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Hi, i have sort of been diagnosed with MS by the Neurologist and pain clinic. They both verbally said i had it at seperate times but i need to go through all the testing. Had blood tests and MRI and meant to have lumbar puncture yet and cat scan. Do i have to have the lumbar puncture? I have had 4 kids and and refused it coz i so scared of it. Another thing, does anyone have like seizures at night. like epilepsy. jumpy nerves and tremours during the day. I’m not even properly diagnosed yet but have double sticks and a wheelchair coz my balance is so off and the exhaution and fatigue is terrible.while waiting I’m curious to what i’m in for. I was in real pain for nerve damage for about 18 month before the gave me Gabapentin which works a treat.

Hello mistee and welcome to our Internet Lifeboat.I have a suspicion that without the results from the Lumbar Puncture you won’t get a definitive diagnosis.I don’t think that is ever a good thing for anybody.Having had four kids the LP will be akin to a pin prick.

I’m sorry but I can’t help you with the tremors and seizures,but I do know that the ‘two stick technique’ is exhausting and you’d be better off with a Travellator Roller Thingy.

Best Wishes,

Wb x

Hello Mistee

I don’t think you have to have a LP to get a diagnosis but it can help to speed things up. I had one and it was so simple and over so quickly i didn’t believe that the neuro had actually finished! I think the thought of it is far worse than the reality. I have had two children and the LP was nowhere near the pain of child birth - so if you have done that four times, one LP should be a walk in the park!!

I have tremors and jumps that get worse at night, but i have not experienced the seziures. I think it’s best if you go and see your GP about the seizures as it might not be connected to your suspected MS. Maybe upping your Gabapentin dosage or adding another medicine might help, do go and speak to them though.

Hope you get some answers and start to feel better soon.

Laura x

Hi Mistee I declined a LP. But the rotters diagnosed me anyway by the differences between two MRIs Hope you get answers Min xx

Hi Mistee,

Same as Min!

Declined the LP too. It can delay diagnosis a bit, but in most cases does not make it impossible. Most neuros still prefer the additional evidence of an LP, but the NICE guidelines actually make clear this is not essential, in most cases, so it’s a bit of a mystery why they all still persist in it anyway.

One of the reasons I declined (apart from not wanting the invasive procedure of anyone poking about with my spinal cord, when I already knew it had a lesion in it) was that the result still might not be conclusive. In other words, I could have gone ahead and had it, and had a normal result, but this could not have proved I didn’t have MS, so I would have been no further forward. For me, it was important that if I did consent to an invasive test, it would yield a definite answer - but sadly, there is no guarantee of that.

I have to say, in contrast with what seems to be the majority, I was in no great rush for answers, as I was convinced I’d already had it donkeys’ years (whatever “it” was), and it had gone untreated all that time. So I was having a hard time viewing it as urgent.

Tina

x

I was never given a LP and was diagnosed within 3 days of going to the docs. But I guess it depends on how conclusive you MRI is…

tremors at night - my husband (also has MS) gets them awfully sometimes i think we are about to have an earthquake…he takes gabapentin and amitriptaline (spelling?) and they do calm them down ALOT! maybe ask your GP for some?

Good luck xx