and i have had all these symptoms since i was a little girl. i have had pneumonia twice, hepatitis, the chicken pox, which is in the family of shingles and was always falling. but, it wasn't until i took care of my mother until she died that the big onset got me. it was 1 year later. it runs in my family and so far, none of us have had a test that came back positive and my cousin is far more prevalent than my 2 sisters and myself and that is because my aunt catered to her and she lost all of her muscle functions. everyone knows their body and know who they are. it's the doctors who don't know. i have had these symptoms for 19 years and since my first onset, i have had different symptons and some of the old ones that never really went away. the only advice that i can give it ask God to show and reveal to you what is that you do have.
Take Care.
Take Care.
I had the spinal tap about a year and a half ago, and it was negative and showed no O banding. Here I am 2 1/2 years after onset and still do not have a definate dx! The spinal tap is a test used for supportive evidence in the dx of MS, and cannot confirm an MS dx alone.
A high percentage of MS patients have a possitive spinal tap and show O banding in the CSF, but there is a small percentage who have negative results who still have MS. Maybe someone who is more sure of the exact percentages can comment on these facts.
The test itself is not painful, but somewhat uncomfortable, or at least this was my personal experience with having had it done. I had some soreness in my lower back for about two to three days after the test, but that was about all. I didn't get one of the spinal headaches that they warn can happen if you are not still enough right after the test.
I think I recall the doctor telling me to be as still as possible for about six hours after the test, but I stayed still for about 24 hours, because I didn't want one of those headaches. Also another thing that may have helped was the fact that my neuro used a very small needle to abstract the CSF. This makes a smaller puncture and faster healing.
The spinal tap does a lot of good too as far as ruling out some other conditions. Eventhough it left me still in limbo after the negative results came back, it did rule out some pretty serious conditions that was being considered in my case.
I am sure others will come along and add more information for you here!
~Santana~
A high percentage of MS patients have a possitive spinal tap and show O banding in the CSF, but there is a small percentage who have negative results who still have MS. Maybe someone who is more sure of the exact percentages can comment on these facts.
The test itself is not painful, but somewhat uncomfortable, or at least this was my personal experience with having had it done. I had some soreness in my lower back for about two to three days after the test, but that was about all. I didn't get one of the spinal headaches that they warn can happen if you are not still enough right after the test.
I think I recall the doctor telling me to be as still as possible for about six hours after the test, but I stayed still for about 24 hours, because I didn't want one of those headaches. Also another thing that may have helped was the fact that my neuro used a very small needle to abstract the CSF. This makes a smaller puncture and faster healing.
The spinal tap does a lot of good too as far as ruling out some other conditions. Eventhough it left me still in limbo after the negative results came back, it did rule out some pretty serious conditions that was being considered in my case.
I am sure others will come along and add more information for you here!
~Santana~
Hi there and welcome to the MS forum! I took the opportunity to read your notes that you left on the family health site as well and it sounds as though you have truly been through the wringer and for that I am so sorry. I want to let you know that although we here are not physicians, we have been through a lot in our journeys toward a diagnosis and I hope that with our knowledge we will be able to assist you to find a diagnosis for your symptoms.
I don't recall off the top of my head (my head isn't working too good today he he) if you have had a brain MRI or if you have been seen by a neurologist or an MS Specialist. You will find in the upper right hand corner of this page, Health Pages and they contain a plethora of information on MS. It has been compiled by the members here as well as a member that is a retired physician whom is dealing with MS herself. If you look at the heading, "my family doctor thinks I may have ms...what do I do now." or something similar to that you will find the steps that should be taken if you are looking at the possibility of an MS diagnosis. Generally, the Lumbar Puncture (LP) is not used alone in the diagnosis of MS. An examination by a qualified neurologist is imperative as is an MRI of the brain and possibly the spine as well. It would be after these tests that a possible LP would be considered for a diagnosis.
I would advise that you look over the Health Pages and glean as much information as possible about the disease from them. It is very important that you realize that for the most part in a journey such as this that you are your own best advocate and this information can be incredibly helpful.
The people here on this forum are a great group that you truly can count on in a time of need. Should you need to rant, rave, laugh or cry, we are here for you 24/7. If someone doesn't respond immediately, don't worry, just give it a little time and someone will be here ok? If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask away...we are here to back you up and support you and believe it or not you may just make some awesome friends while you are here as well!
Lots of Hugs,
Rena
I don't recall off the top of my head (my head isn't working too good today he he) if you have had a brain MRI or if you have been seen by a neurologist or an MS Specialist. You will find in the upper right hand corner of this page, Health Pages and they contain a plethora of information on MS. It has been compiled by the members here as well as a member that is a retired physician whom is dealing with MS herself. If you look at the heading, "my family doctor thinks I may have ms...what do I do now." or something similar to that you will find the steps that should be taken if you are looking at the possibility of an MS diagnosis. Generally, the Lumbar Puncture (LP) is not used alone in the diagnosis of MS. An examination by a qualified neurologist is imperative as is an MRI of the brain and possibly the spine as well. It would be after these tests that a possible LP would be considered for a diagnosis.
I would advise that you look over the Health Pages and glean as much information as possible about the disease from them. It is very important that you realize that for the most part in a journey such as this that you are your own best advocate and this information can be incredibly helpful.
The people here on this forum are a great group that you truly can count on in a time of need. Should you need to rant, rave, laugh or cry, we are here for you 24/7. If someone doesn't respond immediately, don't worry, just give it a little time and someone will be here ok? If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask away...we are here to back you up and support you and believe it or not you may just make some awesome friends while you are here as well!
Lots of Hugs,
Rena
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