When will I be told the results of my tests?

[Beepboopbop]

I went to see another neurologist, who apparently suspects I may have MS. At the time when I went my symptoms had been improving for weeks and I felt almost normal most of the time.

I was told to get a lumbar puncture and another MRI, and I am supposed to go back in four months. They found something on my last MRI that could be causing my symptoms, but they want to do another one for some reason. I think this one is supposed to be more sensitive.

So I got the lumbar puncture a few days ago, and only some basic test results are back so far. The tests that are specific for MS are not out yet, or at least they are not available for me to see.

In the meantime my symptoms started to get worse again. I don't know if I did something to trigger it, but they are now worse than they had ever been before, and now it seems to have spread to other areas.

I don't want to wait to find out what I have. All the other tests that have been done to rule out other diseases have come back negative. I feel like if I am getting worse I need to treat it, no matter what it is. I want my life back.

My other MRI is in a few days. Is it possible that the doctor will not tell me anything and make me wait for the next appointment? Will I have to wait until I get the MRI to find out the lumbar puncture results? Will they only tell me when they have made a decision on what they think I have? Will they only let me know if it's negative? What is the typical procedure?

[supermum_ms]

From my understanding it can actually take anything up to 6 weeks before all the LP test results come through when they are looking into MS.

What is more typical seems to change depending on your country, in mine you usually have to wait until your scheduled follow up appointment or sooner if you get a call to come in to see the neurologist earlier than scheduled but in the US everyone seems to get access to their test results long before their follow up appointment with the neurologist or Dr who ordered the tests done.

Most dr's prefer to discuss a patients test results face to face, usually at their previously scheduled follow up appointment, or at an appointment that is organised only after all that patients different test results have come in, so it is quite likely that you will have to wait to find out the meaning of your results until your next appointment with your neuro.

Keep in mind that 'wait and see' is typical with a neurological condition like MS and unlike other medical fields, neurologists typically work in long time blocks and usually see patients every 3 months, 4 months, 6 months, 12 months, 24 months. Also i don't know if it will help you to know or not but it's not uncommon for officially diagnosed MSer's to have to go through the diagnostic processes all over again if they've needed to see a different neurologist than the one that diagnosed them with MS...

Hope that helps......JJ

btw your LP results don't have anything to do with when you have an MRI

[Beepboopbop]

Thanks for the reply. I understand what you are saying.

I know it's typical to be waiting a long time, but I have already been sick for years. I became disabled when I was still in my twenties, and they did a lot of tests and decided I had an autoimmune disease. I was previously very healthy and in good shape with a healthy lifestyle. I never really had the symptoms of that disease nor was there any other evidence for it. I think they just decided to put something down and start treatment. The medications they gave me didn't work and I got worse. Now I feel like I probably have had MS the whole time. So if this had just begun for me it would be easier to wait.

I feel like after being disabled for eight years that they should just hurry things up already. This disease has ruined my life at this point and I want to be able to work again.