I have mild ON in my left eye. I had an MRI which showed tiny non-specific lesions aytpical of MS. I'm over 50. I had a ton of bloodwork done that was normal.

Why have I been referred to an MS clinic and why do I get the feeling an LP will be ordered?

This is what makes me wonder why the LP?


"ON in adults aged over 50, for whom it is their first neurological symptom, is rarely associated with MS. Indeed, for this group, ON is often a misleading diagnosis and the cause is often ischemic optic neuropathy or some other condition."

I can't post the link to the source because I'm new! (have to have posted 10 times).

I guess I should buy a lottery ticket because I got Dxed at at 52 by the folks at John's Hopkins after I had ON in my right eye and lost almost all color vision in that eye for several months. I did develop a flock of lesions in the next two years and did have a positive (at least two bands) results in spine fluid LP test.

It was the positive LP that made an immediate MS diagnosis possible.

My Avonex treatment and my own supplement program resulted in no enhancing/new lesions after year two, and that was 8 years ago. I hung on long enought to retire with 30 years service. I am now a "tripple dipper"... Civil Service, Military and Social Security.

Avonex can prevent or reduce severity of MS.

jackD

Thanks Jack -- Looking back, do you think you had symptoms before age 52? Was the ON after you were 50 or before? I'm wondering if like so many others had MS for years and weren't dx'd until you found docs who went the distance.

I'm lucky to live in Boston, so I know what it's like to have access to places like Johns Hopkins.

Be well!

Hi and Welcome to NeuroTalk, Thisiswater..

There are quit a few, here, who were DX in their 50s. Most can think back to a time in their youth, when they may have had MS symptoms.

I have a double DX...I was DXed at 35, as a result of an LP (myleogram) went into remission and deniel and then DXed at 53, when MS rose it's ugly head again. My 50s is when it hit me the hardest and stayed around to do it's damage..

I hope your Doc is wrong and your ON clears up an goes away..

ON is often the first indication of MS, BUT it is not DEFINITIVE for MS. I can't remember the stat offhand, but I think about 50% with ON eventually prove to have MS.

Your neuro probably wants to (hopefully) rule out a MS dx (for now) ... given that you have lesions and ON (even if the lesions "appear" to be atypical to him). I guess he wants a "specialist's" opinion on this ....

Cherie