Ms or functional gait disorder??

I was diagnosed 19 years ago, I belong to a small ms group there’s only 14 of us, but what I have noticed over the last few years is that people are being diagnosed reluctantly or more slowly, some years after suspecting ms, I asked about my lesions years ago and (being a hairdresser) was told we can’t count them it’s like you asking how many split ends you have. I do also have stiffening  spasms with my legs. Maybe they are waiting to see your next relapse or if your symptoms deteriorate? 

Hi 

Have you been tested for Antiphospholipid Syndrome causes so many problems clotting mimics M.S and so many other illnesses look it up it can be help by blood thinners it also causes brain lesions  good luck

I may be wrong but a lumber puncture to test spinal fluid helped with my diagnosis keep smiling,love and light. Agnes

Hi Sarahmidd.  Sorry I have only just seen your post - I haven't accessed Carenity for quite awhile due to having such low energy issues!!!!!!  I've had MS since 1978 and your symptoms certainly appears to be consistent with MS. Although no "expert" with MS, am a retired Qualified Nurse and considering your MRI scan showed 14 brain lesions, must agree with agnespaddy that a lumbar puncture (LP) should help re: identifying if you do have MS.  It's been quite a few years since I researched the correlation/relationship between MS and LPs but believe this is the only definitive procedure of diagnosing MS.  Like yourself, before being finally, formally diagnosed with MS in very late 2013, almost all of the hospital Drs I saw were convinced I'd had a stroke although 1 Neurologist disagreed with them, believing I had MS.  It was only after I had my lumbar puncture (LP), that MS was actually confirmed and even then the 1st report came back that there were no "oglioclonal bands" present in my spinal fluid, a "2nd" report stated they were present - a conclusive finding it was MS.  There is a lot of "bad press" regarding LPs i.e. being extremely painful and leaving people with a terrible headache afterwards, I had my LP performed at University Hospital North Staffordshire by an extremely experienced Nurse Specialist, using a "non-traumatic" needle.  The procedure probably only took 20 minutes or less.  It was performed lying on my left side, both knees "pulled up as close to my chest as possible" (facilitating the back to be as curved as possible) and before the procedure started, the Nurse Specialist explained that if I experienced, at any time, too much discomfort/pain. to let her know asap and she would immediately stop.  After a few minutes I did get a sharp shooting pain in my right leg which I told her but also said it was "tolerable" - nothing 1/2 as excruciating as the trigeminal neuralgia I had for 2 constant years (1978-1980)!  The tolerable pain/discomfort probably only last 5-10 minutes?  After she placed a small dressing on the "puncture wound", I got off the bed/trolley, got dressed and went back my husband in the "waiting room".  He said to me, "When are you going to have your lumbar puncture"?  I replied, "It's done" and he couldn't believe it...….that's how quick it was!  No headache, no "after affects",  as a matter of fact, we had dinner on our way back home to Cheshire to "reward myself" for actually having it done after "declining" the 1st 2 lumbar punctures offered to myself because I was sooooo dreading the procedure!!!!!!  Hopefully Sarahmidd, could you discuss the possibility with your GP about arranging a LP?  It is quite possible that you have Functional Gait Disorder, unfortunately I am not familiar with this condition but certainly, strongly believe you need to further investigate your 14 brain lesions.  Again, unfortunately in this day and age, believe individuals need to be very much more proactive with any problems/queries they have regarding their health especially because it is only the individual her/himself that is experiencing this.  Keeping my fingers crossed for you. Ann x