Start treatment before 2nd opinion?

[BigA]

Sometimes the MRI is all you need for a diagnosis.
I'm making that simpler than it is. I'm guessing your current Doc also did other tests besides the MRI.

This is why you should start learning what MS really is. The core problem is something we all share. Our immune system starts to attack our nervous system for unknown reasons. After that all bets are off and we rapidly start to diverge, especially when it comes to what I call the "secondary symtoms" that present themselves physically. This is because the brain and its nervous system are incredably complex.

A normal Bcomplex vitamin Can't hurt. You pee out what you don't need. Getting healthy and exercising is great. Maybe this is a wakeup call.

[Spydre]

I agree with the above posters. You said you had one episode, and one lesion, correct? There are things that can cause a single lesion.

In my case, we found the MS early, and weren't looking for it. I had intermittent symptoms - tingling in various parts of my face type of thing, and increased seizure activity, and about 9 lesions. My doctor said wait and see, and I didn't understand why at the time. Now I do. But six months later, I had a full blown attack. That caused another MRI, which showed enhancing lesions, and then the spinal tap. Yes, my doctor was sure before I had the spinal tap, but he wanted to get all tests in before actually saying it.

As a matter of fact, when I got an MS specialist, she wanted to see the films from all the MRI's done to make sure I wasn't misdiagnosed.

If you are only waiting two months, wait until you see the specialist before you start treatment. There are a couple of criteria that are supposed to be met for a diagnosis of MS....I would hate for your to start treatment, and have it be another issue altogether.

[Headswimin]

I found this thread VERY interesting.

I was diagnosed almost three years ago after having 1 flare. I was working overnight in another state and that morning I woke up with numbness in my arms loss of mobility in my left hand, some trouble walking and a MAJOR slur in my speech. Being a man who is allergic to Doctors I went to work for the day and through the day some of the problems lessened and within a week most everything returned to normal. One month later I just wasn't feeling well. I couldn't quite put my finger on what was wrong I just didn't feel right and after talking to my wife I made an appointment with my GP.

Well to make a LONG story a little shorter... 4 days later I was diagnosed with MS. I do have the lesions at that time I had 4 and then I put on Rebif and they grew in numbers by 10 in six months. I was taken off the Rebif and 2 Neruos since have not be able to talk me into any other meds. I guess what I'm getting at is I feel like I was rushed into the MS diagnosis because I have read story after story of people waiting months and even years to get a diagnosis of MS and I got it in 4 days of scans and blood work. And now it seems like I have the MS rubber stamp used on my forehead and NO ONE wants to look at anything else they just want me to take another MED that is suppose to "Help" me. Kinda like Rebif did. I guess?

The only advice I could give is Do everything that you can to find out what is going on with you before you start any of the MS meds and don't let anyone "bully" or scare into taking any of the meds until you are comfortable "or at least as comfortable as you can be" with the diagnosis.

[Bob698]

A normal Bcomplex vitamin Can't hurt. You pee out what you don't need. Getting healthy and exercising is great. Maybe this is a wakeup call.

Actually, I was told a while ago NOT to take Vit B suppliments since they strengthen the immune system.

Of course, I was told this by a Dr. who does not post on the internet.