# Wait time for lumbar puncture results **URL:** \ **Category:** New diagnosis and before diagnosis\ **Created:** [17 November 2025 11:38 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/wait-time-for-lumbar-puncture-results/80527 "2025-11-17T11:38:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Scarlet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Scarlet](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Scarlet)\ **Post date:** [17 November 2025 11:38 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/wait-time-for-lumbar-puncture-results/80527/1 "2025-11-17T11:38:23Z")
Hi, I had a lumbar puncture 5 weeks ago now and have heard nothing since. Wondering if that’s a normal wait time or if I should chase it up? Feel like I’m in limbo at the moment. Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingMS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@BlinkingMS](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/BlinkingMS)\ **Post date:** [17 November 2025 20:56 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/wait-time-for-lumbar-puncture-results/80527/2 "2025-11-17T20:56:11Z")
Hi Scarlet Bless you, the waiting is definitely hard, I do feel for you. I remember waiting 8 weeks after I had my lumbar puncture for the results. Hang in there, I hope you get the outcome you hope for, don’t forget, you will have plenty of support on this forum All the best xx ---
**Author:** ![Freshairman](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/mssociety/user_avatar/forum.mssociety.org.uk/freshairman/32/8521_2.png) [@Freshairman](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Freshairman)\ **Post date:** [17 November 2025 21:32 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/wait-time-for-lumbar-puncture-results/80527/3 "2025-11-17T21:32:57Z")
It was quite a while ago since I had my lumbar puncture in the lead up to my ms diagnosis. I was actually misdiagnosed for a long time and when I finally got a GP to take things more seriously it was because I had a new one by then. Anyway that’s a story for another time. But it took six months from seeing my GP, having several tests including the lumbar puncture before the neurologist gave me the diagnosis. So five weeks seems a short time. Not sure what the average timescale is nowadays. Have you had anything else done in the meantime @Scarlet ? Or just the lumbar puncture so far? ---
**Author:** ![alison100](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/mssociety/user_avatar/forum.mssociety.org.uk/alison100/32/1019_2.png) [@alison100](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/alison100)\ **Post date:** [18 November 2025 10:25 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/wait-time-for-lumbar-puncture-results/80527/4 "2025-11-18T10:25:56Z")
Yes and yes. Yes it can take forever even when things are working because the NHS…well, because it’s the NHS. But sometimes things just aren’t working for the same reason so they need chasing up. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Scarlet](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/Scarlet)\ **Post date:** [18 November 2025 11:41 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/wait-time-for-lumbar-puncture-results/80527/5 "2025-11-18T11:41:44Z")
Thanks for everyone’s replies. Sounds like it’s a normal wait time so I’ll leave it a bit longer before chasing it up! @Freshairman yes I’ve already had an mri which showed lesions in the brain and spine so fully expecting a diagnosis unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![crd](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/mssociety/user_avatar/forum.mssociety.org.uk/crd/32/970_2.png) [@crd](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/u/crd)\ **Post date:** [18 November 2025 13:35 UTC](https://forum.mssociety.org.uk/t/wait-time-for-lumbar-puncture-results/80527/6 "2025-11-18T13:35:57Z")
> **[CSF Oligoclonal Bands](https://www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/our-services/services-we-offer/pathology/tests-and-investigations/oligoclonal-bands/)** This might prove useful. The processing of the sample takes differing times depending on what they are testing for. For some tests the results are needed quickly. However, the tests for MS are often looking for Oligoclonal bands take several weeks. Even when the test results are ready they need to be interpreted by your consultant and compared with tests done on your blood drawn at the same or close to same time. This can take a long time to happen. Perhaps ask what is the result after 4 to 6 weeks. The problem is the results are complex and not easy to interpret and their explanation is probably best done face to face (especially when the results are inconclusive, which they often will be).