[new2net98]

No o bands yet Doc still thinks MS?? Waahaatt? Clear fluid, good pressure, no glucose in CSF fluid or protein. But abnormal elevated protein in blood serum.

Thought no o bands a good thing.

And now possible injury from 2006 might be broken neck??

Anybody?

[SallyC]

That is exactly what my Neuro said to me when he DXed me.."Elevated Protein"

[KittyLady]

Just because you dont have the o-bands doesnt mean you dont have MS. My initial spinal 20yrs ago I had no o-bands and fast forward to last year, now I have them. Just like an MRI with no lesions. I know a few folks that dont have the lesions, but they do have MS. However rare, but it does happen.

[TXBatman]

My understanding is that bands may only show up when you have active damage going on, as indicated in an MRI by an enhancing lesion when using contrast. If none of your lesions were enhancing at the time of the MRI, not surprising not to see bands in the spinal tap. I didn't have any bands in mine, but got Dxed a couple of years later anyway.

[Erin524]

you can get diagnosed with MS even if you dont have O bands in the spinal fluid.

You can also get diagnosed without having to go thru a lumbar puncture. I've never had one done. I got diagnosed on clinical findings. (symptoms, some lesions on an MRI or three)

[Natalie8]

I had no O-bands and elevated protein in my CSF. With the lesions on my brain ( including two enhanced ones) and the protein they diagnosed MS.

[dmplaura]

Originally Posted by TXBatman

My understanding is that bands may only show up when you have active damage going on, as indicated in an MRI by an enhancing lesion when using contrast. If none of your lesions were enhancing at the time of the MRI, not surprising not to see bands in the spinal tap. I didn't have any bands in mine, but got Dxed a couple of years later anyway.

I had the spinal tap while I was in major relapse. I had a TON of o-bands. My neuro said "Think of them as rings on a tree showing age." Geez thanks?

TXBatman, I've heard the same about o-bands and disease activity. Would make sense.

I'll echo the others - not everyone who gets diagnosed with MS presents with o-bands. Some neurologists/doctors won't even do a spinal tap if enough criteria is met based on the McDonald Criteria. Here's a link to some information about making that diagnosis:

http://www.va.gov/MS/articles/2010_M...ia_Revised.pdf

(may need Adobe Reader - a free software available online - to read the PDF file linked).

Take note: At first glance, the only mention of spinal tap in the diagnosis process is in the last box, "Positive CSF". I've heard that many don't have a spinal tap done.

I wish I had not had one done, to be quite honest. I know my neuro was being thorough, which I appreciate, but the spinal headache I had after the collection of spinal fluid hospitalized me. Besides that, I had 2 hallmark, separate symptoms which indicated MS : L'Hermittes Sign and girdle-banding sensation. Both I had remit and relapse at least once. I had a positive MRI for MS, blood work came back clean... the only remaining doubt by neuro was that there wasn't a history of MS in the family.

~ granted, if you ask me, my Grandmother (Mom's side) who lived with us my whole life pretty much, had MS, or something neurological. She was never diagnosed or investigated by doctors. As my mom says, when you are elderly, doctors are less likely to spend time diagnosing illnesses. Sadly, this seems to be the case, at least around here.

[new2net98]

Awaiting 2nd reading of cervical MRI & might have to do more specific exam/x -rays of neck. Truly tired of all of it. At least symptoms seem to be in a remission or whatever you call it.

Backward typing/writing still going strong & some speaking issues.

Lessened dosage of Neurontin, as it was causing some of it's own mischief. Seems my intolerance to medications wasn't happening on it; directly the opposite, though no clue why.

Insomnia back in spades...it's like a light switch..flip...months of symptoms gone; can't sleep back. Very weird, but grateful. Very grateful actually.

Truly thankful for all your information. It makes it easier knowing SOMEONE understands all this nonsense.

[SallyC]

Hang in there N2N. We know the feeling..

[NurseNancy]

i got dx'd by my neuro exam and mri's. i did have O-bands but the spinal hadn't been done yet.

this must be a good example of the tricky MS course for each person.