Quote:
Originally Posted by Starznight
Yes it is possible. MS lesions can be in the brain, or the spinal cord or both. It is 'usually' in the brain as if there's much that's usual with this disease, but can appear anywhere in the central nervous system. If you or or your neurologist believe you might have MS, often times a spinal tap will also be done despite a clear MRI to look for the presence of O-bands (oligoconal bands) in the spinal fluid. The o-bands are only found in about 80% of people with MS, so it also isn't a definitive test either.
All of that makes getting an MS diagnosis quite difficult, it really likes to hide well sometimes. However, my fingers are crossed for you that it's not what you have and if it is, that the doctors will discover it quickly, and that you find answers to whatever is going on soon.
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Thanks very much. My spinal tap was contaminated by trauma (took 7 attempts) so not entirely reliable I was told but the neurologist seemed to think the O bands they examined made MS unlikely as they matched the blood taken. I have reached the stage where I would even be relieved by a diagnosis of MS to be honest.
Having a face and mouth that is often numb and tingling or very sore, long standing dizziness, longstanding and widespread peripheral nerve pain (small fiber) which makes my legs crawl with wet sensation or else burn at night -with RA symptoms which have disappeared - is making me feel as if I'm in the XFiles and it would just be a relief to know what it was.
I do have confirmed autoimmunity so I wonder if I might just have mild overlap with RA and MS rather than one disease badly perhaps? Seronegative lupus is another possibility as is Vasculitis or Scleroderma. None of it is great really but a name would help me psychologically I feel.
Thanks for your help. Mat