Today I had my first neuro appointment went well nice guy and listen and ran the usual tests, he thinks I could have one of 2 things MS or a slipped disc (arthritis in neck) although he said it’s highly unlikely that arthritis plays a part in my problems. My symptoms have been ongoing for over a year now and out of All of them I have everyone it shows on this site the only one that worrys me is walking/balance he’s ordering a MRI and a test to see back of my eyes which he said is painless and then a lumbar puncture (anyone who had this got any tips) He has said I should have a diagnoses within a month this seems pretty fast as I had a gp that didn’t help me after going to him for a year finally had enough changed gp and new one refered me right away neurologist sent me for bloods today most have been done by my eye specialist and my gp others I guess he wants to be sure. Thanks 
Hi, really glad the neuro was nice and listened to you. Sounds like you should get some answers at least quite soon, even if the MRI and LP come back inconclusive and you ahve to wait a bit for repeat tests, you seem to have a neuro and a Gp who are on your side, which is great.
I’ve not had an LP yet so can’t offer any advice but there are many people here who have and can talk you through the process.
Good luck with everthing, hope it all goes ok.
xx
Thank you Bunny
Thank you Bunny
Hiya,
As Bunny says sounds like someone is listening and acting correctly at last.
Here’s a article about diagnosis http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/diagnosingms.html
For LP the actual procedure is not painful; in fact the only thing you feel is a scratch when the anaesthetic goes in. The actual removal of fluid is just a feeling of pressure if done properly. I must stress if done properly; do not let anyone practice on you insist on someone who is experienced.
It’s after you MAY get something called ‘the headache from hell.’ To cut down the chances of getting this you should lay flat for at least 3 hours do not even get up to go to the loo; use a pan. Drink at least 2 litres of classic Coke, not diet; it’s the caffeine that aids replenishment of your CNS fluid. Being your drinking a lot take one of those bendy straws otherwise the bed will get more Coke than you. If you want a change of drink very strong coffee.
These things will drastically reduce your chances of getting a headache that could last about 8 days. If you have a couple of days off work and rest if you do not get the headache, if you do 10 days off work.
If the headache last more than 10 days you could need a blood patch; especially if there’s a wet patch on the bed in the area of the spine after a nights sleep; this is rare.
Good luck.
George
urgh the LP sounds horrid… Are they even any good for DX?
Sometimes specialists go through procedures even though they know they aren’t much good. For example I had 2 FNA (fine needle biopsy) done when I was going through DX of my tumour… both times it was horrednous and both times the results came back inconclusive… I was THEN sent for an MRI adn when I asked they said the FNA’s often came back inconclusive and that an MRI was always better.
Well why put me through that pain then!
I had a lumbar puncture after an MRI of my brain and spine showed signs of MS. The LP was positive for o-bands and my neuro’s letter to my GP seemed to take that as confirmation that I have MS and not any other neurological problem.
I had the headache from hell for 5 days starting the day after my LP but if I’d seen George’s advice beforehand it probably wouldn’t have been as bad. I doubt I’ll have to have another LP but if I do I’ll know what to do afterwards.
I hope and pray lol that a MRI is enough I don’t work and have a 9 year old my mobility is very bad so unable to work a year ago I was fine in perfect health if I need it I hope it’s when my daughter is off school. If I drink a lot I’ll need to empty my bladder as that’s one of the symptoms that’s bad too and bowels/bloating I hope I don’t need it already have a lot of pain headaches and backache. Thanks for replys
You get caught between a rock and a hard place: not drinking lots increases the likelihood of getting the headache but drinking lots means you have to keep going to the loo!
I’ll worry more thinking about it as I hate needles hehe I’ll research more if and when I need it I have a MRI and the test for my eyes getting booked in soon hopefully. Thanks
Seems like you’re on your way to some answers now. I had a LP recently and it was fine - no headache at all. Make sure you go to the loo beforehand and just lay flatish in bed for a few hours and drink a coffee or coke. I was a wee bit sore the next day when the local wore off but not as bad as I expected it to be. hope you get on ok
Marion
I am not fond of needles - at the LP I couldn’t see what they were doing which made it easier to cope.
The test for your eyes - is that an evoked potential? If so, it is totally pain free and is the nearest to fun of any medical test I’ve had. The person doing the test did a simple read-the-chart eye test on me, then had me sit in an armchair. She measured my head and stuck some mini-ECG-type leads on in various places, then had me stare at a TV screen. There was a moving pattern and I just had to stare at a non-moving bit in the middle with one eye covered, then the other. The recordings were completely painless: she did 2 from each eye, a couple of minutes for each recording.
The evoked potential is nothing to worry about but it gives your neuro useful information about what’s going on inside your brain that he can’t get from an MRI.
He did say it was painless so only worry is the LP and MRI lying there for along time might make me go to sleep I have extreme tiredness when I lie down at home I drift off this is normal I hope Also backache this is awful worse then when I was pregnant with my daughter so neuro is gonna try me on some pain relief not sure what he’s writing to my GP about this so I guess my GP will contact me at some point. When sat up I kind of sway a little I guess this is due to balance problems I’m just glad I have a helpful neuro and he specialises in MS read so many having to go through several ones I would hate that I just want to be diagnosed then I can learn to live with it. Just glad it’s not all in my head like people were saying to me so annoying when people think your crazy lol Thanks all for replys.
Hey i had a LP last week and it was actually fine!! The pain was no worse that getting blood taken as when it goes numb, you don’t feel anything. My back was sore for a few days and when I coughed it felt like my insides were trying to force themselves out the LP hole!! Lol I had a sore head for a few hours on the second day, but may not have been related. I was so worried about it, I played ‘let it go’ from frozen in my phone in a loop to relax me!! Haha (I have kids and have watched it so many times I could at a part in it!!) So, don’t worry about the LP. It’s not as bad as it used to be and the needles they use are so much thinner to reduce trauma. I actually asked for photos of the LP needle and one of the tubes with my spinal fluid in it. Lol
Eww haha had blood taken last week neuro sent me what about the MRI that will be my next test he wanted to run bloods before booking the MRI thing is most he tested me foe my go and eye specialist already tested me hehe I’m sure MRI is very soon. Thanks again