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Here is My Question:
In 2012 I had an episode of severe vertigo and my eyesight even changed overnight. Then over the years I had weeks here and there when my face would go numb or I had pins and needles here and there. I'm also having short term memory issues. An MRI in 2014 of my brain and neck on a 1.5 T only came back with nonspecific white matter.... then in January of this year my body started going haywire with numb legs, spasms, speech slurring when hot, forgetting what I was doing right in the middle of something, tongue tremors, facial numbness again, zaps along face, zaps around ear, and now burning sensations in legs constantly, leg and arm weakness, internal vibration feelings, twitches etc. I had a spinal tap done and there was no bands but the CSF index was flagged high but just at the mark where it would be flagged. The notes on the CSF panel state that there are reactive lymphocytes and plasma cells present. I am in limbo and need this to stop. My doctor is saying small fiber sensory neuropathy. I just don’t see how! The portion of the CSF index states this provides support for the diagnosis of MS. I did have MRIs this year and there were two active high intensity spots and a few non active spots. Should I seek further diagnosis? The medicine she prescribed Gabapentin or something like that even made my burning sensations worse... Answer: You are certainly experiencing a wide variety of unpleasant symptoms but I could not diagnose either MS or a small fiber neuropathy based on your description. Remember, MRI findings and CSF findings must be interpreted in the context of your age, other medical conditions, symptom history and findings on examination. It takes a good doctor to piece this all together. If CSF findings or MRIs were diagnostic of anything, you really wouldn’t need a neurologist. Perhaps all you need is a second opinion. Why not ask this doctor to send you for a second opinion? Good luck Revere (Rip) Kinkel MD Professor of Clinical Neurosciences Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Program Clinical Neurosciences Director University of California San Diego Comments are closed.
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