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1668345 tn?1303487580

3mm low Cerebellum

So I caught a weird "virus" in Janurary. I kept getting really dizzy, throwing up randomly, and was exhausted all the time. I lost 10 pounds and got really weak. The weird thing is my blood tests all came back normal. I was up at college in Idaho when this all happened. I stayed home from school for a week and during that time I started getting anxiety attacks. I have never had anxiety, depression or anything so it freaked me out. I would also get really weird distorted thoughts followed by a cold chill down my spine. In the middle of the semester I got to a point where I was getting worse and had to come home to Texas and finish my classes from home.

I had spinal fusion surgery for my scolosis in 8th grade and have two titanium rodes in it. As a side note.

So I told the doctor about this and he said I has seasonal affective disorder and put me on an anti depressant. I started throwing up again and got extremely dizzy and I called the doctor and he told me to stop taking the Cymbalta. So they continued the trial and error process of the drug. Long Story short I am now on Lexapro and went down to 5mg, I started on 20 then went to 10 now 5. I feel like it isn't helping. I still get random dizzy spells, I can't think straight, my vision goes blurry at times, and I also get irritated for no reason or just start crying my neck is also pretty stiff most days.

I just had an MRI done and they said my Cerebellum is 3mm low so I am going to a nuerologist next week. I was researching online and this kind of resembles Chiari Malformation.

My whole life I have been a straight A student, happy go lucky personality, and have had a passion for helping people. I honestly don't believe what I am feeling is anxiety and I have numerous terrible experiences happen in my life that have never affected me..

What advice would you give me! Has anyone experienced anything like this before?
6 Responses
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620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  The other poster u asked about the cranial virus is not a chiari forum member and posted thinking this was a general neuro thread..sorry for ne confusion...ignore the post.

Oh I see, did they do ne additional testing on ur mom?.....those with HA's can have lesions....a LP and blood work would confirm.

I do know, there r many that have been on MS meds for yrs, and were later found to have chiari, so do be sure they do full testing to be sure.

Good luck
"selma"
Helpful - 0
1668345 tn?1303487580
Kor68,
What is a cramial virus and how do they check for it? And what do they do for it? And gaining weight isn't a huge issue for me I have been petite my whole life and have a very fast metablism. But I will try the milk and yogurt thing and let you know if it works!

Selma,
Yes they did do a brain MRI on my mom. She had lesions on her brain and she had been on Avonex for the past 7 years. I think they know she has it. But I am going to a nureoligst on Thurday so I will see what he thinks. But I may have to go to a Chairi specalist.
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER


Can I ask, did they do a Brain MRI on ur mom?...reason I ask is many times Chiari is misdx'd as MS...it can happen and some have both..so I wonder if ur mom was checked to see if she might also have chiari?

U could have ICP( intra cranial hypertension ) this could affect vision....but chiari can also affect vision....blurry,. floaters...etc....my Dr passed it off on my age, u r younger and always had an issue so, I would ask about getting a more in depth vision check up to see what may be going on, as for pressure on optic nerves etc....

Again since  ur herniation is a 3mm one, u will be classifies as chiari 0, only by chiari specialists...so u really need to find a DR.
  
  "selma"
Helpful - 0
1468453 tn?1303495615
Get them to check you for the cranial virus.
It is NOT the info on Google.
Your symptoms are similar, yet not all the same, as mine.
I was in 3rd yr university when mine hit. It was 2006. It put me in severe depression MDD and caused great havoc - such as complete memory loss (30 yrs of music) which has since returned 90%+. But I find I still have concentration issues. I have to try so hard to be organized and keep on top of things.
Motion/dizzy spells are also part of that.
Consider drinking 1 cup of whole milk at the start of the week. And not eat any low fat yogurts but the regular ones. This has helped me immensely. Watch portions of course or you'll gain weight, but, cranially, it has helped me tremendously.
Helpful - 0
1668345 tn?1303487580
Selma,

I have two titanium rods and srews in my back that go all the way up. They have tried to do an MRI before on it but nothing showed up because the metal in my back made it so no image showed up.

But my mom has MS and they don't think it is that but they have not done a contrast MRI so I dont know how they can tell... and they said I do not have Lymes, or Mono. I am not sure about Lupus or what that is.

But my vision has been bad my whole life and when I am zoning out my vision always goes blurry.  I also get sick way more often than most people. But I am also only 100lbs and 5'1 so doctors say I am dehydrated and mostly give me IVs when I am sick. But I drink a lot of water when I get sick so I don't know how I am dehydrated. I also do get migraines but I have not had one in about a year now.

But I went to the psychiatrist yesterday and they have me on lexapro right now because I got really depressed after all the doctors told me there was nothing wrong and yet I was always dizzy and disoriented. He just lowered my dose to 5mg and I don't feel as wierd as I did before. I think antidepressants have a weird affect on me. I felt like nothing was real. But I know I got depressed because of this sickness because I have never been depressed and I moved 11 times in my childhood, had to wear a back brace for 8 month, and had back surgery. So I strongly believe there is something more going on...
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

It is possible that u have what is called chiari 0, for some reason Drs feel the need to measure the herniation to determine if u have chiari or not when chiari is the malformation of the cerebellum part of the skull.Since they measure, most need a 5mm herniation to classify the herniation as chiari, and many do not recognize chiari 0, which is any herniation or obstruction less than 5mm.

What u need to find out next is, do u have a CSF obstruction? U would need a CINE MRI w/wo contrast.This is of the brain and cervical spine area so I do not think ur rods would impose a problem.

Speaking of ur rods, has neone of ur Drs checked to see if u developed scar tissue at ur surgical site?....DO u know if u have old MRI's to compare to see if the herniation was present b4 ur getting ill in Jan?

Many of us with chiari have had symptoms all our lives, but attributed them to other things, like the flu or school work...etc....or even as a normal sensation to activities since we have always had them.

Until u have further testing it is diff for ne of us to really say, but it is possible....nething is possible....all of us should have had testing to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms...some are- MS, Lupus, lymes, it is important to rule these out, so ur Dr can focus on what is really going on.

That said, there r not that many Drs that believe chiari can cause symptoms in the first place, so if u can get the report that says low lying tonsils, or chiari u can get into a true chiari specialist.

I am adding our list of Drs which was compiled by the members here of their own Drs, they only posted if they liked the Dr...and not all are true CHIARI specialists, and this is not a list to be suggested as a referral, but a means to help u start ur research to locate a Dr that is right for u.http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Chiari-Malformation/LIST-OF-CHIARI-SPECIALISTS/show/1503562

There are a few Drs in TX.....not sure if that is where u still are or want to go, but many of us do need to travel to get to a good Dr.

Good luck in ur search, keep posting updates : )
   "selma"
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