Chiair symptoms increaced again (right sided)?

[dermarfx]

Hello everyone....
  I continue to try my best to deal with the many symptoms of Chiari,also recovering from diskectomy,with hardware.

  Most all of my pain and problems are on the right side of my body.
   1 week ago I ended up at a emergency room, with extreme back pain in the center of my shoulder blades, mostly the pain is and was on my right side,the Doctor I saw suggested he do extensive x-rays to rule out something like a tumor....etc.
     I go see my PCP tomorrow, to hear what he has to say concerning th18 panels of x-rays that they took that night.

   I wake everyday with the same really bad head pain, this has been 20 % better after the neck surgery,this pain feels like someone is squeezing my head from the base of the right side of my skull to above my eye and also ear,temple.
   The longer I am active or awake this pain continues down the right side of my neck with a stabbing feeling on the right side of my spine between shoulder blades.
      with a burning sensation down the right side of my tricep to my elbow,at each joint this pain gets worse and crippling,also continues all the way to my wrist on the right side of my wrist.Burning and tingling at the same time....

I feel hopeless, I have had the surgery (c 5-6 discectomy hardware..etc)that kept me from working last winter,
    I feel not enough better...to work.
  When I can work, if I have one good day meaning busy and long, for 2-3 days the pain is intensified and keeps me at home unable to work.

Honestly I feel punished for doing anything that involves moving......sad to say.....

  Please any good questions to ask my PCP in the morning would be a blessing, I do not know how long I can feel this way,the idea of surgery doesn't bother me, the missing work and loosing everything I have including my home, is devastating........thanks for lending a ear, and for any thoughts and or suggestions.........russell

  

[*Stormy*]

Hi Russell,

I find it very interesting that you have an osteophyte at the same place that I do and that we both experience the same type of pain that runs down our arm. The pain was so bad in my back that I thought for sure that I was having a heart attack or something. Do you get pain in the front at your breast bone? Sometimes I get that too and then my whole left side stiffens up and it is painful to move or breathe. After the decompression surgery, I have felt that this is a little better and now is triggered by things that I do (or overdo). I am sure that having extreme pressure around the spinal cord was aggravating the effects of the osteophyte.

Hopefully this new batch of tests with give you some answers and they can get on with the rest of your treatment!

Keep us posted
Carolyn

[selmaS]

Hey Russell,

Keep me posted.....and do ask for copies of  the MRI and the reports when u check in for the studies...this way u can send it off for other opinions.

"selma"

[dermarfx]

Will do Selma, thanks again...
  The NS called and set the date in stone for the MRI with contrast and without....I pray to god, that he will bless this man to notice what the problem is that is continuing to plague my everyday life.
Selma I hope your day is blessed, I will continue to post, and hope everyone gets better everyday........Russell

[selmaS]

No worries Russell.....yes flares can seem to bring many new symptoms and with much stronger intensity too!


.......do keep us posted on how u r doing.....

"selma"

[dermarfx]

Selma, thanks so much for the encouraging information...
I am starting to get tingeling feet as well.
I tell ya once you get in the grips of a flair, it just seems to continue to make symptoms arise.....thanks sincerely for your reply........Russell

[selmaS]

Hi Russell,

Contrast does indeed help the NS see more...it "lights" up the smaller areas ...plus once u have a dx, they can take diff angles to see what could possibly be going on.

Scar tissue can develop after surgery.....an x-ray will not show soft tissue, but can show ne calcium deposits that may form.

The MRI w/contrast is one that all chiarians do get...even the CINE MRI is with contrast.

I am so sorry u r still in such pain and I am sending prayers teh drs can see something to benefit u on these new MRI's.

"selma"

[dermarfx]

Helo everyone,
a little update from this post....

I went to see my PCP, he read m the radioligy report....

He said first off I should see the NS, that did my surgery again, and that the radioligy report shows a Oseophite that is leval c5-c6 and is inpinging and agrivating the nerve root.

I have been put on Prednisone,and a loner lasting pain med.

  I got lucky, and have been able to see the NS 2 days after my appt.
    The NS said.........
He has reviewed the x rays, and that this head pressure/pain could be 1 of several things
one the obvious chiari 1 malformation, that he diagnosed,or another disc herniation.

I am being Scheduled for a MRI with and without contrast,of my Head,shoulders and complete c-spine.

  This will b my first (with contrast) MRI,
Does anyone know if this will help , show more???
I ask because for one year I have been recovering from my neck surgery.
      My pain level is threw the roof, and I am feeling exactly the same as last year, I try to work,

   when I work very hard at all I suffer almost bed riddeen for several days...
  I am once again at the end of my rope.
      My PCP, has suggested that I file for disability.........I feel utterly hopeless, any help and or suggestion, I would consider a blessing........thanks for any help.........russell

[dermarfx]

Tina, thanks, for your reply....
   I hope to get what is sencable out with my PCP, he is a great man, my app t. was rescheduled for Wed (tomorrow)....
Im just not sure what can be seen on a exray, I wish I knew what to search for on the net, this would help me ask questions.............thanks a ton,..russell

[dpulum]

Russell,

I didn't have the kind of headaches you are describing, but I did have the disc surgery at 5 & 6 done at the same time as my decompression.  My doc told me that it would be near impossible to tell which of my symptoms came from CM or the disc issue, so it would be fairly pointless to have one surgery without the other.  I had a huge herniation though, it was 21mm, so I don't know if that matters.  I had to wear the not-so-lovely neckbrace and all of that, I was off work for a total of 8 weeks after the 2 surgeries, but I was ready to go back to work at that point.  I think the majority of the recovery time was from the disc issue, most people aren't off work for that long after the decompression surgery.  

I think I would be asking for more info on any complicators going with the CM and have them make sure your discs are still where they are supposed to be.

Sorry I'm not more help.  

Tina

[dermarfx]

any ideas???

[dermarfx]

One more question, will these "extensive )ex-rays, show anything concerning disc,shrinx....anything??....