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.