flying with chiari symptoms

[alexiwildchild]

hey everyone! hope all is well and the weekend is going good!

well, i'm just curious to see if flying causes symptoms of chiari to "ramp up" or get worse after flying for a few days after or if any issues at all.  i am hoping to catch a flight out to California in Oct to visit some friends, but I'm worried that it will make my symptoms worse for the time I'm there.  Mostly the disequilibrium, dizziness being my biggest fear.

If any of you have flown and have or not had issues, please let me know what you think.  I just don't want to get off the plane and feel horrible while I'm there.  I haven't flown since my symptoms started 2 years ago, so it's all gonna be a big "if".

thanks for any ideas on this :)

[Zipperhead0609]

I actually grew up in Corsicana and in Allen, so I know EXACTLY where Waco is!

I never showed any symptoms until I moved back up to NY, so I've never seen a NS in Texas, however, we do know Medical City of Dallas has specialists who deal with Chiari, so if something goes wrong while I'm down there, that is where we are going!

I'm pretty nervous about flying, however, we are getting me special help to switch gates and stuff so I don't have to worry about it!!

[alexiwildchild]

WOW!!! that's amazing!! how is your recovery going?? i do hope all is well with you with that!!  Dallas, huh?!? i actually live about an hour and a half away from there in waco haha!  got any good specialists ya know of there lol?!  i like my neurosurgeon--granted i've only seen him once so far, but i just want to have plenty of options if it comes down to surgery.

anyways, please do let me know how your trip goes for you and i just wonder if it would affect you less now that you've had this surgery?!?! i guess there are just no guarantees with this chiari junk! ahh!!

good luck to you and i hope you are improving every day :D

[Zipperhead0609]

i still fly to be honest...i'm 5 weeks post op today with a revision, and I'm flying in about 2 weeks from Albany to Dallas, staying for a week, flying back to Albany, and then going back to Dallas in mid August.

Dallas is where most of my family is, so I'd rather see them and deal with the pain, then sit at home.

Take off and landing are the worst for me...(I've always hated landing, though...)  just the major pressure changes and stuff really get to me.

[alexiwildchild]

hey ya'll! thnx for the addt'l info with this! i had no idea about the pilot thing--geez!! well, the last time i've flown was a year before my symptoms started.  i've been flying my whole life, and i just have a little issue with taking off and landing....and nerves lol. but usually have had no "real" issue.  i just wonder why it wouldn't have really affected me all these years, or if it will only cause a problem for some people only after the become symptomatic??

i'm nervous to do it, and now a little more so. AHH! but i don't wanna miss hangin with my friends, they don't live in america and will only be in cali for a few days...so idk what to do!  

[Zipperhead0609]

i've flown a few times since being DXed and my first surgery, and I feel really out of it for a few days after flying...just headaches and feel off balance and stufff....

[Shane99]

I would recommend against it. Chiari (or more specifically syringomyelia) affects the CSF flow - that can be affected by differances in pressure.

I know different people are affected different ways and some people aren't bothered at all. But what if you're one that it does? I'm not trying to scare you, but I know that you can't become a pilot if you have Chiari, so . . .

[alexiwildchild]

thanks for the input ladies!! i guess i'll just have to bite the bullet, as they say and do it.  i'm just so afraid that i would feel horrible the whole time i'm there---even though it's for a few days.  i guess i just have to try!!

thnx again :D  hope for a great week ahead for everyone!

[selmaS]

Hi...I did fly several times prior to my dx......no problems....until Jan '08 I went to Guatemala and had a strange feeling below my left knee...ever since then I had numbness....and on the flight home I had a bad time with the landing.

The only thing different is a yr earlier I had a drop attack and had injuries from that.
I was also waiting the results of my MRI's.....I found out in Feb of 08 I had chiari.

I would say it all depends on ur symptoms at the time....and remember even a bumpy car ride can affect u ....and there can be turbulance in the air.

"selma"

[tbissell]

Well I do not know if I have Chairi but I fly about 6 times a year since about 3 years ago and my vision thing remains the same.