Diagnosing

[ChronicJazzHands]

My neurologists suspects MS or another auto immune condition based on my symptoms history.

Has anyone been diagnosed with MS even of your blood tests did not show inflammation in your body?

[Frances_B]

Blood tests do not show if you do or don't have MS - they are used to rule out other conditions such as a B12 deficiency, and are just one part of a diagnostic workup. There are several tests which can be used to help diagnose MS - sometimes clinical history and current symptoms plus MRI are enough, other times if things are not so clear then tests such as evoked potentials and nerve conduction studies can be done. A lumbar puncture to look for particular proteins in spinal fluid may also be used, but despite what too many people like to loudly proclaim, an LP is not a definitive test for MS.

mstrust.org.uk/information-...

You have posted a few times in the FND forum - what makes you now think that your problem might be MS and not FND?

[ChronicJazzHands in reply to Frances_B]

I have always thought I have had MS or related auto immune disorder. The care Veterans get here in the US is horrible. I got labeled as having anxiety and faking symptoms by the VA. And I've seen 4 neurologists since then. But you can't anxiety my way to absent reflexes in my legs, and stopping breathing wile having surgery wile asleep. I've seen a doctor outside their network finally, and she agrees. And I'm finally getting MRI of the cervical spine and brain, blood tests, ect

[BettysMom in reply to ChronicJazzHands]

People with MS have very brisk (increased) deep tendon reflexes, not absent ones. If you have a nervous system disorder with absent deep tendon reflexes, then you do not have a central nervous system disorder like MS. Absent DTRs point to a lower motor neuron disorder or one of several diseases including myasthenia gravis or hypothyroidism.

[Frances_B in reply to ChronicJazzHands]

If you have MRI scans done and they do not show any indication of lesions (either old or currently active), then an MS diagnosis is extremely unlikely. If you get hold of your scan images, don't try to interpret them yourself - people are always posting in various forums and on social media that they can see "white spots" on the scans which they believe are lesions, but lots of people have "white spots" and it takes a trained radiologist and/or neurologist to be able to property read MRI scan images.

[Writter in reply to Frances_B]

thanks a lot. About Mcdonal test. I would like to do this, but maybe it is not so possible in all the countries.

[Frances_B in reply to Writter]

As far as I'm aware there is no "McDonal test" and I'm guessing you are probably referring to the "McDonald criteria" - which are not a test of any kind but a table of symptoms and requirements to be met for a diagnosis of MS to be made.

mstrust.org.uk/a-z/mcdonald...

Where you live in Spain the same criteria would be used as in other countries.

[kdali]

Welcome! Yes, I was diagnosed by exam and scans. Here's some information about testing for diagnosis:

mymsaa.org/ms-information/o...

[CatsandCars]

I was also diagnosed with an MRI. I know how hard it is to wait for a diagnosis! I hope you don't have MS, but it's not the end of the world. There are now a lot of treatments to slow down progression, and there are treatments for symptoms, as well. Please come back and let us know how you're doing. I wish you the best! 😊

[ChronicJazzHands in reply to CatsandCars]

I've had an MRI before that saw normal brain, but it was 5 years ago. And my symptoms of fatigue, weakness, tremors, migraine, has gotten worse in waves since then. It's taken 4 different neurologists to finally get tested for auto immune. I've been fighting to just be tested for long since VA doctors are horrible.

[BettysMom in reply to ChronicJazzHands]

One problem is that there is not "testing for autoimmune." There are over 100 autoimmune diseases. Doctors must consider all the signs and symptoms that a person has in order to determine what diagnostic testing should be done. If the symptoms are vague and there are no clear signs pointing to a particular disease process, there is not any way that definitive testing can be done. The symptoms you mention occur in so many disease states and do not point to MS or any other autoimmune disease or nervous system disorder.

[CatsandCars]

I'm sorry to hear that. It's so hard to have frightening symptoms and not know what's happening, or have a doctor who can help you. That will give you anxiety if you didn't have it before! I hope you get an answer soon, whatever that answer might be. Good luck to you.

[mathematics]

Sorry to hear that you have such debilitating symptoms. My husband was diagnosed with MS in 2011. He had and MRI and a lumbar puncture , also when his reflexes etc were tested he was showing all the classic signs of MS. He has recently had two more MRIs the second with dye and the results were changes in his brain etc that can be expected with MS however no active lesions at present. He did not take long to get diagnosed with RRMS but his condition has got worse in the last 3 years and he has now been diagnosed with secondary progressive MS. His symptoms are more of spasticity, balance, fatigue and nerve pain as well as problems with his short term memory, he gets trouble getting up off a chair and onto his feet to walk and is always dropping things, which he finds frustrating as he is a time served carpenter and was very skillful with his hands. His mobility is now a lot slower in fact very slow and he needs a stick to walk distances. I hope that you find out what you are suffering from soon and all the best and I hope that it is not MS, my husband wishes he could have a normal day when he feels ok. Take care

[sashaming1]

I was diagnosed using a MRI and spinal tap (blood test?). I had vision issues.