Spinal Taps

[Thinkimjob]

Gee, that sounds like fun.

There are things I will not have done, and a spinal tap is one of those things. I was diagnosed without one 12 years ago - just an MRI. I saw the images. Never had any trouble believing it. They did 'offer' me one. I said no.
Personally, I'd strangle a doctor who just wanted to make certain. Except I'd have trouble squeezing hard enough, but hey ho.
You don't have to have a medical procedure. Doctors are just doctors. There are good ones, bad ones and brilliant ones.
And you can always find another one.

[twisterred]

I agree completely with skipping the procedure if at all possible.
These days, if all else leads to MS, Dr.'s don't have to do a Lumbar Puncture to give a diagnosis.

I know you'd like to not have a diagnosis of MS.
We all would...

Like others, my MRI showing plenty of lesions along with my history of symptoms and unknown flares was enough for me.
If I could have skipped the LP, I would have 20+ years ago (for both cost and pain reasons).
The procedure was a requirement back then, so I didn't even think of saying no.

I do hope that if you do the procedure, it's as OMG pain-free as possible.

[WACVet]

Foxz71, there are many of us dx'd with negative LPs, I'm one of them! Though my LP was negative, I was dx'd via BAER, MRIs, symptoms. If you read the McDonald criteria for MS diagnosis, it lists LP as "or". LP is a very intrusive procedure, AND, there can be some serious things that can go wrong. Please, think it over, why put your body through something that really isn't necessary?

[jlas01]

The Doctor claimed he wanted to do it to rule out other possibilities. But in the end he didn't learn anymore from the CSF than he had from the MRI's and other evidence. I wish I would've known that I could've opted to skip the LP before I let them shank me in the back 50 times

[foxz71]

First, Thank you all for your advice and support.

I had the procedure done yesterday. I was terrified because of my first experience but here is the thing. The doctor doing the procedure talked to me several times. He was so much more caring and compassionate than the first doctor. He took lumbar xrays and then told me he thought with certainty that he could do the procedure without fluroscopy.

For those of you who have never had one...here is how mine went.

He took me into the O.R. They laid me on my left side curled up knees to chest.(explaining they would try it this way but it is actually much easier to get it when sitting up hunched over-but because I had the bad experience that way he was trying to make me as comfortable as possible). He had the nurse give me a very mild sedative-I was fully alert for the procedure. A nurse held a comforting hand on my shoulder and hip and kept checking on me. The doctor inserted the needle which at first produced an electric shock down my left leg BUT he backed off and talked to me a bit and then proceeded. He hit the mark the first time. It took several minutes to fill 4-5 vials of fluid (my pressure was low) and then he removed the needle. IT WASN'T AS BAD AS I FEARED AT ALL!!

I was lucky, no spinal headache but I asked the doctor all about them. He said there are several theories about how to avoid them...but in all truth, there is no way to prevent one from happening if its going to. And if it does, you are supposed to go immediately to the ER and they will do either a blood patch or give fluids depending on the problem. Spinal headaches are movement based headaches that occur after the procedure at some point up to 12 hours or so and the doctor said they feel like someone "ripping the back of your head off while trying to sit up or stand up". he said they are completely different then regular headaches or migraines. there is never any question about whether you have one-you know.

So today and yesterday I have some residual back pain but not too bad. The worst part is that I upset myself so much about it that my MS symptoms kicked into high gear.

Once home, my wonderful husband, after spending all day at the hospital with me, built me a modified workbench for my scroll saw so I could more easily and comfortably work on my projects. LOL guess i was like a little kid...be good get the procedure and you can have a piece of candy. Promises get a little more elaborate when we grow up.

So any of you facing a lumbar puncture who haven't had one yet....it wasn't bad at all, just make sure you have a good doctor who has done them before and it will go smoothly without a lot of pain. Even if you get the spinal headache they assured me they can take care of that for you. Just don't get yourself so worked up that your MS symptoms go crazy. That's way worse than the procedure.
Kim

[salamandertom]

I am so glad that it wasn't that bad Kim!