blood test for MS? to rule it out?
 

I don't think there is one.

But a poster on PN at this link:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread178630-8.html

claims to have had one. JesseM

Could someone who knows about this please reply to that thread? I'd really appreciate it.

It looks like there is a blood test being researched but I've never heard of one to rule out MS.

I'm going to ask him about the test....what it's called and what it tests for.

http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-h...osis/81247603/

Wow, that was a bit upsetting...

They've been talking about it for a long time. but not perfected yet. It sure would save a lot of time and anxiety and bad Docs, who tell ya its in your head, if they had one.:cool:

I bet they were talking about the IgG test for NMO (Devic's). I think it's thought that Devic's might be related to MS in some way, and possibly the poster at that thread/forum got confused between the two.

Sorry, but sounds like wishful thinking - or an untutored poster to me. Sometimes it is easy to sound expert when you think nobody is going to prove you wrong - but there again, that could, in fact, be me - and they have come up with a blood test. This would be good, because I have this nagging denial that I can't seem to shake.

PLEASE prove me wrong!

Poster was clearly confused about the purpose of the blood tests. They were doing blood work to look for other causes and an MRI to look for MS. I am somewhat confused as to why they would clear Jesse of MS with an MRI that showed spots in the subcortical white matter. That MRI sounds exactly like my first MRI. Perhaps it is the character of the spots and exact locations, but I wouldn't rule MS out entirely with that presentation on an MRI.

It would be helpful if you could either PM him or go on that thread to clarify for him. ;)

if only it was so easy.
it would have made front page news if really true, imho.

Dr. Swank had a blood test for MS. I had it in his office. He took a drop of my blood and placed it under a microscope, then placed a drop of oil on my blood. He would diagnose MS if the oil made the blood particles move slower than average. Mine moved slower than average, so he diagnosed MS.
However, Swank did use the other standard tests as well as this test. This test was based on his belief that an autoimmune reaction occurs in MS patients if they consume more than a slight amount of saturated fat. The body attacks its "fat" in the myelin if it is already conditioned by eating fat. He pointed out the much lower incidence of MS during war in Europe (WWII), when people could not get red meat or butter, and had to eat less fatty substances. This is in his book on MS.
My obvious neurological reaction to anything more than a "sample" of red meat or other saturated fat makes me satisfied with Swank's opinion, but he did say that there must be further research to find out what is "missing" in MS blood. He sent my blood to Europe along with other samples, to do research there on what is "missing". But this research didn't go anywhere that I am aware of, as he soon retired and got no money to support his research.
This is shortsighted not to support his research. Even if one thinks his ideas are too far out, what better research is being done? Money for this would not be wasted.
However, I am not in contact with anyone presently doing this research, if they are. I am not pleased with such lack of intelligence. Perhaps someone could phrase that more colorfully, but at present I am trying not to "swear."

Mariel