Possible neurological causes for optic nerve damage, migraines, numbness in arm

[ponyp]

35 year old mother of two.  I had pictocin and epidural both times.  5 days after first son born, sharp pain in right calf.  No blood clot, Dr thought it was a "nerve thing"  I have had many pinched nerves before; this pain similar but more intense.  Two weeks later, much pain in right shoulder radiating to elbow, elbow to thumb and index finger went numb.  Normal MRI, Dr. said some injury probably in labor to radial nerve but now fine.  A year later all feeling came back in finger and thumb. Also had torn auxillary nerve in left shoulder 10 years ago snowboarding.
After second son (one year ago) vision field test abnormal.  Normal pressure, told not glaucoma.  Left eye has seemed weird for 6+ months.  A lot of twitching in left upper eyelid as well.  5 weeks ago had 1st ever migraine.  Left side mostly affected, fluttering vision, sensitive to light, hearing seemed muffled, left upper gum and tongue went numb, thumb, index finger and middle finger on left hand went numb.  Normal CT.  Two less severe migraines since this but no numbness.  
Vision field test for glaucoma last week showed loss on left side, optic nerve loss on this side too, normal pressure, thick corneas, but suspect cup to disc ratio.  No family history of glaucoma.
Have both genital and oral herpes.  Very severe cold sores as a child.  Continued where I would get one before every period.  Wear a mouth guard for teeth grinding.  Have a lot of tension stiffness in my neck.  Been doing weight training last 6 months and pushing body.
What could be wrong?  MS? Could herpes have caused glaucoma?

[ameckley]

i had very similar sx my face started to tingle and then the whole right side went numb.  no one could figure out why until i went to the eye dr. and he found that the pressure in my eyes were up and he could not visualize the optic nerve.  i then was sent to a neuro-opthomologist who sent me for a spinal tap.  the amount of spinal fluid was also greatly increased and it was determined that i had psuedo tumor cerebri.  i was treated with lasix and diamox, both diuretics, for about a year to decrease the amount of spinal fluid.  it's been about 6 mos since i stopped taking the meds and so far i am fine.  however the numbness never did completely disappear around my right eye. i hope this helps

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

As you have a relatively complex set fo symptoms its going to be difficult to come to any certain conclusion over the internet

For instance, irs not clear what abnormality was present on the visual field test.

With focal symptoms like left facial numbness and possible swollen optic disc on the left it is important to exclude a mass ior growth in the brain or adjacent to the brain/nerves on the left side. IF you have not had an MRI of the brain, your doctor should obtain one

Migraine can of course cause those symptoms (but not a swollen disc) but is a diagnosis of exclusion after other causes suchas a mass are excluded.
Vision loss to the left, with optic nerve loss (central scotoma) could be caused by a lesion in the area of the optic chiasm - where both optic nerves meet at the base of the brain - its difficult to tell if this is a possibility without seeing the field maps. Again an MRI will answer the question.

None of your symptoms seem typical for MS, but if the eye exam suggested prior imflammation of the optic nerve, and you have had some sensory symptoms, it may be worthwhile to pursue this question further ie with an MRI brain, spinal fluid analysis, or visual evoked potentials (an electrical test) of the left eye.

In your age group, herpes should not cause glaucoma. Herpetic infection of the Ophthalmic nerve can occur (not the 'Optic nerve') but would not cause eye problems/scarring without having a severe skin reaction in the eye area