personally I would only agree with a spinal tap if a relevant disorder was suspected, rather than just to exclude anything that might show up in the spinal. I think that doctors can be more intelligent than that, especially if pushed to. I would like to think that my doctor could at least make a reasonable differentiation between which nervous system was being affected! I know that different cultures vary in terms of the amount of testing they do, but I am pleased that where I live such tests are only done if there is a reasonable index of suspicion, rather than just for exclusionary purposes. I didn't even have one for confirmed cns lupus because the doctors said they already knew what they would find (antibodies in my CFS).

just mho

cheers
raglet