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Conversion disorder and RRMS

Last month I became paralyzed from the waste line down. Losing control of bladder, bowels and my reflexes were gone with no sensation either. I wore a pamper and was in a wheelchair for a month. They diagnosed me with relapsing/remitting MS. I had one episode of optic Neuritis which required iv steroids and 2 months later took a hot bath and lost the use of my legs. My LP showed abnormalities suggestive to MS but 1 week ago my neurologist came back to say I didn't have MS because the MRI showed nothing. However I learned that in the early stages of MS the MRI's can be clean. He then told me I have conversion disorder. So my question is that if I truly don't have MS why did my LP show it? Can I have both problems? I feel as though I'm crazy and no doctor will give me a straight answer about the LP findingsfindings. What should I do next?
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1831849 tn?1383228392
Call your neuros office and tell them you would like to stop by and pick up a copy of the LP test results. You are entitled to them. If you ask them to email, fax, mail them to you you run the risk of further aggravation. Go there and pick them up. Then be done with that neuro. This is the process I had to follow to get my LP results from my first neuro. When I picked up the report it was the last time I visited his office :-)

LP results do not provide proof of MS. No single test does. It seems to me that if MS was the cause of your symptoms, which were profound, the nothing shows up on your MRI. WHile it is true that spinal lesions are very good at hiding, they are not generally the cause of optic neuritis.

In my rarely humble opinioon, conversion disorder is the diagnosis of lazy doctors. They can't figure it out so it must be all in your mind. Find another doc.

Kyle
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Avatar universal
Thanks so much for all the information its very helpful in me moving forward to find out the right diagnosis!
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Avatar universal
All I know, is if I hear one more regular-as-clockwork tale in this community of someone being "diagnosed" with conversion disorder I'm going to scream.  Not much gets my dander up anymore, but this makes me genuinely angry.
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5887915 tn?1383378780
I would seriously be seeking out a second opinion at this stage and take what this current neuro has said to you with a grain of salt IMHO. How any Neuro can dx you with MS and then afterwards say nope sorry made a mistake you have a conversion disorder is beyond belief.

I would see a different Neuro who specialises in MS and only give them your MRI and medical information. I would not even mention the conversation disorder dx to the new Neuro and allow him to make an informed diagnosis.

Good luck,

Karry
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667078 tn?1316000935
I would get a second opinion with a MS Specialist. Neurologists specialize and many do not know about MS. No tests rules MS in or out. It goes by the neurologist's diagnosis. I agree what you are describing sounds like a spinal lesion. The Optic Neuritis should have shown up on the brain MRI. If you have ever had it is will show up on a MRI.

Alex
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338416 tn?1420045702
I would seek a second opinion. MS is diagnosed from clinical symptoms, and the MRI is only a guide to tell the neurologist where your lesions are.

Do you know what strength your MRI was at? And did they do an MRI of your brain only, or of the spine as well?

Your paralysis could have been because of a lesion in the spine. Spine lesions are best imaged with a 3T MRI.
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