Good Morning Julie,

I had a spinal tap to fully diagnose my MS along with other tests 14 years ago. I did not find it so bad probably due to the fact I did exactly what the doctors ordered and did not move for 4 -5 hours after.

Hey, I like your name...:) Had that damn LP...I think it's good to collect as much data as possible and I'm glad that I had it done. Will I do it again??? Well, they'd better give me a good reason! Honestly, it wasn't the worst medical procedure I ever had to go through. I just wish I knew then that I had to fly my mom in for a week to take care of my then-1 year old so I could stay down and avoid the headache! xoxoxoxoxo :)

i told my first drs they could shove their spinal taps.it is not an accurate test for diagnosing.i don't know anything about after diagnoses.my cousins support group has never heard of spinal tap after diagnoses and neither have i .i would get a second oppinion

I had two MRI's and then a spinal tap to dx my MS. They told me they wanted to rule out every possibility before giving me a dx of MS and I'm glad they did. I didn't want to have anything wrong with me so before I was going to believe I had an incurable disease I wanted them to be 100% sure.

I dont understand why they want to do a spinal on you either if they have already dx'd you with MS. I had one as part of my dx and would never have another unless my life depended on it (mine leaked so I had to go get a blood patch put on it) I cant remember any pain in my life that was comparable to this spinal. if it wasnt the agonizing headache from lack of spinal fluid than it was the massive pain from laying flat on my back for 4 days. I would get a second and third opinion before they do this to you.

Peace
Fred

Have it done then you can say you took every test. My Neuro said since meds cost so much he wanted to do every test so med ins. had no doubts.
Like the others say just lay flat I did so for 24 hrs and drink lots of water it helps replace the fluid. If you get up too soon you will get that headache. Like Helen says ask for numbing meds and also for the machine which they use picture to pinpoint area.
You will eed someone to drive you home and maybe they can stay with you for a day.

Hi Julie:
I am newly diagnosed and a medical provider, and a couple things i want to share. My MRI's weren't conclusive and I had the spinal tap, and it was really much less anxiety ridden than i had thought. medically i knew evrything about them as i have performed LOTS of them, but it defintiely is different when its you.
Get it done. It is an important test, and everyone I have spoken to medically that with a positive MRI it is that much more important to get it done.
Request to have a radiologist guided spinal tap. they use x-ray to guide the needle. that is what i had and no kidding, it look 5 minutes to do the whole thing. also, follow the post procedure recommendations: stay flat for 24 hours and drink lots of water.

please feel free to ask me questions, etc.

lisa

I never got one....the lesions on the brain and spinal cord were enough for me...I just don't believe in messing with that area because it's too sensitive and after a few epidurals and a car accident...I fight every doc that even tries to do a spinal...it's a personal choice....the docs aren't right all the time...also I found an article from my first neuro who was the best but he is doing clinicals and not taking any patients which proved my theory to begin with...spinals don't prove a damn thing....I've included the link to his recent study...good luck!

http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/69/1/68

AND

http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/news/20070706/multiple-sclerosis-race-a-factor

i have family members with m.s. for decades who have had more then one spinal tap and it is not a conclusive test.there can be false negatives.my neoro specializes in m.s. and doesn't do them anymore for that reason.it used to be the only test they had,but not anymore.the first two neuros i went to wanted to do one before any other tests.i said no and walked out

Yes, most MS patients have to get them. It is precautionary as there really are no specific
tests for MS. They would not want to miss something in the spinal fluid such as blood cells, bacteria, ect. Mine was not painful---just make sure the neuro does it.

I just saw my neuro for the first time a couple weeks ago or so, she wanted me to have the spinal tap, and I refused it, my hubby was dx with M.S. in 2000, and I had to see him go through it. I have also heard that it is possible to get a "possible" MS dx from a tap, and I said "no one is putting a needle in my back for a "possible" dx. My MRI's made my neuro 70% certain that it is MS. She is sending me to a university hospital with docs that specialize in MS, and if the can look over my MRI's and dx MS then that will be 2 opinions, and therefore it will then be a confirmed dx, without the tap!!

I had a spinal tap to confirm the doctor's suspicion. I had had about 4 MRI's in '92 with no diagnosis (or even suggestion) of MS. This is one reason I don't think the MRI is the only tool our Neurologists need.

It is scarier sounding than it actually is and I add my strong advice to go home after and lay flat for at least 6 hours.

The needle looked really scary but I was lucky to have a Neuro who had done the procedure many times.

Just as I don't think an MRI is a miracle diagnostic too, neither is an LP. I guess I am on the fence about getting the diagnosis.

Once you get it it is difficult if not imppossible to get good, or any, medical insurance, disability insurance and even though most doctors will tell you MS shouldn't affect you life span, life insurance. Thus I recommend you get those before your diagnosiis.

Larry

Thanks, everyone!

I have had two of them and they both came up negative . I do have ms thougth. I need it to be possible to get into med. trials. They messed up my fluids and sent them to the wrong lab. ignoring my speacialist instructions. There are a few very special labs that do a longer, more excelent test. The LP tests were painless for me but I refused to do it again.

I don't think a negative result from your LP rules out MS but I do believe finding Oligoclonal bands in your spinal fluid (along with otsher tests) pretty much is indicative of MS. You can have MS without that (especially if you are in remisson) BUT having the bands is only indicative of a few diseases.

Larry