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Sometimes it is frustrating in getting an official diagnosis.  It actually took several years from my first attack before I received a 'definite MS' label.  I, too, had to undergo a Spinal Tap in the diagnosis stage.  They certainly aren't a pass-time pleasure, but sometimes they provide a necessary piece of the puzzle.   The following comes from the Diagnosis Section here on Health Central.   No reliable single laboratory procedure or test can establish the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Several are necessary before a diagnosis can be made. Analysis of Cerebrospinal Fluid (CFS). Obtaining a sample of spinal fluid requires a lumbar puncture, or spinal tap. Testing spinal fluid is becoming increasingly important for detecting abnormal proteins, tiny fragments of myelin, or specific white blood cells that can help in making a diagnosis. For example, high levels of the immunoglobulin IgG is useful for making a diagnosis and may be a marker for disease progression. (Immunoglobulins are protein chains that are part of the immune system.) In general, I believe that doctors prefer to have as much information as possible before beginning any new treatment regimen.  Again, I was anxious to begin using an MS disease-modifying treatment, but I had to wait until changes were detected by MRI in location and number of lesions. Good luck and know that for many other MS patients diagnosis took a longer-than-wished-upon time to become definite MS. Please come back and let us know how you're doing.