more tests
I hate blood tests. Needles and I have never gotten along well. Once, a few years ago, the phlebotomist finally gave up, sent me home, told me to drink lots of orange juice that day and night, then tried again to draw blood the next morning. (That trick worked well. So does laying me out horizontal for the duration of the extraction.) At least she was able to draw enough blood today (after poking holes in both my arms) to fill the 8 vials that were needed.
neurologist: I met with Dr. David Dorn at 8am this morning. He said that it would be unusual for multiple sclerosis to present symptoms for as long as I've had them yet fail to show up on my brain MRI (which he said was normal). So we are still at the "head scratcher" phase of my diagnosis. He's ordered lots of new tests though.
blood tests: I went to my local clinic to have blood drawn for Lyme titer, copper, zinc, gliadin antibodies for celiac disease, serum protein electrophoresis, Sjogren's antibodies, CPK, folate, ESR, ANA, ANCA, and TSH.
MRI: I have another MRI scheduled for tomorrow morning at 7am. They're going to scan my neck this time, mostly to rule out the possibility of compression damage from a car accident back 15 years ago or so.
EMG: I go 2/26 for a morning visit to have "3 limb EMG test" done. They'll insert tiny electrodes into various muscles, then they can measure nerve signals as I perform various movements.
neurologist: I return to Dr. Dorn on 3/11 to review the results.
neurologist: I met with Dr. David Dorn at 8am this morning. He said that it would be unusual for multiple sclerosis to present symptoms for as long as I've had them yet fail to show up on my brain MRI (which he said was normal). So we are still at the "head scratcher" phase of my diagnosis. He's ordered lots of new tests though.
blood tests: I went to my local clinic to have blood drawn for Lyme titer, copper, zinc, gliadin antibodies for celiac disease, serum protein electrophoresis, Sjogren's antibodies, CPK, folate, ESR, ANA, ANCA, and TSH.
MRI: I have another MRI scheduled for tomorrow morning at 7am. They're going to scan my neck this time, mostly to rule out the possibility of compression damage from a car accident back 15 years ago or so.
EMG: I go 2/26 for a morning visit to have "3 limb EMG test" done. They'll insert tiny electrodes into various muscles, then they can measure nerve signals as I perform various movements.
neurologist: I return to Dr. Dorn on 3/11 to review the results.