Oh, I forgot to add, he is sending me to physical therapy for now to help with my leg spasticity. He made another appointment with me for 2 months from now. He said we'll see if the PT helps if it doesn't we'll talk about Botox injections. In the meantime he said to call if I have any "new" symptoms. I have a huge list of symptoms that happen when they want and however often they want. I haven't shared them all with him because I didn't want to overwhelm him with symptoms and I wanted him to focus on fixing my leg so I can drive but now I feel like I don't even get to talk to him about them. I'm very confused about where to go from here.

This is what I read somewhere not sure were.They say that for every 1 attack you feel 5 are going on.Not sure if this true because my MRI would be all white.Some leave scaring some dont and some leasions go away.Its important that you use the same machine each time you have an MRI my doctor told me that.

Waiting that long might have prevented evidence that it was MS--but in 3-4 months it would have left evidence of something that happened. what i mean, when an MRi is done and the report written it will list possible causes for the lesions. If the MRI was done ate the time of the flair it would have caught an enhancing "active" lesion on the MRI with contrast. Then the only possible diagnosis listed would be MS if your symptoms that caused the MRI to be ordered were consistent with MS.

But if it was taken 3-4 months after the flare, it would show an inactive lesion that does not enhance with the contrast, instead it highlights without the contrast and the possible diagnosis that would be listed would be many more and MS would be one of the possibilities. You would have to be monitored or more testing before a diagnosis could be determined

A lesion after it is formed can leave an old lesion or heal to the point of no longer showing. I think it would take more than 4 months for a lesion to heal to the point it no longer shows-but I have never read of that time needed?.

I would be more concerned about an LP because he doesn't know what is causing your symptoms-and an LP can rule out many things besides MS- those other things i would be more worried about. 15% of people with MS will not have a positive LP. But I think an LP will show if there is an infection in the CNS---that you would have to look up, I'm not sure I remember correctly. Ask him if it would help to rule out anything, given he's not certain what it is.

Copied this from this site
http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/diagnosingms.html

"Nor do MRI scans always pick up MS lesions. There is evidence that some older lesions remyelinate sufficiently to be undetectable with MRI scans. Having said this, the vast majority of people with a definite dx of MS will show evidence of disease activity on MRI scans. "


From what I understand the lesions do not always appear right away and when they do they have to eliminate other causes. I don't don't think it is accurate to assume you don't have MS based only on the 1 MRI. You may want to return for another later in time.
I certainly hope it is not MS. But in the meantime keep a daily journal of your symptoms to give to the nuero when you return.And don't be afraid to tell him everything. He needs to know it all in order to diagnose and treat it.

I know how hard it is to live with the daily symptoms and MS and not be treated. I am going through it now. I was only recently diagnosed and return on the 21st. I also know how it feels to be constantly told nothing is wrong. It took 7 years for this day to come and many here even longer.

Why does he feel you have had a life threatening experience. I ask because this might be why he is ruling out MS. And is he treating the symptoms?

Good luck to you.

"

Thank you all for your thoughts. I believe he thinks that it was a life threatening experience because my first attack, 3 years ago, hit me with sudden nausea, dizziness, and then full paralysis. The only thing I was check for at the time was seizures (due to spasms afterward) and a heart problem. It left me with muscle spasms and using a cane. I stopped using the cane after about 6 months. At times I continue to have partial or full paralysis but since everyone thought it was psychological I have just dealt with it as best I could. Then about 4 or 5 months ago while I was in the car with my boyfriend and kids my right leg started cramping up for no reason I could see, and the muscles wouldn't loosen up. By the time we got home I couldn't walk and had to be carried into the house. I'm still walking with a cane and it doesn't seem to be improving. I also have a good chunk of additional issues and symptoms that seem to point to MS.
I decided that I needed to get to a different neurologist this time. Unfortunately I couldn't get an appointment to see him right away. I failed some points on the basic neurological exam, although he wouldn't specify which ones. I do know that he said I have hyperreflexia in my right knee and I have ankle clonus in my right ankle. I looked up both online and they point to nerve damage. He's done an EMG and the MRI so far. He wants to sent me to pt for my leg but doesn't even want to hear about my other symptoms so I'm assuming that means he doesn't care about treating them either.
I don't know if I should look for another opinion elsewhere or wait and see how things go with this guy. Shouldn't at least want to hear about my other symptoms even if he doesn't feel there are any other tests to run right now? Should I maybe go to my general doctor to deal with my other symptoms until a diagnosis is made? I'm worried about waiting for a diagnosis to be made because of the paralysis issue but if lesions aren't showing on the MRI at this point I don't know if going somewhere else would even make a difference.

Can you go to a place like Mayo? I know mayo will take people for a multi disciplinary doc review of symptoms when a cause is not know--or uncertain,like a team from the show house. Its intensive and every test needed is done at the time- for the team to review.The review might only be for a few days or a week...but if you close I have heard of a few that went to one for this type of review and diagnosis. You have to submit an application and be accepted--I know onew person did and forgot that she had submitted the request--or masybe she had to ask her doc too do it?--then about 6 months later out of the blue they called her to let her know hers had been accepted and they wanted to schedule the day. It was only for a day, the team reviewed all her records and concluded her neuro was correctrshe did have MS--another person they determined she had a circulation problem when she thought she had MS.