question about tumors on Spine

[sedge11]

My younger sister (24yrs old) has been "diagnosed" with a form of MS/Transverse Myelitis- she has gone through 2 rounds of treatments and steroids yet the "swelling" hasn't responded at all. She is having issues with severe pain, loss of bladder control and many other frightening issues- Just today she saw her neurologist who suggested she needed to see a Neuro Surgeon because he feels the "swelling" may actually be a tumor and she should have it evaluated and biopsied- what seems weird to me is that he told her it could be up to a 5 month waiting period?! Has anyone ever heard of this? Suspecting a spinal tumor and telling a patient to wait months to deal with it?  Please give me any advice you may have- Much appreciated- S

[sedge11]

The "lesion" covers the spinal cord from C4-C7.  She does not have any "lesions" or plaque visable on her brain to suggest MS- the original MRI stated that the "lesion" looked to be either acute myelitis or a tumor- so they(the MDs) decided to treat it as myelitis and it hasn't responded at all.

[sedge11]

Thanks for your quick response- She has had several MRIs, none of which show a definite tumor as far as we have been told.  They originally said that she has a "lesion" that looks to be MS/Myelitis...
Their supposed concern is that she has had 2 rounds of IV steroids plus has been on oral steroids(as well as a slew of other muscle relaxers, pain medications, and naproxen type pills) and there has been absolutely NO change.

Can you think of any other questions or diagnoses that she should be pursueing? We're just at a loss and she is close to going on short term disability because of the symptoms she is experiencing. I just would love to see he get some relief.

Thank you again-  I'll get back to you on the localized swelling questions.

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

Has the neurologist ordered an MRI to confirm the tumor? It is better than waiting for five months and finding out it may not be a tumor. Can you ask him for an MRI?

Is it a localized swelling? Can you press the swelling without her having pain?

Regards