Has everyone on here who has had a lumber puncture actually tested positive for oligoclonal bands?
Thanks
Whatever my oligoclonal bands were doing (I don’t know how it works, I’m afraid, but they were mentioned), they certainly sealed the deal on my MS dx and turned ‘very likely’ to ‘definite’, so yes.
Alison
Me too.
Louise
I didnt have LP for diagnosis. I only had one when I came off of Tysabri (as part of a PML check). I dont even know what those bands are…
I had them when I first had tests for MS, back in 1997. I was subsequently told I didn’t have MS. I didn’t find out that I had oligoclonal bands until 5 years later when I was officially diagnosed. Part of my diagnosis was based on the O bands found in my 1997 LP. (And of course MRIs and relapses!)
Sue
Yep… the presence of oligoclonal bands in my CSF (cerebral spinal fluid) was what confirmed the suspicion of MS, and the only reason I agreed to having the lumbar puncture (which scared the hell out of me) in the first place! The actual procedure was nowhere near as bad as I feared… but the adverse reaction afterwards was appalling, as I reacted very badly to it and spent the next week throwing up every time I got vertical…not planning on another one, if I can possibly avoid it!
Yes OB found through lumber puncture back in 1994. No problem with the procedure.
Diagnosed with benign MS as so mild , only 5 lesions. Now have SPMS.
Jen x
Yes. I have atypical lesions including a ‘relative paucity’ of brain lesions on my last scan, so positive LP was used to confirm dx of MS.
(I know they say 10% of people with MS don’t have positive matching O Bands in serum and csf when tested, but what I would like to know is if there are any other diseases which cause Obands in csf and serum to match? I presume not as it seems to be used as the definitive ms test, but in which case why mess about with MRIs and all the waiting, why not do an LP when MS is first suspected and just crack on with DMTs then? Sorry if I’m confusing anyone. It’s my brain, it insists on butting in just when things seem nice and straightforward)
Hi fudgey37
I’m just recently diagnosed and o bands were negative in serum and csf.Apparantly 5-10% of people with ms are negative for o bands. According to my neurologist he was eliminating other diseases that mimic ms that have matching o bands such as lupus, hiv, syphilis, Lyme etc.
Take Care
Kellyann
1 Like
Hi Kellyann,
is it your understanding then that Lyme and other diseases can cause matching O Bands too?
I’ve been wondering because I am waiting to be assessed for Sjogren’s (referred by my dentist) as well as waiting for my follow up MRI prior to starting a DMT.
I have read that Sjogren’s can cause lesions in rare cases, but initially assumed that if I do have it, it would be in addition to MS rather than instead of it because of the positive LP.
Hi Teal,
Yes according to my neurologist anyway. When he asked me to get LP he said it wasn’t really to confirm ms as such but to rule out other conditions there are quite a lot that can apparently mimic ms in symptoms and lesions on brain. I’m not 100% sure but I think he said if o bands match its more likely to be another condition but don’t quote me on that my memory is terrible haha!
Take Care
Kellyann
Thanks, that’s interesting…
Another one who was positive.
G