I have had lots of blood work that show everything as normal. My first open mri showed 2 unexplained spots. Then a close mri showed 5 more spots. I just had a spinal tap on Wed. I feel like no one is giving me an answer. The spots don't look like "ms lesions" but they have ruled out almost everything else. My main symptoms are dizziness and some numbness and weakness. Does this sound like ms or should I be checking into something else? Thanks!!
Last edited by jaycasa1231; 01-01-2005 at 10:50 AM.
Just keep at it. You should probably get a few more tests, like a spinal tap and evoked potentials. . also have you had an MRI on your spine? this will help get a diagnosis. Since MS is a clinical diagnosis - this means there is no definitive test for it - they test for everything else and they look at all the pieces and determine if it is adding up to an MS diagnosis. there are other things that could cause "spots" on the brain and they need to test for them.
Thanks! I had a spinal on wed. I have had over a thousand dollars of blood work done that shows I'm completly healthy. The mri of my spine showed no lesions so my doctor said that is a good sign. I just don't know if i can accept that I have 6 or so spots on my brain with no explaination of what they are. I heard that even if my spinal tap comes back negative that I still could have ms. Am I looking at another year of testing? Thanks for listening to me.
Hello, I know what you are going through! The best advice I can give is what I have been told on this board, Keep A Journal. Write down your symptoms each day and your meds. This will help when talking to your doctors and also help you to keep track of what is happening to you. This way when you go to a doctor you have the info right there and can answer their questions better. I have found that this helps me when seeing a new doctor as it is hard to remember what all has been tried or done, if asked a question I can't remember I just look at my journal and answer. I hope this helps you and I wish you the best. I know how scarry all this is because I am going through it myself.
Laura
I appreciate any advice from anyone. This is all so new to my family. I just feel like they are totally stumped with me. Everything I hear about ms is that it can be so hard to diagnose but I'm an impatient person and can't stand the idea of waiting for months to know. Good luck with what ever you find out on yourself!
it does take a little bit of time. . .I had spots on brain, nothing on spine, tap was clear, evoked pots was normal. . but still got a dx. . i start treatment in a few days. . the whole process does take a few months, but it sounds like you are getting through it all. are you seeing a ms specialist?
I am going to a specialty ms clinic right now. My first open mri showed 2 spots so they weren't overly concerned. To put my mind at ease and to cover their butts they had me do the closed mri of the brain and spine. That is what surprised them because that picked up on about 5 more spots. They thought they were done with me untill they saw that. That's why they had me do the spinal tap. What is the deciding factor in the doctors finally saying that you have it? What were your symptoms to start with?
my symptoms started with some facial numbness, and then some issues with my right eye and then tingles and some burning in my hands and legs. . . pretty much since the middle of Aug. There is no one test for MS - its sort of like putting a puzzle together. . a clinical dx
do I have ms 
