Negative brain MRI but EEGs show something

[stephisme]

Hello everyone,

I have been having a lot of problems for about 3-4 years now. Chronic pain and fatigue, tremors, leg weakness, and back pain, tingling and numbness. The past year I developed urinary and GI issues as well. I decided myself to see a neurologist to see if maybe all the problems were related. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia but I just feel like its more with all of the other symptoms.

The doctor sent me for a MRI of the brain and cervical without contrast (he said contrast is not that important on MRIs) and they came back completely normal.

I then had some EEGs at the office. They came back normal except the one where they put the shock things on my ankles and the eye one came back showing slow waves or something which he said means there are lesions somewhere. I now am going for an MRI of the spine (not cervical) WITH contrast.

All he will say is that we are ruling things like MS out. We already ruled out RA, b12 deficiency, celiacs, and lupus.

Does anyone have experience with negative brain MRIs but issues with the EEGs? Thank you in advance I am just nervous that we will never figure out what is wrong with me.

[SNOOPY]

I then had some EEGs at the office. They came back normal except the one where they put the shock things on my ankles and the eye one came back showing slow waves or something which he said means there are lesions somewhere.

I am wondering if you have the tests correct name(s)

EEG (Electroencephalography) is not part of the diagnostic criteria for MS. It is used to diagnose seizures, sleep disorders and more.

Information about the EEG:
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healt...eeg_92,P07655/

They came back normal except the one where they put the shock things on my ankles

This sounds like an EMG (Electromyography). Again, this is not a test which is used to diagnose MS

Information about EMG:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003929.htm

the eye one came back showing slow waves or something which he said means there are lesions somewhere.

Evoked Potentials are used to diagnose many conditions. The Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) is the only Evoked Potential test which can help support a diagnosis of MS.

Information about Evoked Potential Tests:
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healt...ies_92,P07658/

Information about VEP:
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/abo...als/index.aspx

The MRI is a big part of the criteria (Mc Donald Criteria) for diagnosing MS, with clear MRIs it can be hard to recieve a diagnosi of MS.

[stephisme]

Hello,

I am sorry I do not know why they called it EEG but on the papers it says SSEP and VER.

For the one where they said slow waves and lesions they put these things on my ankles/calf and it felt like a shock. At the same time there was about 3 things on my head, 1 on my back, and 1 on my hip.

For the eye one they had things on my head and around the color bones. Then I had to keep focused on a white square while everything around it moved.

I think I might have also had an EEG because they had a lot of things on my head for one test. But that one was normal.

Thank you for the response and sorry for the confusion.

[SNOOPY]

I am sorry I do not know why they called it EEG but on the papers it says SSEP and VER.

The Visual Evoked Response (VER) is the VEP and the one which can be used to help support a diagnosis of MS. Some who have positive VER/VEP have also had Optic Neuritis.

VERs are used for testing other conditions as well.

I think you have every right to be confused...who wouldn't be