Hi Pippa, isn't it great when all our family members take great delight in diagnosing us because "Great Aunt Winnifred had something just like what you've got, etc.
They all decide it's something different, and they all tend to diagnose something more debilitating as their stories beccome more intricate!
Your mother was right about MS and ON often going hand-in-hand, but remember that it's not the
only cause. Unfortunately though, ON is often the very first symptom that some MSers get, and it's often the one that will give their doctor the first big clue to the investigations he/she should be doing.
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My fiance's side of the family are all worried it is MS. When his mom first described my ON to a few other people in the family, three of them sort of looked shocked and told her that I need to be tested for MS. His mom is a nurse and said she can't really find any other explanation for what has been going on.
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There
are other reasons for you to be having these symptoms, but MS obviously can't be ignored. The VER/VEP will show damage from past ON episodes even though it's no longer active. They're very sensitive at measuring slowed responses to visual stimulii and can often detect dysfunction which is undetectable by clinical evaluation, even if the person is unaware of any visual defect.
Because of their ability to detect silent lesions and demyelinating episodes in the past, they're very useful diagnostic tools. A definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis requires at least two distinct demyelinating episodes, in two different central nervous system sites which are separated by at least one month. VER/VEPs can often provide evidence of these episodes even if an MRI cannot.
Please try not to be too centred on the MS diagnosis because believe me, even though I do have the condition, I'd rather have MS than many other illnesses that are out there! Also please bear in mind that not all MSers are disabled. I was diagnosed 31 years ago, and I'm still very mobile although I've recently started using a cane for balance.
I hope I've been of some assistance to you, and do let us know when you get your results back. I'm sure that if your Neuro is suspicious of MS, your very next investigation will probably be an MRI. In the meantime, you're welcome to come on over to the MS Forum. We have others there who are undiagnosed but suffering from MS type symptoms and in need of advice and support.
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