Hi everyone,
I’ve had a bunch of symptoms for quite a few months but didn’t put them together, I buried my head in the sand.
That was until my physio asked me a lot of questions about different things and I realised she thought they were connected.
I had went in about frequent ‘buzzing’ in my hands, but she she asked about numbness, double vision, speech and incontinence, all of which I have to varying degrees. The double vision is constant, the incontinence mild, the slurring of speech only when I’m tired. She also asked about my balance, which is off at times and I have noticed that. She also said I had weakness in one side of my body. I also get shooting pains in arms and legs, very painful cramps in calves where the soreness lasts days and dull pain in my lower back. I saw the Neurologist recently and she said my symptoms don’t match MS, but my research tells me they do.
I’m concerned that, if she is ready to dismiss MS as the cause, and my first MRI results come back showing no obvious lesions (I was lucky and has scan quickly as there was a cancellation and I was available at short notice), then what is potentially MS may go undiagnosed for a longer period…so, my question is, if symptoms are not life changing/debilitating yet, do lesions always show on an MRI (without contrast)? Would really appreciate hearing about anyone’s experience of MRI scans in early stages. Thanks so much, Ashley
Did they just do an MRI of the brain, or did they include the cervical area of the spine too? Are you awaiting the results of the MRI scan?
I have mild sensation change around eye and my brain Mri did show lesions.
Hi Ziola, thanks for replying. My understanding is that they did brain and 3 part spine MRI, so yes would have included cervical and yes I am awaiting results and believe that they will take a few weeks at least. My next appointment with the Neurologist is late February as that is the earliest that she was available. My concern is that, from what I’ve read at a basic level, some people have negative scans for years before getting a confirmed diagnosis…I just wondered if anyone could confirm that this was their experience, because my symptoms seem to match exactly with the diagnosistocal criteria yet the neurologist seems to think that their too broad…? So what if the MRI is clear…yet the symptoms persist/worsen…do I just go through the same process every year or two (if appointments are attainable) until finally a diagnosis is reached? Maybe it is a random combination of symptoms, but maybe not… I guessI just don’t want the strong (to me) possibility of MS to be dismissed if the first scan isn’t a reliable tool for early diagnosis? Thanks again for reading and I am sorry for rambling, but I am worried.
Hi
With me they did a brain scan, 2 lesions found.
Spine scan no lesions than a lumber puncture (positive for MS)
They have ssid MS but now found strange result in blood test so think i may need to go round another loop before i get treatment.
I can only speak to my own experience, which is that observed CNS lesions on the scan tend with me to correspond to physical symptoms with monotonous regularity. I have had one mild flare that did not show up on MRI, but that was the exception.
Hi,
I had a lot of the symptoms you described before my diagnosis of ms. From what i understand there is a huge spectrum of symptoms and that every ones ms is different.
I was sent for a mri (brain only) after a neurologist exam and was told its probably nothing.
3 months later i got a phone call from the neurologist and his first words were “we dont think its a tumour” he said there were numerous lesions but further tests had to be done.
9 months later (thats not a typo , it was 9 months) i had a lumbar puncture which further confirmed ms , then a spine mri which confirmed more lesions
I started treatment with ocrevus infusions in September and have been put on medications for fatigue and nerve pain ect
So as you can see its a long journey. Hopefully its not ms and you get some answers soon. Try not to stress too much and take things one result at a time
MS is very difficult to diagnose correctly. Processes differ in different countries. Where are you based?
MS can be misdiagnosed when in fact something else is wrong. The drugs used to modify the progression of MS are not ones you would take if they were inappropriate.
Other diseases mimic MS so there are often tests to exclude alternatives.
The relationship between lesions and disability is not always strong. You can have marked lesions and little disability or profound symptoms and minimal lesions. If you have profound symptoms and clear lesions, diagnosis may be quicker and easier.
Contrast is about detecting active lesions and (depending where you live) is likely to only be done after diagnosis.
All this leads to a cautious approach that will differ where you live,
Seems you will need to be patient and maybe glad your medical team are treading carefully?
Looks like Neurologists vary with their approach … mine said after a brief physical exam and a chat declared that my drop-foot was MS. Then I mentioned that I had optic neuritis age 19 his eyes lit up: So 50yrs of MS before diagnosis. I was sort of relieved. Not a anxious. lazy hypochondriac after all! Take care and time.
Best regards T x