Hi again Roger, and thanks for the introduction.

Have you had a chance to read this thread yet?:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...verse+myelitis

There aren't too many of us (FORTUNATELY!!) who've had the pleasure of a severe TM attack, but I know how difficult this last two years will have been for you.

TM can be a stand alone dx, either caused by an underlying condition like MS, lupus, etc., or even idiopathic. I understand why they are reserving the MS dx at this point, if no lesions are showing in your brain yet, but the writing is probably on the wall if your bro' has MS.

I waited 12 yrs after my first TM attack, before getting a MRI of the brain (obviously I had spinal lesions) ... but I didn't see any point in knowing if there was no treatments available. Even now, my doctors don't recommend any of the mainstream meds because they haven't proven effective for mostly spinal lesion activity.

When I had a second TM attack, which is HIGHLY unusual, they finally saw 3 small brain lesions. Even if they hadn't found the 3 lesions I probably would have been dx with MS, because I had "dissemination in time and space" by that point . . . but the 3 brain lesions made the dx a slam dunk.

TM can leave us with a lot of unresolved symptoms, and seems to continue to do it's damage long after the event too. For that reason it can be hard to "notice" when the "new" symptoms they may be 'waiting for' crop up (that aren't related to the original TM attack) . . . The "defining" event for you will likely either be a 3 - 4 week period of completely new symptoms (i.e. a clear "MS" attack), another TM attack, or new spinal lesion activity (symptoms) that goes further up the body (making it obvious that a new spinal lesion is flaring). Alternatively, it will likely just take TIME before the brain lesions show up on their own.

Since my doctors were not keen on putting me on the CRABs, even after the brain lesions showed up, I searched the internet for alternatives. In the end I got on LDN, and it has been a life-saver for me. Based on the number of pills you are popping now , combined with the delayed dx (and treatment options), I would suggest you give LDN try!

Cherie