Guest guest Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 I agree, Crystal. MRIs don't give the whole picture on MS. It sounds a little like "putting the cart before the horse" to give a dx of MS before ordering a spinal tap. They should be looking at everything. Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 I agree, Crystal. MRIs don't give the whole picture on MS. It sounds a little like "putting the cart before the horse" to give a dx of MS before ordering a spinal tap. They should be looking at everything. Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 If the doctor wants it done, who are they to question why. After 8 years with MS, my neuro wanted to do a tap to see who active MS was. I talked him out of it, but he still wants to do one on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 If the doctor wants it done, who are they to question why. After 8 years with MS, my neuro wanted to do a tap to see who active MS was. I talked him out of it, but he still wants to do one on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 Hi Peggy the Spinal Tap is so they can get a better idea what is happening to you. They do several blood test with what they get from you. Their are other diseases can that can make it appear you might have MS . Lyme's disease is one of them. I was hoping I had that because if it is caught soon enough it is treatable. Bill Peggy wrote: The hospital called me yesterday to pre register me for the spinal tap. Even the lady on the phone told me to make sure it was absolutely necessary for this to be done. She didn't understand if it was already a confirmed diagnosis why she wanted the spinal tap. I am not one for pain, not that many people enjoy it, lol. I just don't want to have things done if I don't have to. The dr. is already setting me up with the steroid IV thing in the hospital so I don't know what the spinal tap is going to tell her that she doesn't already know. What is your opinion on all of this? Should I just do what the dr. says or should I question it? The lady on the phone said to question everything, that's hard when I still don't know what the heck is happening to me. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 Pegggy, if I had a confirmed dx of MS w/o a spinal tap I wouldn't do it. The LP wasn't bad for me at all. they used a florouscope to guide the needle since I had back surgery in that area so they wanted to make sure they got it done right. Talk to your doctor and ask him why s/he wants it done. That lady is correct. Question anything. If you're not sure about it ask. Docs don't know everything. You know your body best! Good luck Shirley Peggy wrote: The hospital called me yesterday to pre register me for the spinal tap. Even the lady on the phone told me to make sure it was absolutely necessary for this to be done. She didn't understand if it was already a confirmed diagnosis why she wanted the spinal tap. I am not one for pain, not that many people enjoy it, lol. I just don't want to have things done if I don't have to. The dr. is already setting me up with the steroid IV thing in the hospital so I don't know what the spinal tap is going to tell her that she doesn't already know. What is your opinion on all of this? Should I just do what the dr. says or should I question it? The lady on the phone said to question everything, that's hard when I still don't know what the heck is happening to me. Any suggestions would be appreciated.Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 Pegggy, if I had a confirmed dx of MS w/o a spinal tap I wouldn't do it. The LP wasn't bad for me at all. they used a florouscope to guide the needle since I had back surgery in that area so they wanted to make sure they got it done right. Talk to your doctor and ask him why s/he wants it done. That lady is correct. Question anything. If you're not sure about it ask. Docs don't know everything. You know your body best! Good luck Shirley Peggy wrote: The hospital called me yesterday to pre register me for the spinal tap. Even the lady on the phone told me to make sure it was absolutely necessary for this to be done. She didn't understand if it was already a confirmed diagnosis why she wanted the spinal tap. I am not one for pain, not that many people enjoy it, lol. I just don't want to have things done if I don't have to. The dr. is already setting me up with the steroid IV thing in the hospital so I don't know what the spinal tap is going to tell her that she doesn't already know. What is your opinion on all of this? Should I just do what the dr. says or should I question it? The lady on the phone said to question everything, that's hard when I still don't know what the heck is happening to me. Any suggestions would be appreciated.Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 Question EVERYTHING. I got My Dx with NO spinal tap. DO NOT put yourself through unnecessary procedures! You do Not need the added stress! Talk to your Dr., ask WHY. Get a second opinion if you can. Follow your instincts! It is YOUR body, YOU know what goes on in it! Peace and Blessings ~*~ Akiba ~*~ Pragmatic Visionary http://yodamamma.blogspot.com/ http://www.solay-twinflames.com -- Opinion? The hospital called me yesterday to pre register me for the spinal tap. Even the lady on the phone told me to make sure it was absolutely necessary for this to be done. She didn't understand if it was already a confirmed diagnosis why she wanted the spinal tap. I am not one for pain, not that many people enjoy it, lol. I just don't want to have things done if I don't have to. The dr. is already setting me up with the steroid IV thing in the hospital so I don't know what the spinal tap is going to tell her that she doesn't already know. What is your opinion on all of this? Should I just do what the dr. says or should I question it? The lady on the phone said to question everything, that's hard when I still don't know what the heck is happening to me. Any suggestions would be appreciated.Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 30, 2006 Report Share Posted July 30, 2006 My MRI's showed the Transverse Myelitis but it didn't show the MS so my Neurologist had to do the Lumbar Puncture and it came back positive for MS. Sometimes the MRI will show it and sometimes it won't. Always, Crystal Akiba wrote: Question EVERYTHING. I got My Dx with NO spinal tap. DO NOT put yourself through unnecessary procedures! You do Not need the added stress! Talk to your Dr., ask WHY. Get a second opinion if you can. Follow your instincts! It is YOUR body, YOU know what goes on in it! Peace and Blessings ~*~ Akiba ~*~ Pragmatic Visionary http://yodamamma.blogspot.com/ http://www.solay-twinflames.com -------Original Message------- From: Peggy Date: 7/29/2006 9:56:00 PM To: MSersLife Subject: Opinion? The hospital called me yesterday to pre register me for the spinal tap. Even the lady on the phone told me to make sure it was absolutely necessary for this to be done. She didn't understand if it was already a confirmed diagnosis why she wanted the spinal tap. I am not one for pain, not that many people enjoy it, lol. I just don't want to have things done if I don't have to. The dr. is already setting me up with the steroid IV thing in the hospital so I don't know what the spinal tap is going to tell her that she doesn't already know. What is your opinion on all of this? Should I just do what the dr. says or should I question it? The lady on the phone said to question everything, that's hard when I still don't know what the heck is happening to me. Any suggestions would be appreciated.Peggy My MS,TM & LDN Websitewww.crystalangel.orgIf you would like to be added to my Monthly MS,TM and LDN Newsletter email me at crystalsmstmldn@.... Subscribe by Emailing me your First and Last Name and Email Address and I will send it to you the first of every month.Thanks For All Your Support!!!! __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 4, 2006 Report Share Posted August 4, 2006 Hi Peggy, I'm chiming in late, but that's rarely stopped me. LOL I absolutely agree with "the lady on the phone". Ask your doc. Anytime you have a question or a concern, anytime there is confusion and you need clarifying, anytime you don't understand or just want more informaiton... always ask. A good doctor is going to understand and welcome that. It is your body, it is your health. Your doctor is part of the team you are assembling... the team you lead. As to opinions on a Spinal Tap. Mine is biased, but here goes. LOL As I understand, you have received your MS dx, yes? There has been MRI, lab work, eval, and so on and now this Lumbar Puncture is an after-the-dx test? Of course you should ask why the doc wants it, then go from there. A Spinal Tap can give a false negative if you are going into an attack or coming out of one. (My Mother explains this better... I only remember this much). After I'd had my MRI and labs and all that fun, and Neuro sat telling me all his fun stuff, he finally said "well, we can do a Spinal Tap". He was being a butthead when he said it, because I'd just managed to get myself together enough to mention those folks who go years without lesions on an MRI yet do have MS, and a few other points. He was trying to scare me with a Spinal Tap. I wasn't afraid of it, and told him that nope, I'd not be doing it... because I know the chances of a false reading. He conceeded that point as well. Yes, I might use an LP as part of my dx processs, if needed. I don't mean to say I wouldn't. At that point, that doctor wasn't searching for true answers. All this said... I believe I would ask the doc, talk to her about what she wants and why. I would let her know I'm uncertain about the test, and why (including fears you have), and let her know I needed to think about it. And then I would do a lot of thinking (and typing here lol). Now... going to read forward and see what happened. LOL Challis Peggy wrote: The hospital called me yesterday to pre register me for the spinal tap. Even the lady on the phone told me to make sure it was absolutely necessary for this to be done. She didn't understand if it was already a confirmed diagnosis why she wanted the spinal tap. I am not one for pain, not that many people enjoy it, lol. I just don't want to have things done if I don't have to. The dr. is already setting me up with the steroid IV thing in the hospital so I don't know what the spinal tap is going to tell her that she doesn't already know. What is your opinion on all of this? Should I just do what the dr. says or should I question it? The lady on the phone said to question everything, that's hard when I still don't know what the heck is happening to me. Any suggestions would be appreciated.Peggy Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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