I had the MRI first, with and without contrast. Which lit up like an xmas tree, showed 'lesions in the active phase', 'demyelination process', 'multiple ovoid hyperintensities'.

I had several symptoms that came and went. The 2 most convincing of everything were L'Hermittes and the 'girdle band' sensation. I also had severe vertigo (and my ENT doc had ruled out any ear problems), loss of taste/smell, muscle spasms in my face on 1 side, blurred vision that came from nowhere (woke up 1 day and it was there). Oh, and for probably 3-4 years, I had numbness off and on in my pinkie and ring fingers on both hands. They suspected posture, they fixed my 'station' at work, and that didn't fix it.

My family history had no one previously dx'ed with MS. However, both my mother and father's sides are from European decent entirely. Scottish, Irish, English. Suspected Norwegian/German involvement as well.

Blood work clear (many many many vials of it, surprised I was not left dry lol). 2 CT scans, clear. Xrays of everything from head to pubic area. Ultrasound of my stomach (I had stomach pains that came and went in a period of 1.5 months).

I 'failed' the evoked potentials (so to speak). Hypomobility lower body. Hypermobility upper body. Unsteady gait. I also had areas where I could not detect cold/hot/pain sensations on my legs.

My neuro is 'Mr. Thorough'. He did the LP I believe to fully investigate the entire picture. I didn't mind. Heck, if that test was going to further show 'proof' of MS, I'm all for it.

I'm not sure if he does an LP on every person he sees in my situation. I didn't have a family doctor when I met him. I sure do now. Perhaps because of the lack of 'history' on me, he went through every step to ensure he could look me in the eye and say, "95% sure".