LP results question

New diagnosis and before diagnosis
1

Hi all

Another question !

I have had a letter from my neuro saying that the lumbar puncture results were entirely normal apart from the oligoclonal bands which are pending. I know the bands are an indicator of ms if they are there so it is wait and see on that count.

My question is this: My friend who is full of info because she has rrms recently diagnosed has told me that if the fluid showed nothing in it then it cant be ms because something would show up. She did say the o bands were very significant tho if they turn up to be there. I dont know if she is being positive for me and trying to reassure me that i havent got ms or whether this is factual information. My neuro is pleased with the lack of infection because she thought maybe my repeat attacks of shingles might be infecting the fluid long term (or something like that )

So… does the fluid HAVE to show up abnormalities (apart from o bands) to be ms or does this rule out MS? Or, of course, it might not mean either LOL!!)

Thank you for reading, hope you are having a good day

2

Hi Chelsea Girl,

I’m sorry to say, but your friend, despite being diagnosed herself, seems to have some pretty misguided ideas about MS!

No, a normal LP cannot rule out MS. A small proportion (about 10%) of people with MS have perfectly normal LP results.

But anyway, I don’t understand what “normal, apart from o bands” means. Oligoclonal bands would be the main thing they’re interested in, in an MS investigation (though they can also be associated with other conditions too), so to say your result was “normal, apart from that” really doesn’t take things a lot further forward - it means the one result that was key is the one they’re still waiting for. But even if it came back negative, it still couldn’t prove you DON’T have MS. It would just mean a useful piece of evidence was lacking.

I’m sorry to say, but your friend is also wrong (other post) about pins and needles having to be constant, for it to be MS. Mine are certainly intermittent - mostly at night. I guess there are some who do have it constantly, but I’m not one of them, although I do get it sometimes more than others.

Perhaps your friend IS trying to reassure you, but I’m afraid her arguments so far don’t stack up. You could have intermittent pins and needles, AND a normal LP, but still have MS.

I’m not trying to frighten you - it might still turn out to be something else entirely. But your friend’s confidence that it couldn’t be MS is misplaced.

Unfortunately, there are some friends who no doubt mean well, but tend to be dismissive of our fears - whether or not they already have MS. One of my friends was still insisting I mustn’t worry, and it was sure to be nothing, even after my scans had revealed brain and spinal cord lesions. I’m sure she meant to be supportive, but it was ridiculous trying to pretend it was “nothing”, when it was clear something was drastically wrong.

Tina

x

3

Thank you for you reply Tina and I think you are totally right, my friend means well but is not informed about the whole range of MS things and probably goes by how it is for her. I wont discuss any more symptoms or results with her or if I do I shan’t take what she says as gospel!

Thanks again

Cathy x

4

Hi Shazza69

I find it a bit strange that they have said no further action when you have lesions shown up. As far as i am aware you dont have to have a positive lp to have a diagnosis of ms. You obviously had symptoms before your episode in May and even if that was a stroke it doesnt mean it was responsible for previous symptoms does it? Especially as one consultant had already said the mri was consitent with ms.

I’m not surprised you are confused ! Hope you get your own solid answers soon too.

5

Hi Cathy and Shazza69, Please read my reply to Pearscar’s post on LP results. I had a negative LP result but have still been diagnosed with MS. A x