myelitis and ms - Multiple Sclerosis Message Board

denised · 03-28-2001, 11:07 AM

hi! has anyone ever been dxed with myelitis and then ms? i have just been dxed with myelitis and dont know if that is what i have. i dont feel a band like feeling around my body. from what i hear ms and myelitis are very similar. they are both demylinating diseases. any information will be appreciated
thanks
denise

shannon0331 · 12-21-2006, 06:15 PM

I had a bad bought of Transverse Myelitis, i was numb from below my breasts all the way down to my toes on both sides. The way it was explained to me was that most people only have 1 attack of TM and never get it again, if you do have another attack of TM then its MS. I was told the two kinda go hand in hand. IV steroids helped with the pain and burning sensation and numbness but withdraw for me was bad. The TM attack is what brought me to a neurologist and what brought him to get me an MRI which later showed i did have MS in both the spine and the brain. So much so that my Neuro didnt request me to have a LP. So lets hope you only have one episode of TM.
Best of luck

NathanMc · 12-21-2006, 06:31 PM

Hi Denise!

Transverse Myelitis is essentially demyelination across a portion of the spinal cord. In itself, it can be an episode unrelated to MS, or an instance of an MS condition. Tightness across the chest is not required.

Multiple Sclerosis (or scar, I think its Greek derivation) refers by definition to multiple instances or attacks of demyelination across the brain and / or spine. In some patients TM can represent an instance of MS.

The incidence of MS that brought me into hospital prior to my diagnosis was essentially TM. However an MRI showed additional plaques on the brain, sufficient along with a remembered instance of optic neurosis to make an MS diagnosis definite.

The McDonald criteria for MS basically specifies the sufficient presentation to make a diagnosis. You can quite easily research this.

Has an MRI been ordered for your case?

Good luck, hope you feel better soon

duttin · 12-21-2006, 08:41 PM

denised,

I had partial lumbar myelitis in 1998,I was diagnosed with MS in June of this year.

Both demyelinating diseases,theres a 50 -50 chance that it can lead to MS.Myelitis can becaused by a viral infection,in my case a lumbar surgery was the suspected cause.

I didn't have the tight band,I had leg numbness and the inability to walk without aide.

I also went through the steroid treatment.

The best advice I have for you is to get a second opinion if you doubt your neuro's diagnosis.Only time will tell if this will lead to MS.

dawnies · 01-20-2007, 04:21 AM

Hi i have only just seen your post about myelitis, I was diagnosed 3 years ago with MS/Myelitis and from what my neurologist told me i understand it to be inflammation mine is in my spine i could see it quite clearly on my mri scan pictures, i hope this helps in some way. Dawnies