Info on MRI I missed & vision problem 2 parter

[xmelax35]

Part 1: Hello all! It has been a little while since I have posted last. I have been feeling much worse (as you know, Selma, I have been getting worse as time goes on). Anyway, as some of you know Dr. Di dx me with having Cerebellar Ptosis and a type of tethered cord. (I have many many symptoms).And of course I have Chiari and have had prior surgery for it.(that is a recap)

Anyway, I was just looking at my office notes/and test results. I had brain CT & lumbar, cervical and thorasic MRI's. I just read that the one says:

straightening of the cervical lordosis with multidisk desiccation and disk buldging most advanced at C2-3.

What does this mean? Can it account for the pain in my arm & upper back & make my chiari worse?? What exactly is it and should I have it taken care of?

Okay that is part one of this post. Now for part 2: Vision question: Can the Chiari or Cerebellar Ptosis, or whatever that last thing above is cause my vision to become much much worse? I went to the optometrist a few weeks ago and she said that my vision hasn't changed much between years past but she said since my last eye exam that it is 4 times worse! I was shocked - I mean I knew it was worse but not that much (I thought it was because I was wearing an old prescription etc..). So she thought something was going on for it to be so much worse. She said she is no neurosurgeon but she thought something was going on there and to see mine.

[xmelax35]

My mri results, lol. I just typed in words from it and saw several things on that...mixed in with everything. Then went to some site that had a doctor answering questions and saw some similar but not exact problems and they said something like be checked for that...and then something on there somewhere on another question about a connective tissue disorder. I just stumbled on to this stuff. and I put all kinds or words in like Chiari and my results.

[selmaS]

  Well that is interesting....what were u looking up, if I may ask?


          "selma"

[xmelax35]

I wasn't tested for it, that i know of. I have had sooo many tests. Pretty sure that wasn't one of them though. I don't think Dr. Di thought I had it. Ironically, I was on the internet looking something up about one of my tests and that kept coming up in the search. Not sure why.

[selmaS]

I posted a reply to this and now see it is not here....hmmmmmmmmm some weird glitch!!

  I posted asking if u were tested for EDS...the reason I asked this is bcuz of ur allergy to meds...this is common in those with EDS....something to ask the Dr .

I had a few meds I was given and used post op for my ankle surgery and was fine, but when I had knee surgery I had a reaction to the same meds...it is something I had no idea about at the time the EDS or the allergies...but the more I meet with EDS we all share this issue with meds.

I am also having the vision issues and I do not see it with the med u listed...so, mayb it is not from my meds and from the EDS or chiari...but, I am going to keep checking to I at least limit the possibilities : )

    "selma"

[xmelax35]

I am on Treximet (I only get 6 pills a month) toprol (for the POTS) and vicodin (but I am not prescribed much at all).  I am allergic to so many meds that it is not funny. Ironically OSU hospital and my local hospital - although I do not go to them for pain releif treat me as if I am a drug seeker...when I went for the worst headache of my life. They gave me a med that is for stomach issues - reglan - how stupid is that?! I was allergic to it too. I was given so much benedryl over the course of that night/the next morning that it was awful. They must have thought I was lying and gave me all these meds (non-narcotic) that i told them I was allergic to and (w/o telling me what they were giving me) and I had hives/itching/rashes and on a few of them I felt as if I was crawling out of my skin and couldn't sit still.


Made me mad they didn't listen to me. They found out first hand I wasn't lying. Still for the worst headache of my life I should have been given pain relief.  But anyway, I am only on 3 meds right now. These are the same meds I was on for the last few years that my eye sight remained the same as the past. :) :)

[selmaS]

  Right back at u...I am glad u r here, but not glad y u r here....

  U will get answers with Dr Rosner...he is very good, and has spent a lot of time and effort in researching chiari.....I am sure u will get the proper help and relief.

  Know that u said u went to Dr Di know I remember....I tend to forget sometimes who saw which dr...the chiari I guess....lol....it helps when u reminds me : )

  What meds are u on right now...I did some research and TOPAMAX and a few other meds can cause Dry eyes, and that can cause vision to be blurry, eyes to water, get red...have a discharge....be pasted shut in the AM.....but the fact it affects vision and it can be from meds we r on,,,makes me so mad....

SO do look at meds and side effects...and look at symptoms of dry eyes....I had no idea!!!

          "selma"

[xmelax35]

Hi Selma! I saw Dr. Di. However since he is not getting into a practice anytime soon as far as I know. I have my packet of office notes and a long letter (re-capping my email to Dr. Rosner) ready to go to Dr. Rosner - I have my cd's and all. I told him I did not want to come all the way there if he could not help me. In the letter I advocated for myself. Easier on paper than actually speaking up most the time in person. But I wanted to do it ahead of time.

Anyway, I hope he can do my surgeries for me. I appreciate your reply! I wondered about that eye thing for sure. I thought that it might have something to do with it. My eye sight has never changed that drastically before. I know age is not a factor in it, because my moms and rest of family has never had theirs change so much over years. I wore my contacts all the time so I know that it was not me not wearing them that made it worse.

I need to tell Dr. Rosner (add to the letter that I am worse with my eyesight too and there is no other explaination.)

Thanks for everything and I am sooo glad you are on this forum! I am glad to know you through here.

[selmaS]

Hi...it has been a while...have u had surgery to repair the ptosis yet?...have they confirmed the tethered cord?....If u have TC, and have PFD it can make things worse, plus u have ptosis...it stands to reason u would be feeling worse...and I imagine that u have pressure building that could be also affecting ur vision.

Is ur NS a chiari specialist? I would expect them to check all this and be able to take care of it as well....I am not sure what ur Drs r waiting on.

   "selma"