RE: ON?.......RE: FW: Scary episode

[Guest guest]

This goes out to everyone, can the neurologist tell anything when they look in ours eyes or does it take the opthamologist to diagnos (sp)ON. I'm glad I'm finally getting to see a neuropsychiatrist to evaluate the cognitive. The good thing is I worked with him five years ago so he will know how I used to be. ' Go MavsJackie Hanan wrote: Hi ,…….i don’t know if I’ve had ON. I have some problems with my eyes with blurriness, and some double vision at far off objects, but I’ve always thought it was allergy related as I get watery eyes with my allergies. When I had the first attack of ocular migraine the eye Dr. said the optic nerve looked okay, and dismissed my attack as a simple OM. Now I wonder though? No it isn’t strange to want a dx. I went for many years wondering if I had MS, and hoping something would show up on all the tests because then I could be certain that there was something physical going on. It would prove to all of them,

[and me] who were concerned about me that I was indeed ill. My MS was so slow progressing, it was hard for me and others to think there was anything serious going on. Its also important to have a tangible dx so we can get proper treatment, and to educate ourselves so it helps us know how to deal with it. I believe education takes the fear out of it. Hugs, Jackie J From: MSersLife [mailto:MSersLife ] On Behalf Of DamronSent: Thursday, June 15, 2006 6:05 AMTo: MSersLife Subject: Re: FW: Scary episode Jackie, Have you ever had Optic Neuritis? The symptoms sound very familiar to the episode I first experienced that caused me to see all the specialists and get my diagnosis of "probable MS with a High risk of developing MS in 5 years"....what a DX, huh? I know this sounds strange, but I hope that my MRI I have scheduled next week will confirm it. I know that sounds twisted, but I need a definite answer. Anyway, I've never heard of the ocular migraine before, that's interesting. Again, it's odd how closely related the symptoms of that are with ON. Except ON lasts longer than a few minutes. Mine was "peaked" for almost 2 weeks. My vision has never been the same since. Anyway, sorry you

were frightened, but it is comfort to know WHAT it is, huh? I hope you're doing better today. ~

[Guest guest]

Jackie,

How

many years did you go before a definite diagnosis?

Beth

From: MSersLife

[mailto:MSersLife ] On Behalf Of Jackie Hanan

Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2006 5:16 PM

To: MSersLife

Subject: ON?.......RE: FW: Scary episode

Hi ,…….i don’t know if I’ve

had ON. I have some problems with my eyes with blurriness, and some double

vision at far off objects, but I’ve always thought it was allergy related

as I get watery eyes with my allergies. When I had the first attack of ocular

migraine the eye Dr. said the optic nerve looked okay, and dismissed my attack

as a simple OM. Now I wonder though?

No it isn’t strange to want a dx. I went for many

years wondering if I had MS, and hoping something would show up on all the

tests because then I could be certain that there was something physical going

on. It would prove to all of them, [and me] who were concerned about me that I

was indeed ill. My MS was so slow progressing, it was hard for me and others to

think there was anything serious going on.

Its also important to have a tangible dx so we can get

proper treatment, and to educate ourselves so it helps us know how to deal with

it. I believe education takes the fear out of it.

Hugs, Jackie J

From: MSersLife [mailto:MSersLife ]

On Behalf Of Damron

Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2006 6:05 AM

To: MSersLife

Subject: Re: FW: Scary episode

Jackie,

Have

you ever had Optic Neuritis? The symptoms sound very familiar to the episode I

first experienced that caused me to see all the specialists and get my

diagnosis of " probable MS with a High risk of developing MS in 5

years " ....what a DX, huh? I know this sounds strange, but I hope that my

MRI I have scheduled next week will confirm it. I know that sounds twisted, but

I need a definite answer. Anyway, I've never heard of the ocular migraine

before, that's interesting. Again, it's odd how closely related the symptoms of

that are with ON. Except ON lasts longer than a few minutes. Mine was

" peaked " for almost 2 weeks. My vision has never been the same since.

Anyway, sorry you were frightened, but it is comfort to know WHAT it is, huh? I

hope you're doing better today.

~

[Guest guest]

Hi `,…….I’m

not sure if Neurologists have the instruments to tell if the optic nerve is

inflamed which may be causing the optic neuritis. When I saw the eye Dr., he

did a full eye exam with numbing the eyeball, and checking for other things

than ON. When your eyes are tested at a Neurologist they do a test called

Evoked Potentials. [see explanation below]

This would be a good

question to ask your Neuropsychiatrist. He would probably know.

Good thing you know him.

It always helps to have someone who has seen the changes validate us.

Hugs, Jackie

Evoked Potential Tests

Evoked responses indicate the brain's

response to specific stimuli. Three kinds of evoked potential procedures are

used by neurologists and specialists:

Visual evoked

potentials test the visual pathways between the retina (eye) and the brain

by presenting alternating checkerboard patterns

Auditory evoked

potentials test the auditory pathways between the ear and the brain by

presenting auditory clicks

Somatosensory

evoked potentials test the pathways between the peripheral nerves through

the spine to the brain by stimulating nerves with small electrical pulses

For example, a physician can test an

infant's hearing by checking for a brain response after a noise. Evoked

responses may reveal slight damage to the optic nerve (the nerve to the eyes)

in a person with multiple sclerosis.

From: MSersLife [mailto:MSersLife ] On Behalf Of Trimm

Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2006 4:09 PM

To: MSersLife

Subject: Re: ON?.......RE:

FW: Scary episode

This goes out to everyone, can the neurologist tell anything when they

look in ours eyes or does it take the opthamologist to diagnos (sp)ON.

I'm glad I'm finally getting to see a neuropsychiatrist to evaluate the

cognitive. The good thing is I worked with him five years ago so he will know

how I used to be.

'

Go Mavs

[Guest guest]

Oh Beth, I hate to say

because I don’t want everyone who hasn’t got their dx to be

discouraged. But,……it was 14 years. I will say that was in the 80’s

when I had my first attack, and they didn’t even have MRI’s then. I

also lived on an Island in the Puget Sound W of Seattle, so the local hosp. wasn’t equipped

to do any testing. I was sent off the island to a bigger hosp. Eventually I went

to Seattle, and

even there they said “probable” MS. I didn’t get an MRI until

1994/95 when I moved to the Portland,

Or area. That’s when they found a lesion in my cervical spine that

supported a brain MRI showing white spots. With clinical symptoms, and the MRI

they said definite MS. Then……..several years later I saw another

Neurologist who said Transverse Myelitis [second cousin to MS], and she said

she wouldn’t say I didn’t have MS, but would not substantiate the

definite dx the other Neuro gave me. I think it could have started as TM, but

it definitely has progressed, and TM is not suppose to have progression to it.

So I am convinced that what ever anyone says, that I have MS. I’ve done

too much research on my own to know that MS fits everything going on with me

than any other disease I read about. [and there have been many!]

Please don’t get

discouraged. I tell everyone who hasn’t gotten a firm dx that they know

what’s going on in their bodies better than the Dr’s even. We know

how it’s changed. Don’t give up! J

Hugs, Jackie

From: MSersLife [mailto:MSersLife ] On Behalf Of Westie

Sent: Thursday, June 15, 2006 5:48 PM

To: MSersLife

Subject: RE: ON?.......RE:

FW: Scary episode

Jackie,

How many years did you go before a definite diagnosis?

Beth