MS or Lyme Disease

[aaronc]

My wife is having bilateral paraesthesia of her feet, thighs, buttocks, pelvis, and labia of one week duration.  She is also starting to have loss of feeling when using the bathroom.  Her neurologist has ordered bloodwork (including Lyme Disease (I believe an ELISA), Lupus, etc. tests) that is not back as of yet.  He had an MRI done and noted 6 white matter lesions and a lesion on her cervical spine.  She is 33 years old.  She had double vision for one day a year ago.  She will be tested for optic neuritis and senory disturbances next week.  The neurologist seems to think all is pointing toward MS.  She completed three days of IV steroids and is currently taking oral Prednisone.  It is her first day on the oral steroids and she states the paraesthesia is the same or slightly higher in her pelvis.  My questions are:

1.  If the neurologist states the evidence points to MS, should I request another test for Lyme as I have heard there are many false negatives:?

2.  Should she be on steroids if there is a chance of Lyme disease as this could lower her immune system and allow the lyme toxins to continue unabated?

3.  If I wanted a second opinion on treatment, where would be the best place to go (we live in SC but we would travel anywhere)

4.  If it seems she has MS, what treatment would you recommend?

[patsy10]

I would definitely request a western blot for lyme from Igenex labs in California.  The ELISA is such a poor test.  Do you live in a lyme endemic area?  I would also see a lyme-literate medical doctor for a second opinion.  Lyme is treatable/curable.  MS is pretty much symptom control but not curable.

[Caliber2005]

Hi Aaron,
I can understand what your wife might be going through. After going through the diagnostic criteria of MS, most of the stated description satisfies those criteria’s.
Steroid is the treatment for MS.
Lyme disease can have other accompanying symptoms like skin lesions, fever, malaise, fatigue etc.
You can take an opinion from other neurologist.
Treatment to arrest the disease process is IFNbeta1b, IFNbeta1a and co-polymer 1.
Acute relapses could be treated with IV Methyprednisolone followed with oral Prednisolone.
Symptomatic treatment with Baclofen or Diazepam or Carbamazepine can be tried.
Discuss these with your wife's primary care giver.