[sonofhans]

FWIW it's not technically MS until there's been more than one incident, thus "multiple" in the name. The resultant lesions are usually visible on an MRI. Most people who have one incident to not go on to have multiple.

There's no definitive test other than this: multiple incidents of otherwise-unexplained neural compromise, verified by MRI as lesions on the myelin sheath. MS symptoms are readily addresses by steroids, unlike other similar conditions, so that can also be somewhat diagnostic.

So regardless of how good or skilled your doctor is, some uncertainty is inherent in the disease. That makes distinguishing it from other conditions difficult. If any symptoms recur consider seeing a specialist neurologist.

Source: more experience with it than I'd like.

[jaypeg25]

Thanks for the info. These incidents have all been since the tick bite, but none have overlapped (other than the Barbers Chair syndrome and numbness in her legs...one of which kind of set on toward the end of the other). The MRI's saw some lesions, but they didn't seem to be enough for the doctor to be confident. He did consult with another Neurologist in his office who looked at the MRIs and was 100% confident in the diagnosis, but he wasn't willing to go that far.

Living in DC I guess we're fortunate to be so close to NIH because he is having her visit some MS specialist at NIH which will also include access to better/more reliable MRI equipment. It's been an ongoing process to even get enrolled in the study, but we finally have an appointment for next month so we'll see what happens.