Posted 12/26/2009 1:07 AM (GMT 0)
Hello everyone, my name is Brian, and I am a 32 year old male, who was just diagnosed with MS, but i am not sure if the diagnosis is accurate.
I was recently in severe benzodizepine withdrawal, which mimics many many symptoms of MS. But almost 3 months away from valium, many symptoms were getting worse, especially cognition.
I took myself to an ER because of a sensation in my head, that I can still feel strongly, and I feel contributed to many of my symptoms (lesion in the brain?) . The initial CT scan indicated a blood clot, and it kind of verified how i felt. They ran an MRI, but could not confirm the blood clot, and said i was fine, and go home, and i could follow up with a neurologist if i wanted, but they didn't feel necissary.
I went to my local neurologist, and he said that we could run a spinal tap/lumbar puncture just to rule anything out, although he felt/feels that it's all psychological/psychiatric.
They called me back in, and told me that the cerebral spinal fluid analysis tested positive for MS, and then ran the follow up blood tests to rule out that something may be occuring, such as a viral infection that may be causing that positive result,, he said there was none, and that it was a positive positive result, and would like to begin a steroid, and then begin injections soon.
My psychiatrist has said, wait, hold on a minute, a spinal tap is not a conclusive test, that they didn't see lesions on the brain from the ct and mri i think, and wants to know what symptoms he is attributing to MS.
So i'm kinda scared and confused as what/who to believe.
Can anyone please chime in about the validity of having positive results from a spinal tap, and if so, can MS induce many cognitive issues, and even perhaps other mental health issues?
Thank you very much for you help and support:)
Regards,
Brian