Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Timeframe Symptoms to MRI confirmation

Collapse
X
Collapse
 
  • Page of 1
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
Previous template Next
    #1

    Timeframe Symptoms to MRI confirmation

    Hello, I'm new to this message board. I've been having ataxia flares for 8 years that my dr.'s can not explain. They tell me "it looks like MS, we're 90% sure it's RRMS." but without an MRI or LP to confirm it they don't want to give me that diagnosis.

    My flares are becoming more frequent and severe so I'm going through the testing all over again. My last tests in 2008 cost me $15,000+ and gave me no answers so I've been reluctant to go through it all again.

    I'm just wondering how much time passed between experiencing your first MS symptoms and when your MRI or LP showed definitive MS lesions or bands? I'm just wondering if I should wait longer before testing again. I can't afford to keep testing over and over again.

    Thanks for your input.
    Tags: None
    #2
    Generally if you are having symptoms, you will have lesions as lesions are what cause MS symptoms. Most neurologist will give you about 1 year to develop lesions, or "changes" on the MRI. By that I mean you have to have lesions in the brain or spinal cord or O-bands in your spinal fluid >5. This shows that there are lesions somewhere in the spine that may or may not be seen in the spinal film.

    So with all that being said, I would say 6 months to 1 year is how much time they will give you.

    For me, I was diagnosed the day they sent me for an MRI. I has no symptoms at that time, but I had quite a few lesions in my brain and spine from symptoms that I had felt in the past but did nothing about. So the first time I saw the neurologist I was diagnosed.

    Give it time, try not to worry about it, the good news is that they see no lesions and no O-bands in your CSF. If this continues, they will begin to look for mimics of MS, there are about 400.

    Good luck
    Let us know how you are doing,
    Disabled RN with MS for 14 years
    SPMS EDSS 7.5 Wheelchair (but a racing one)
    Tysabri

    Comment

      #3
      Originally posted by 22cyclist View Post

      So with all that being said, I would say 6 months to 1 year is how much time they will give you.
      Thanks so much for your reply! I guess if there were any changes they should definitely show up by now. I was reviewing the report and it looks like the MRI wasn't comprehensive, and they didn't check my spine at all. This time around they are checking everything so if there are any lesions they'll find them

      Comment

      Previous template Next
      Working...
      X