Well I saw my neuro today to get MRI results and he told me that there are about 12 lesions on my brain and has now referred me to have a lumber puncture 
scary ! Does anyone have any advise on the lp process as heard a few horror stories Also how long does it take for lp results normally ? Thanks
It’s fine Hun, an LP sounds worse than what it is. When they did mine (I’ll tell you so you know how it went, they must all be similar) . I laid on a hospital bed( quite cosy)on my side. The doctor was sat behind me. She cleaned the area at the low part of my back. Then she injected anaesthetic. When that was done and working, she did the LP. The only weird thing I had was when they go past a nerve which made my leg wiggle ( I cracked up laughing at that point) and then it was a minute or so, then was told all done. Honestly it doesn’t hurt. I got a bit of back pain the next day but that wore off. You have to lie down for an hour after it, so it was quite relaxing. Good luck hunni, it will be fine xx
Thanks so much 
there’s so many horror stories people are often to eager to share with you It’s bad enough taking in the MRI result and then the added fear of this test but u have made me feel more positive about it
My LP wasn’t bad in itself - I’ve had far more painful tests in the past, and for the LP I had my husband there to talk to and he let me squeeze his hand if I felt the need. I had to sit up for my LP and lean forwards (they put a pillow onto a table for me to lean on) - sitting up meant they couldn’t do the pressure test, but they said that wan’t essential.
I had to lie flat for an hour afterwards and drink a mug of tea and a jug of water (not easy, even with a straw - I left the tea to cool a bit so that when I slopped it, as I inevitably did, it didn’t scald me). I felt fine the rest of the day and my back felt a bit bruised for the next day or two.
Someone posted some good advice on another thread about how much of what to drink to minimise the risk of headache: he advises lying flat for at least 3 hours (use a bedpan if you need the loo) and drinking at least 2 litres of classic cola (not diet) or very strong coffee. The caffeine helps to replenish the CNS fluid - it’s the lack of this fluid that causes some people to get headaches. You’ll need a bendy straw to drink while lying down but hopefully the hospital will provide (mine did).
Not everyone gets headaches: I know at least 2 people who’ve had LP (one has had 2 or even 3) and not had anything more than a slight bruised feeling on their back. I got the headache - although I drank more than usual, it probably wasn’t enough and not enough of it was caffeine. If they ever want me to have another LP, I’ll follow the advice above.
Hope all goes well for you.
Thanks again for your reassuring replies Does any one no if the size of these lesions makes a difference as I said they have found 12 but they are all small , does size make any difference ? Thanks again
Hey my LP was a doddle, hardly felt a thing. Needed the loo 5 minutes after, gingerly got up, felt fine, so checked out. Home, supper, glass of wine, slept well, slight headache next morning, not enough to even take anything. Had a walk along the beach and forgot about it all. No way an unpleasant procedure as I had been led to believe beforehand. So chill, no problem for sure.
Hi Cody, I had 7 lesions at my last MRI, they are all small, i’m not aware of size making a difference, I think where they are situated is the main thing.
Hope the LP goes ok for you. I’ve not had one yet but am likely to be having one soon. There have been some horror stories but on the whole most people don’t seem to have had too bad an experience.
xxxx
Thanks again for your helpful and reassuring replies
Hi just wondered if anyone has had an MRI that has showed up this amount of lesions but not been diagnosed with ms ? Or is this pretty much heading towards a dx of ms ?
I would hate to second guess your neuro as I am not medically-qualified. I hope it won’t be long til you see him again and get some answers.
To answer your specific question in your first message, I had an LP early in December and my neuro hadn’t got the results in front of him when I saw him at the end of January, but he obviously expected them to be there in my file. He had got hold of them by the time he wrote to my GP a few days later.