Do you think I may have MS?

So, so strange - I had the brain and cervical spine MRI a couple of weeks ago and they found "several indeterminate periventricular lesions."  I have only spoken to my neuro on the phone since the MRI and they sent the results of the test in the mail.  My neuro is moving back to the west coast so I am waiting to see the new one - not until the 26th. 

What are your other symptoms?  You mentioned burning and itching.

In what part of the country do you live? 

I had my LP yesterday and it was pretty bad.  It took two doctors because the first one tried for an hour.  It ranked right up there with childbirth when I had my seventeen year old.  I don't think I swore though, even though I'm not totally sure.  He tried two places with no luck.  The pains that were shooting down my legs.  My right quadricep cramped up and I thought I'd die.  Then when he tried the second spot I actually had vaginal pain, hip bones, and inner thigh.  I might have those mixed up but you get the idea.  He said maybe I should reschedule and try it again another day.  I didn't reallt want to go through it again and thought this is how it would feel even on a different day.  Then he suggested he get another doctor and let him try.  While I was waiting I told the tech I didn't think I could do it awake and she told me they couldn't put me out for it.  She said they could give me an anit-anxiety pill, which I wish I had taken to start with.  By now my muscles were so tense I didn't think I could relax enough.  Anyway, the second doctor was 100% better and got it with virtually no pain. 

I stayed there for an hour with my husband and I was really nervous about standing up for fear I'd get "the headache."  My back hurt and is now bruised around the first attempts area.  The one that worked has no bruising at all.  I'm currently reclining on my sofa recliner with a rolled throw to keep my back from touching the couch.  It is very tender to touch so I avoid it as much as possible.  I have a headache but I get "the headache" after standing for about five minutes and then have to lie flat. 

They told me about the bloodpatch but I don't remember how long I should deal with the headache before calling them.  I have my annual (gyn) exam tomorrow so if it's still bad I might have her call neuro or radiology. 

Have you heard anything on your results? 

I went to my new neurologist yesterday morning (the one I saw at the end of March, who sent me for the MRI, moved back to CA after my first appointment).  He hadn't even looked at my chart prior to my appointment.  I was there for an hour and a half going over my labs and other details.  Once he finally got to my MRI, I asked him other than MS, what could the lesions be caused by.  He said it's usually MS or Sjogren's.  I looked up Sjogren's and it really doesn't sound like me. 

One odd thing on my blood labwork was my bad cholesterol level.  it was borderline high (133) and my good cholesterol was 41, which is low for women.  What makes it so strange is that I'm a vegetarian and have a very healthy (I thought) diet.   

I am anxious for my LP results, and equally anxious to get off the couch! 

Oh yeah, I'm 42, 43 in July and i have three older kids (20, 19 and 17) and a ten year old.  We now live in Maine, which last night the doctor said has a high MS rate, but I lived in CA for twenty years before moving here.  Strange...

Anyway, let me know what's going on with your testing. 

Samantha - Have you found out anything?  I know what the wait can be like - still waiting....

have a good day!

I know there is more that I was going to write but can't quite remember. 

i had a spinal tap on Tuesday and if the whole doesn't close up as it should, it leaks and causes extreme migraine headaches. They were so bad that every time I stood up I would throw up. By the time dad took me to the ER my hands were cramping up and I couldn't feel them - except for the excruciating pain. They gave me two bags of fluid, heparin for pain, adavan(sp?) to calm me down and then valium because the pain. They knew the headache and throwing up was because of the spinal tap so they did what is called a blood patch; where they take blood from my arm and inject it into the original hole in my spine. They had never seen the little attack my hands were having but with all of the drugs my hands went back to normal. They are still weak and in pain but useable. I need two hands to lift things and open doors but they should be back to normal later today.

I called off work yesterday, which I didn't want to do but since I was unable to do anything and even lying on the floor was painful.  I hated to do it because they rely on my (I work alone the last four hours) job.  I also didn't want to lose ten hours of my sick time since I am counting on them for my sick time after my surgery, which is right around the corner. After the sick days run out my railroad retirement sick pay kicks in and is next to nothing.  We'll manage.  It's hard to believe that in just two weeks my body will minus a colon.  Apparently they will be taking the appendix too since it's attached.  I have my preadmission appt. next Wednesday then I need to be at the hospital on the 13th at 8am.  Then I'll have 5-6 days in there. 

Also, I asked the neurologist's assistant about the test and she said they are still waiting on the "oglio -  something bands' part of the test.  I guess that's the part that tells about the MS.  I wonder if the hands thing last night was possibly related to the MS symptoms.  They said it had nothing to do with the spinal tap.  I've had mild cases of the hands but never the excruciating pain I was in. 

I've got to get ready for work so that's all for now. 

nanci