I don't even know if I belong here (yet)
I just had my spinal tap done two weeks ago and im still waiting on results.
this whole ordeal started back in September when I originally saw an endocrinologist because of ongoing fatigue, the inability to lose weight even when fasting for a week, and maybe some minor aches mostly in arms and legs but never with neurological involvement (aka. the tingling or loss of feeling). She send me to get an MRI to see if I had a tumor on my pituitary that needed to be removed. the MRI was done in December, I prepared for the worst: tumor, surgery, recovery from literal brain surgery. But it was even worse than that! the radiologist sat me in front of the screen and asked post blank: so, have you already been diagnosed with MS? I spent all of Christmas joking I had Swiss cheese for brain and how intelligent I would be without the lesions (I have a masters in biochemistry and im studying Vet Med)...
Apparently, on the MRI I had more than 10 white matter lesions, some subcortical some in the deep white matter. So off to the Neurologist I go with an appointment in mid February where he also sees some fuzziness in the corpus callosum and recommends a spinal tap to rule out or confirm MS. But he was pretty confident that I have it and already ensured me that it's not the end of the world and his colleague is one of germanys top MS specialists etc.
I had the spinal tap done on May 4th, it is now May 13th. the whole experience was horrific! im in Germany where it is not common practice to numb your patient for a spinal tap. The neurologist simply jammed the guide needle in my back like a hole punch... I was in pain, crying hysterically for the whole procedure. Then I got the dreaded headache about two days after and ended up in a different hospital in the ER where they just told me to continue taking ibuprofen and drink lots of caffeine.
over the weekend I was pretty much fine, only minor headache when I bend over. But today I got a migraine (I guess) I haven't had one in 5 years! and now my mind is spiraling at its best... is it just a migraine or is it a relapse? my left arm hurts because I laid on it wrong or because I have MS? my leg tingles because I sat on it wrong or because I have MS? Do I always feel like I need to pee because im getting older (I'm 28) or because I have MS? does my memory feel progressively worse because tiktok and YouTube shorts are eating it up or because I have MS? Has my eyesight gone to shit because of age or because of MS?
Will I be able to continue my life? I currently work as an EMT and im in Vet School so most likely will be dealing with sick people/animals all my life, at least I'll try...
im supposed to get the results 10-15 days after the spinal so I guess anytime between Friday (tomorrow is a German holiday) and next week Friday. Until then I will continue reading these posts and try not to go crazy.