Newly Diagnosed

[cfallz05]

Hello everyone. I'm Cherie. It's my first time posting.

I'm newly diagnosed by my pcp. I was sent for an MRI last week for chronic headaches. I'm going into day 19 of the same headache. My MRI showed minimal sinus inflammation which I'm now on prednisone and z pack. It also showed a 4.5 mm chiari malformation.

I experience recurring headaches on a constant basis. Usually in the morning and they last about 2 hours after I get up. This is the first time I've had one that just doesn't go away. High doses of tylenol and advil allow me yo function at work, but by the end of the day, I'm done.

I have always had trouble sleeping , I'm always tired, and at times different sleeping positions bring on headaches or make them worse. I experience what I would consider apnea like episodes sometimes. I wake up gasping for air and can't breathe. My dad has sleep apnea and I have panic attacks. I have blamed it on attacks for years, but my waking panic attacks are much different.

I have tingling in my limbs and extremities. All right sided. Neck and shoulder pain that I always related to stress.

This ongoing headache is primarily located at the base of my skull and radiates forward. It Stops behind my right eye. Sometimes it feels like my eye is going to pop out. I had to get glasses last year for what was diagnosed as an astigmatism in my right eye. I notice changes with the intensity of headaches.

A lot of symptoms that I've read about, I've had for years and they have gotten worse and in the last month everything is getting worse. It's starting to affect my normal activities.

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum,

Many of the symptoms you listed can be considered Chiari or Chiari related...in that it is also possible for you to have a related condition to Chiari....many related conditions also have the same symptoms so more testing will need to be done....you will want to rule out related and non related conditions with similar symptoms...such as the non related MS, Lymes, and Lupus...related, Syringomyelia,tethered cord, sleep apnea, ICP, POTS, disk issues ....and most important is to rule out a CSF obstruction....

Then you will want to research NS's as a reg NS is not the best for this condition...you will want a true Chiari specialist.

Many Drs do not feel Chiari can be symptomatic and even some NS's will not even consider you have Chiari with a herniation below a certain size...many feel 5mm or larger and some want them to be even larger, the problem with this is Chiari is not the herniation, but the malformation of the skull which causes the herniation to occur....Then it is a matter of if you have a CSF obstruction or not as this can cause more symptoms then a herniation without a blockage.

Know you are not alone.....educate yourself on Chiari and the related conditions ....we will do our best to help you understand how to deal with this.

[daviddorris911]

http://csfinfo.bmobilized.com/?task=get&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcsfinfo.org%2Feducation%2F

Check out this ink for good reading material

[cfallz05]

I work for an endocrinologist 40hrs a week, but also volunteer for a local rescue, DJ on weekends, sing I a caberet and help out a friend at her restaurant as needed. I can barely get through work, let alone anything else. I'm honestly miserable. It's not just the pain, but I'm a people person. I love all my extra stuff and I can't do it...

I'm waiting on a call to have a consult with a neurosurgeon, but haven't heard anything yet.

Wondering if this sounds like a typical chiari issue? What I can do to function or relieve pain. What kind of treatment options. Etc.

Thanks!
(Sorry, my phone is a bit crazy and posted before I finished my message)