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Are You Sure It’s MS ?… Do You Know How Often is Multiple Sclerosis Misdiagnosed ?

I. Top 7 Reasons To Challenge The Diagnosis of MS and How Often is Multiple Sclerosis Misdiagnosed

I could write 100 blog posts asking the question- are you sure it is MS and not “X” disease?

I have several good reasons to challenge the diagnosis of MS, and so should you.

  1. MS is a serious diagnosis, not a cold or flu. You have the right to know the right diagnosis and rule out other conditions

  2. MS is one of the most frequently misdiagnosed condition. There about 100 conditions that mimic MS [1],  and we have no accurate test to properly get the diagnosis. How often is multiple sclerosis misdiagnosed ? Rates of MS misdiagnosis vary with the study- from 6% up to 35%. Yes, up  to 35% – roughly 1 in 3 cases could be another condition, not MS ! Did you know that ?

  3. Doctors are very much aware about  how often is multiple sclerosis misdiagnosed. A new study (feb 2018) supports the overdiagnosis of MS [2]. Unfortunately, a person suspected with MS is rarely referred to another neurologist for a second opinion or to other specialists to rule out other conditions. Misdiagnosis (of MS) is, “under-recognized, under-appreciated, and under-studied,” according to top experts [3]. There is a new McDonald Criteria for MS diagnosis that was published in december 2017, which could help  increase the accuracy of the diagnosis [4].

  4. How often is multiple sclerosis misdiagnosed is only one problem. The next question is : for how long is a person  using the wrong treatment as a result of wrong diagnosis? According to recent data, 72% of the misdiagnosed patients took medication to treat a disease they didn’t have, and 33 % had remained misdiagnosed for 10+ years before being informed them of an incorrect misdiagnosis [5]

  5. Taking MS drugs while having another disease (not MS) can significantly aggravate that condition or cause a second autoimmune disease. Just an example: taking interferon beta (first line therapy for MS) can a) create another autoimmune disease and/or b) aggravate an existing autoimmune condition  that mimics MS like lupus or Hashimoto [6].

  6. There is a  new trend- to treat everyone with MS as early as possible. Even in those cases when MS was not confirmed, “in patients who have not yet developed clinically definite MS ”. This idea is based on some research showing that starting a treatment asap would stop the progression of the disease.  The problem: starting early the treatment would not allow enough tests and rule out other diseases that mimic MS. So one could easily end up in the 72% of those misdiagnosed cases of MS, taking meds for a disease that does not have. In my opinion, early treatment should be reserved for severe cases that had been carefully investigated and confirmed to be MS. A side note regarding the research papers that claim significant benefits from starting an early treatment. … if you come across a study that is not associated (neither the study nor the researchers) with with a drug company, please do share it with me. 

       The old approach was “watch and wait”. For a long time, the treatment for MS would be delayed           for several years until the diagnosis  would be confirmed with a new episode (relapse), new                     symptoms, or more MRI lesions. In a 2006 research paper,Dr. S.J. Pittock, MD and colleagues               from Mayo Clinic support the idea of delaying the treatment for the following reasons:

 

7. I think you should be aware of this additional reason to question the diagnosis of MS 

II. Diseases that mimic MS. Neurological disorders like MS and other conditions that share similar symptoms with MS. What causes brain lesions besides MS?

What are the  neurological disorders like ms? What other conditions have symptoms that can mimic MS?

I would start the list of these conditions that are more to be misdiagnosed with MS

 

To get a more complete list of conditions that can be misdiagnosed as MS click here and review Box # 3

Also consider this link from University of Maryland Medical Center, which lists conditions with similar symptoms as MS (based on specific symptoms).

III. What causes brain lesions besides MS?

This is very good question, because many will think of MS when lesions are seen on MRI.  In fact, one of the biggest reason why MS is so often misdiagnosed is because doctors rely too much on MRI tests. Yet, there are so many other diseases that cause brain lesions besides MS.

As you can see, there are many reasons conditions that cause brain lesions besides MS. However, the way these lesions look on MRIs would provide clues about the possible diagnosis. Of course, clinical evaluations and further tests would further help to differentiate them from MS.

Important to know: Be aware that MS and another condition (migraine, lupus, Hashimoto, celiac disease) can coexist. It is quite common to see a person developing more than one autoimmune disease. This means that testing positive for celiac disease for example- would not rule out the possibility of having MS as well. 

IV. How To increase Your Chances To Get the Right Diagnosis  

A misdiagnosis of MS means that someone is suffering from a different condition which is undiagnosed and untreated. It means taking the wrong medication means exposing a person to unnecessary risk, potentially serious adverse reactions (like PML) and even death. The high cost of MS drugs, the tests and consultations  could be avoided if the correct diagnosis would be made. Avoiding the emotional stress that derives from this misdiagnosis is priceless.

Here are a few things you can do to get the right diagnosis:  

  1. Get to know as much as you can about your body, your symptoms, MS and other conditions that mimic MS. Read and learn as much as you can.

  2. Switch from the “passive” type of patient to taking an active control of your health. Talk to your doctor about your concerns and exploring an alternate diagnosis.

  3. Ask for a second, even a third opinion from a neurologist. If one in three cases of MS can be misdiagnosed, you have all the rights and reasons to consult different specialists.

  4. Many conditions that are not neurological in nature can mimic MS- you should get a referral to a rheumatologist (to rule out lupus, Sjogren, etc), endocrinologist, infectious disease specialist. Ask your family physician for some tests* prior to your appointments to the specialists, as they can be very helpful.

  5. Make sure you get the recommended blood tests, MRIs, evoked potential testing, electroencephalography, spinal tap.

  1. It’s worth getting your genetic test to get more info. While you don’t have to express your bad genes, it’s good to know if you have an increased risk of certain conditions. You will need to run the raw data from “23 and me” test through a software to get more details. 

  2. I think the “watch and wait” approach is better than treating early, but isn’t the best solution either. Once MS is suspected, further investigations are needed to confirm the diagnosis.

       8.  While the treatment with drugs should be delayed until MS is confirmed, you should start                  improving your health. ASAP. Diet,  exercise, some basic supplements, improving sleep and stress        management should be the first line therapy for everyone.

      9. If you decide to go ahead and start meds without having a confirmation of MS diagnosis, be                aware of both the benefits and risks of them. Besides talking to your doctor, click here. for a quick        and very basic comparison between different drugs available.

    

      

 

Mother diagnosed with MS and facing life in a wheelchair is cured – after she discovered her symptoms were due to a tick bite- Daily Mail

Migraine, Fibromyalgia Frequently Misdiagnosed as MS- Medscape

 

 

 

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