Welcome to NT! There are many disease and conditions, including vitamin and mineral deficiencies, that can mimic MS. It's a process of ruling out all other possibilities and a collection of symptoms, clinical findings, and tests.

Lhermitte's sign (BTW - there is no hyphen between the L and h in Lhermitte's) is common in MS as well as other neurologically based diseases/conditions. It can also happen with vitamin B12 deficiency.

I am glad your doctor is being proactive and helping you find a cause for your symptoms. The MRI results and LP will help in the diagnosing process. I was dx based on clinical symptoms as well as MRI. I have not had an LP done. Each MS case presents differently, yet there are common signs and symptoms we share.

Hang in there and check in and let us know how you are doing and the results.

Hi Elizabeth

You have had some fantastic support so far. I am sorry that you are facing this at your age, and with two young kids and a career ahead of you. Know that this (if it IS MS) is the beginning of a long journey - not an end of anything or everything. There are ups and downs, good times and bad - but life is like that anyway.

I am nearly 44 and was dx'd 13 years ago. I still walk, work, and live my life in a (slightly modified) but pretty much normal way. My kids were 7 and 4 when I was diagnosed and now one is at University and the other will be finished high school and off to University at the end of next year.

There are other things that may be causing your symptoms, as others have said, MS diagnosis is a process of elimination. This is a very scary time for you, but there is so much support and care around now, especially here. Whatever happens from here, welcome to Neurotalk, please stay in touch and let us all know how you get on with your tests.