Freaking out--Daughter's VEP Results

[HereIam]

I am freaking out. I have SPMS. And, I have a 22 yo daughter. She had problems with ocular migraines and we visited a neurologist who had her change her birth control from the Pill. The migraines stopped.

Then for the past year or so, she has complained that her eyes, both of them, have weird vision. Hard for her to describe and it varies. Small blank spots, wavy areas, etc. She does not have any eye pain.

Went to optometrist, ophthalmologist, all findings normal. Then to a neuro-opthalmologist, who ran Visual Evoked Potentials.

She spoke to me (my daughter gave her permission). The results were abnormal bilaterally and the neuro didn't give me much aside from that, aside from we should have an MRI done. My daughter is moving cross-country next week to start her career. She knows there was an abnormal finding but I've not given her any other details. We may have to do the follow up and MRI with a neuro in the area she is moving to.

I am so scared for my daughter. Something is interrupting the signal from her eyes to her brain. If she has MS I just won't be able to bear it. But, what else could it be? Nothing good, I'm sure.

[cosake]

Sorry your daughter had an abnormal VEP, but it doesn't have to mean MS. Neurologist consult and MRI definitely sound like the next step.

You don't mention if she has any other symptoms or not.

Remember, even if your daughter does turn out to have MS, everyone's course of MS is different, and there are new treatments and research being done every day.

You should also see this message: http://www.msworld.org/forum/showthread.php?t=111958 and read Redwings post # 3 about VEPs.

[HereIam]

Thanks for the help and reference to Redwings' info.

As for symptoms, over the years I've so many times heard statements such as "why is my (arm, leg, back, etc.) falling asleep so easily?" and she has had a twitch under her right eye for 2 years. Here vision tests 20/20.

I spoke with the ophthalmologist today, who would like her to connect with an MS neuro once she's settled into her new home state. Rats. As always, it's never good to look too far down the road.

[gomer]

I had problems starting about age 12/13 and developed diplopia at age 18. I could not play HS sports, dance etc but I could at least walk and I was steered toward sit down careers while in HS, things like drafting and typing, never told WHY.

I was not formally Dx w/RRMS till my 60s, when a new eye doc opened the MS can-o-worms wide open. The formal testing answered many questions and connected many decades of dots, things I never understood or dreamed would ever be answered.

MY MS course has been slow, with a few nasty flairs over the decades, but over all, my MS progression path has been slow and relatively mild. I did end up on disability at age 39, but my neuro issues were blamed on my diabetes.

Having MS does NOT mean life has to be limited. I did more over the decades than many without diabetes or MS. My teen years doc noted I had an ability to persevere, but never said what it was....ha ha.

Today's Word of wisdom, PERSEVERE!

Gomer Sir Falls-a-lot