MS or not?
 

Another helping member suggested I repost a general thread I did also here.

After going through extensive testing (MRI, EEG, EMG, LP and blood tests) many of my results were given and I saw my neurologist on Friday again. She said to me a substance were found in my spinal fluid, called oligoclonal bands,
that are found in Multiple Sclerosis, but I don’t fit the profile for Multiple Sclerosis. The other findings were a single circumscribed T2 and T2 flair hyperintense lesion in the posterior aspect of the basal ganglia on the left and prominence of the nasal turbinates suggesting an underlying rhinitis, that were noted from the MRI. And from the blood test the following: Leucocyte count 16.45, neutrophils 77.1% 12.67 and monocytes 6.8% 1.14.
She now wants to have a brain angiogram performed to test for cerebral vasculitis, but my medical funds were exhausted by the MRI and my neurologist is trying to get this procedure approved or I must wait till April to pay for the procedure myself.
I guess slowly, but surely we are getting closer to a diagnosis. I just wish the answers would come a bit faster.
From my own studies performed, my bet is on Cerebral Vasculitis which were initially caused by the rhinitis and thickening of the ethmoid sinuses and resulted in Wegener’s granulomatosis (why the blood results above were out of range), which in return explains the Thalamic stroke I had in 2004 and the hyperintense lesion on my left basal ganglia.
I am anyway going to present this to my neurologist and hear what her theory on this is.

In addition to this, what profile do I need to fit for MS diagnosis?

Any input will be of great help.

Most doctors use the McDonald Criteria to diagnose MS. It can be a long and rather exhautive process to get the diagnosis of MS because pretty much everything else needs to be relued out first. Thus, MS is a diagnosis based on exclusion rather than on symptoms alone.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK48930/

With love, Erika

Look carefully at the requirements in the McDonald Criteria for clinical episodes or lesions separated over time. It may be that your neuro is saying what mine was the first time I saw her, which was that what I had looked like MS, but didn't meet all the requirements of the criteria...yet. Once I had a new batch of lesions show up about 2 years later, I got an MS dx because I finally met the criteria. I didn't understand what she was saying at the time and thought that she was saying it didn't look like MS.

On the other hand, the fact that you have already had a stroke in your history would lead one towards the possibility of vasculitis to explain the lesion seen on the MRI. So I think it is prudent of the neuro to want an angiogram to try to rule it out first.

hello yolandi and welcome to NT,

i agree with the above advice from 2 very experienced folks here.
i can't add to that but wanted to welcome you. please let us know how you are.

Thank you guys,

I really do appreciate your input. I will start studying the McDonald Criteria and get to make sense of how it should be used.

All take good care :grouphug:

ms?? please help
 

i have been having what i thought was indigestion on my left side on and off for 6 months.. maybe 2nights a week then nothing for few weeks. had all checks endoscopy etc .. found nothing could this be an ms hug .. my other symptoms are heavy legs .. one can burn one tingle. i have had a few stumbles, i struggle with pins and needles in my hands both at different times . been told possible carpel tunnel. this hand even hurts now as i am writing. i am struggling with drying my hair an even putting my make up on. i have alot of stiffness and the past few days im struggling to walk. carry shopping is very painful . i suffer sickness and very bad headaches.. i recently seen a neurologist who will be doing a brain scan.. will this show anything. ? cant go on like this!!! no pain killers help .

Hi clayton23,

Has the neurologist mentioned the possibility of MS to you? Are you sure it's a brain scan and not an MRI that will be done?

If one of your complaints is headaches, it's possible that a brain scan needs to be done, to find out what could be causing them, if possible.

An MRI is usually done now when MS is suspected, and other tests are usually done as well.

It's hard to say whether your indigestion pain might be an MS hug.

When you say "sickness," I'm not sure what you mean. A doctor might have questions about that too. (What kind of sickness? You'd need to be more specific. Nausea? Vomiting? Feeling feverish?)

It's too bad you're having so many difficulties. I hope that you and your doctor can get some answers soon.

P.S. You'd get more replies here if you could post a thread of your own.