This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Hey everybody,
Just wanted to say hi. I'm not officially diagnosed with MS however I've been fighting for diagnosis for about a year now and believe this is what's wrong with. I have an MRI appointment next week that may hold some answers.

This might be a really dumb question considering you've been fighting for a year for a diagnosis, but have you had a spinal tap/ Lumbar puncture?

the key to this test when it comes to a diagnosis, is that a positive means you have it but a negative doesn't mean you don't have it, sometimes it's a matter of catching it at the right time, I don't know how true this is but I heard that its best to get the spinal tap during the peak of an exacerbation because what they're looking for is myelin protein in your spinal fluid.

The whole reason you're having an exacerbation is that your myelin is breaking away and this ends up in your spinal fluid, so it makes sense that during the peak of an exacerbation you have a better chance of getting a positive diagnosis because you probably have more myelin protein in your spinal fluid at the time. I was diagnosed immediately after my spinal tap results came in. This confirmed my MRI and got me my official diagnosis, good luck, fighting an enemy without a face was the last thing I wanted... I really do wish you luck,

-Matt

http://mattsms.blogspot.com/

I am in the same boat! Have you made a clear decision and where are you now?... 8 years later