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selmaS

Dec 01, 2011

To: stacella68

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

This is a diff question to answer as it all depends on u, and how ur body responds to surgery if u do indeed have surgery and meds....some that have this surgery are able to go back to work with minimal restrictions, while others are not able to go back to work....

Do u know if u have ne related conditions?...ie- a syrinx, tethered cord, disk issues, ICP, sleep apnea, EDS, CSF obstruction and or overcrowding?

  These are all important, and I urge u to  get a few opinions b4 u decide to move forward with surgery as it is not a cure or fix, just a means to slow progression and restore flow.

U want to get the advice of a true chiari specialist...we do have a list here of the members Drs, and the list is not meant as a referral...just a means to help u get started with ur research to locate the dr that is right for u.

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Neurological%20Disorders/DOCTORS-LIST-FOR-CHIARI-SYRINGOMYELIA/show/1062?cid=186

   "selma"

stacella68

Dec 01, 2011

i have blockage csf

selmaS

Dec 01, 2011

To: stacella68

Well that is one reason along with what symptoms u r having and how it is impacting ur overall health.

As I mentioned, be sure to see a few well experienced chiari drs b4 u schedule surgery unless u have a medical emergency that would prevent the time of further research....

"selma"

threecutemice

Dec 02, 2011

To: Selma

Hi there.
We have a 27 month old little boy named Noah.  When he was born we almost lost him.  He birthed so fast that there was no dr present and he came out head first with the cord wrapped so tight around his neck 3 times, he flipped heels over head and landed on his face.  I was in the hospital but was not being listened to that i had to push.  Anyways.  He was unresponsive and didn't breathe for the first 20 mins of his life.  He required oxygen and 2 shots of narcan before he was responsive.  We noticed right away that something was not right with his eyes.. They were very large. We had many days of problems with his blood sugars in the hospital and had a hard time with feedings.  Went home to discover that he was severly tongue tied and required his tongue clipped.  He still even then could not suck after the clipping.  I was unable to breast feed him and had to give him a bottle where the milk would just pour into his mouth as he could not suck for the life of him.. The drs were not worried.  We also then found out as we had learned the sound from our first son (apnea and squeaky breathing) that he had tracheomalasia.  He was otherwise a happy, handsome baby.  When milestones were supposed to be getting reached and they were passing by the drs were still not concerned.  He was not able to start solid stage one baby food till he was 11 months.  Could not hold his head up at all until he was 8 months old.  We then finally got an apt with a neuro at childrens here in vancouver, bc.  They wanted to do an mri so we waited for the call. Could not sit till he was 14 months old.  Did not stand untill he was 22 months old and started walking at 25 months. We then got the mri done and was told he had a chiari one. That was the only info we were given and told we would be contacted by a ns and have heard nothing since. He can not eat much of a variety of food.  Yogurt, cheese, soft bread, bananas, mush food only.  He chokes on everything if its not mush. He still has a hard time walking and falls alot.  Hits his head often.  He doesnt talk well but understands.  He sleeps ALOT.  Wakes at 9am and eats and is asleep again by 10am, sleeps till 1pm eats and plays till 3pm and sleeps again until 5pm, eats and plays till 7pm and puts himself back to bed and stays there.  He complains of owie head often and has days where he has a hard time walking and has a few events of standing and falling over and not being able to walk at all for an hour or two.  He drools like a leaky faucet. And he is tiny.  He weighs 20 lbs soaking wet.  His 7 month old sister is 25lbs.  He is starting to get nosebleeds and I have no idea if this has anything to do with the chiari but i am getting scared.  Here in canada it takes forever to get anywhere.  He is a good natured sweet boy but throws tantrums on bad days and bangs his head and acts like a totally different child on his bad days.  Any advice or information I should know would be appreciated.  Thank you.

Andrea

selmaS

Dec 02, 2011

To: threecutemice

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

It sounds like ur and ur DS have been thru quite a bit already...and it does not seem fair that such an innocent child has to suffer like that.

It sounds like he has brain stem compression, that explains the gagging, swallowing issues, and the other developmental delays.

We do have a list of Chiari specialists for Canada, not sure if they are in ur area or how u can go about getting into one, but they are worth looking into.

Always research the drs....educate urself so u know what the Drs should be looking for and doing to help ur DS.

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Chiari-Malformation/CHIARI-DRS-LIST-CANADA/show/1270605

  Make sure they rule out a syrinx in all areas of the spine, cervical, thoracic and lumbar....u also want to rule out sleep apnea, tethered cord, ehlers-danlos, ICP, CSf obstruction , overcrowding,and a few others but this is a good start....make sure u  ask that the NS is experienced with pediatric Chiari patients.

  The nose bleeds could be a sinus issue that can be associated with chiari...but do have him checked to make sure.

  The mood changes on bad days is not uncommon for those with chiari, at different ages it is dealt with as  best we can communicate, he can not, so the temper and banging his head is his way to tell u what is wrong.

  Try to let ur DS walk around barefoot as much as possible as balance issues is a Chiari thing and walking barefoot gives a better connection with the floor....

  Once u find the right Dr for ur DS u will see such a big difference in how he is treated and how he feels.

  I hope this is helpful...we are always happy to welcome new members, but never happy for the reasons that bring them.

    "selma"

threecutemice

Dec 02, 2011

To: selma

Noah can not wear shoes. If I put shoes on him he just trips and falls and cries. He is almost barefoot at all times or he has socks with grippers or he wears robeeze slippers so he can feel his feet. Also all the things you asked me to ask the dr about..can you go more into detal about what they are? Thanks.

selmaS

Dec 02, 2011

To: threecutemice

  Sure- a syrinx, is a cyst that can form on the spinal cord, it is a sac that fills with CSF fluid and most likely forms as a result of a CSF obstruction.A syrinx is primarily looked for in the cervical spine, but those with Chiari are known to have them in the thoracic and lumbar spine as well.

Sleep apnea- is when a person is awakened gasping for breathe ....it is something to be concerned about and do make sure he is tested...many with chiari have sleep disturbances....but to stop breathing is not good,.

  Tethered Cord- is where the spinal cord and spinal column fuse at one point the spinal cord is not able to stretch and hang loose like it should as it is very tight...and can cause bladder issues, lower back pain as well as leg pain....

Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome- is a connective tissue disorder...the  tissues that hold our joints in place are too lax, we can be hypermoble or double jointed with joint pain, easy bruising, and slow to heal...there are many types of EDS so this also need to be checked b4 ne surgery as it can affect recovery.

ICP- intercranial hypertension..also known as pusedotumor cerebri.....this is an excess amount of CSF, the body either over produces it or can not absorb it and it creates pressure.

CSF obstruction- CSF = cerebral spinal fluid...obstruction= blockage...this can be from the cerebral tonsils herniatining and blocking flow or a bulging disk can also block CSF.This will create the same pressure as ICP.

overcrowding- this can be the tonsils compressing the brain stem, and can also be the odontoid bone being retroflexed(turned the wrong way) making the opening at the foreman magnum smaller, and creating a CSF obstruction.

  I am glad to hear ur DS goes barefoot as it is best for him with the balance issues...

andge

Aug 20, 2012

To: all

Hi my name is Andrea,I have been suffering symptoms of chiari malformation for as long as I can remember.Severe spontaneous vertigo,brain fog all the time,confusion,severe neck pain on left side,constant pain at base of skull,uneven pupil size,facial pain,jackhammer in ears,constantly digging to find the right words to come out,the list goes on.I did not know anything about chiari or had even heard of it.Quite by accident my mother who is 58 had an mri,for something unrelated to this.They found a chiari malformation,even though she has never had any symptoms.She insisted I go to my doctor,knowing how much I have suffered for the last 13 years,and push for an mri.I am now 36,and 2 months ago I found out that I too have a malformation of 6.5.After years of feeling like I was not normal I finally have an answer.Good news or bad news at least I know i'm not crazy.Been waiting 2 months to see a neurologist,not fair.

selmaS

Aug 20, 2012

To: andge

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Many times those with Chiari do not recognize symptoms as they always have had them and adjust to them, and they may never worsen.....and not all with chiari have a CSF obstruction....so not all r surgical candidates.

Please be sure to be tested for all related conditions and issues, and get in to see a true chiari specialist...and make sure th eNL is also well experienced with this as well,

Know that u r not alone : )

mjdm0118

Sep 19, 2012

To: all

my daughter has been experiencing severe teeth pain randomly for 4 years. i had taken her to the dentist, and pediatrition several times for it, with no answers. she is now 8 years old and has been having random severe headaches sometimes being woken up from sleep screaming in pain. i took her back to her doctor thinking she was having migraines.( however i did think it was weird that the headaches didnt last that long) they gave her an mri which came back with a 6mm cerebellar tonsillar ectopia. im going to see a neurosurgeon in a few weeks. since learning about all of this, so much makes sense now. she has always been very clumsy, falling down often. she still cannot ride a bike because her balance is so off. she is very weak. she complains of having to carry pretty much anything because its too heavy. ive always just thought she was lazy, and pushed for her to be more active. she is always tired. one night stands out in my head, a few months ago we went to the planaterium and our heads were looking up the entire time. she kept complaining that her hands were tingling. didn't think anything at all of it at the time, but now realize why. i guess the only question i have right now is will her symptoms get worse in time?

selmaS

Sep 19, 2012

To: mjdm0118

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

I am so sorry ur little one is having to deal with this and u along with her...it is not an easy journey to take.

Please make sure u see a few NS's b4 u consider surgery and make sure the surgeon is a true chiari specialist it makes a huge diff.
Also make sure u ask if they work with pediatric patients, not all will or do.

And make sure they test her for related issues including sleep apnea since she is waking she could be waking as a result of not being able to breath and not know how to communicate that....or be aware that is what is waking her....do have her tested.

In addition to sleep apnea testing for POTS, ICP, tethered cord, ehlers-danlos, syringomyelia, disk issues, thyroid, vitamin levels all should be tested.

We have a list of Drs posted that other members here have been to and liked, it is not a referral, it is just a means to help u start ur research...pediatric Drs r not noted on the list (sorry).

If u need ne help navigating the site please let us know : )

mjdm0118

Sep 19, 2012

To: selmaS

thank you. ive been reading all these posts from everybody, and seems very helpful. there is the chiari walk across america this saturday that i am going to and can talk to others there as well. this all just happened last friday so its all very new to me. i havent told her yet whats going on because i want to make sure i know for sure whats happening. but again thank you so much, this has all been very hepful

selmaS

Sep 19, 2012

To: mjdm0118

I am so glad u have a walk near u....last yr and this yr there is not one in my area...and this is the 5th yr for this walk.....

Getting to meet others with this is the best experience, and doing something positive like participate in the walk is great !

Please let us know how it goes : )

shar475

Sep 19, 2012

hi my son was diagnosed with chiari 1 malformation when he was 16 months old. he has had surgery for it and also a teethered cord. he still has a sack of fluid on his spine. he also had heel cord surgery shortly after. he was born with a club foot and during the process of taking care of it and nothing was changing they finally gave the mri and it was found. then he started with his symptoms again to find out that his venicles were filling up. to this day they still dont know why it did that. he is 6 now. also after his chiari surgury he started with the stare seizures. they were bad when he was younger. he fell down the stairs and off of chairs. im wondering if it is related to the chiari? he goes to see a neuroligist ever year. hes not on any medication. and so far nothing has changed. i am wondering if anyone is aware of a support group around rochester,new york?

selmaS

Sep 19, 2012

To: shar475

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

In reading ur post I am not sure what surgeries ur DS has had to date...if I have this right, he had the Chiari decompression surgery, and some sort of  heel surgery most likely to lengthen the cord?

If he does have tethered cord he will continue to have issues with balance and other symptoms especially as he grows.

By sack of fluid , do u mean a syrinx?

When was his last MRI?

There have been enuff that have had seizures so it could very well be Chiari....the falls he has  had r not good for  his condition and u may want to try to explain to him how he has to be xtra careful.

As Chiarians we all tend to fall,....so that is to be expected....and hard to avoid but if he is made aware he may not put himself in a situation where he may be at  the top of the steps alone....etc....

  With a DX of Chiari has he been to a NS in the last few yrs to see if there r  ne changes? Do they do MRI's each yr? Do u get copies?

  There r Chiari groups in NY not sure what area'a tho...

nurseling07

Sep 19, 2012

Just from my own experience, I was diagnosed several years ago with a 5mm herniation. I recently started having more symptoms, pain is worse along with some slurred speech and gettin strangled drinking quite often. I had a repeat MRI which showed I am now at 9mm. Selma has repeatedly informed us that size is not always significant... I would definitely be persistent...

mjdm0118

Sep 19, 2012

To: nurseling07

how often do they reccomend getting mri's done if they do not treat with surgery?

candy6129

Oct 05, 2012

I HAVE ARONALD CHIARI 1 I HAD MY SURGERY 10YEARS AGO OVER THE LAST 4MONTHS MY VISION IS GOING BAD MY EYS HURT ALL THE TIME AND I JUST DO NOT FEEL GOOD. I HAVE HAD A WONDERFUL OUTCOME BUT LIKE OVER NIGHT IT HAS GOT WORSE ANY INPUT WILL HELP?

selmaS

Oct 05, 2012

To: candy6129

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

May I ask when was ur last mri?  It is possible that u have scar tissue that developed or u have other related issues...have u been to a Dr?

  When u were first dx'd did they rule out related conditions like a syrinx, disk issues, tethered cord, sleep apnea, ehlers-danlos, ICP, POTS?

tee_ya

Oct 08, 2012

Hi, I have recently been diagnosed with a 15 mm cerebellar tonsil herniation that is consistent with Type 1 Arnold Chiari Malformation I also have Super Canal dehisence in both ears. Needless to say I am in rough shape! I have extreme vertigo, pain in the back of my head and I walk like I am drunk..I now have a cane to help me with my balance. My vision is messed up and I have bad hip pain..umm is the hip pain related to this>> I don't know much about it, I was diagnosed with this from another dr in the States and I am waiting for my dr to clarify this.. I was wonder, does anyone know if there is a Chiari dr in Winnipeg Manitoba?

THackley

Oct 08, 2012

Hello all! Just thought I'd stop in and say hi. I'm new to the forum and have CM I with 7-8 mm tonsils. Also, my cervical spine is completely reversed! HA... you'd never know it from the outside but boy is that strange. So anyway, I have degenerative disc disease in my thorasic and lumbar spine too. I vomit A LOT, have ridiculous headaches that come on in a flash and all of the numbness and crazy tingling. Also, I don't know it it's common but I have serious bouts of burning. Like really SUPER intense burning; almost like someone is holding a cigarette on you. Anyone else have that? What about strange itching sensations but not being able to pin-point them? I feel like a crazy person when I describe my symptoms to my Dr. and maybe he thinks I AM a crazy person. Who knows..... All I know is that I'm getting crappy care and don't have a whole lot of options in my small town. :( Oh and Social security is a joke!

selmaS

Oct 09, 2012

To: tee_ya

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

We do have a list of Drs in Canada that the members here from there have used, and liked, the list is NOT a referral but is here for u to use to research Drs......use this link to go to the Health Pages to access the Drs list for Canada - http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/list?cid=186

Ur symptoms r similar to what many of us have dealt with and deal with daily...even the hip pain as many of us do have related conditions like Ehlers-Danlos which affects the joints...so do make sure ur Drs rule out all related conditions b4 u consider surgery as these related conditions can affect how u feel and heal post op.

selmaS

Oct 09, 2012

To: THackley

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Finding the right Dr is key....and as I suggested to the above new poster that using the list of Drs we have in the Health Pages can help u with a starting point in researching Drs...as I mentioned these lists r not meant as a referral...just as help in getting started. http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/list?cid=186

There r Drs listed for CA in the Kaiser system.....and please note u may have to travel to get to a dr well experienced with Chiari and related conditions.

With some of the symptoms u mentioned it is possible u have a syrinx...so do be sure they rule that out by doing MRI's on ur complete spine not just ur cervical spine.

And speaking of the cervical spine and having a reversal of the lordosis, I wondered if u were ever in a MVA? WHip lash can cause this to happen....and I had it too, this can cause much of the pain and issues u r dealing with as well.....so do make sure they check u for all related issues and try to treat some of these issues to see if some of ur symptoms lessen.

THackley

Oct 09, 2012

To: selmaS

Thank you thank you! That was more information than I've ever heard out of any of my Dr's mouths. I've said it before and I'll say it again, thank God for forums and people with keen insight. Man.... I would be lost without you guys!

selmaS

Oct 09, 2012

To: THackley

No worries...I hope u find the right Dr....do keep us posted on ur search!!

Good Luck

tee_ya

Oct 17, 2012

To: selmaS

Thank you for your reply..still trying to get my ENT to get moving on this and send me to a proper dr for this.

selmaS

Oct 17, 2012

To: tee_ya

Keep us posted : )

cfinniss9

Oct 27, 2012

has anyone experienced episodes where all of a sudden it feels like your brain is buzzing and you get very weird sensation and feel like you are ready to pass out then feels like blood totally drains out of you from head down then feel confused for few minutes after. Very scary.
i used to get these episodes before my Brain Compression Surgery and they went away post surgery but now they have returned...let me know if any of you have experienced this.

selmaS

Oct 27, 2012

To: cfinniss9

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

I did have issues similar to that b4 I had surgery...not so much post op ne more.....I did have drop attacks, but there is no warning ahead of time with those.....

Have u had a MRI post op? How long since u had ur surgery? It is possible to have scar tissue or a related issue that may be causing this.....

When u had surgery, what all was done? Do u know if ur dura was open and u had a dura patch?Did u have a laminectomy?

Lastly, was the NS a chiari specialist? And what has ur Dr said about this flare of symptoms?

cfinniss9

Oct 28, 2012

To: selmaS

hi Selma thank you for you quick response i appreciate it.  i was diagnosed Oct. 2008 with Chiari with 7mm tonsils and severe CSF flow problems and the severe Chiari headaches.   i had my decompression surgery Jan. 2009.  Many of my symptoms went away for about 3 months then little by little they began to come back.  My CSF fluid was flowing better but still had disruption of flow to certain areas of my brain and still have crowding in the foraman magnum area.  i had my surgery at St. Joseph hospital in Syracuse NY by Dr. Craig Montgomery.  he did a craniectomy and lamenectomy but did not open my dura.  he told me that if the first surgery did not help me then i could get a second surgery where they open the dura and sew a patch in it making more space for CSF flow.  I have not had the second surgery where they open my dura because they cannot guarentee that it will help me and said it can even make me worse off than i am. my symptoms now include severe neck and shoulder pain, Chiari headaches when i do activities getting my heart rate above 130, when i strain, when i cough hard, when i lift heavy objects and when i sit in one position too long such as staying on the computer too long or just sit still in one position too long.  i have to be able to move around a lot and change my positions or get up and walk around etc. i have tingling in hands, lower legs and feet all the time and depending on what i am doing feet go numb such as if i walk for a while they go numb or pins and needle so severe and very painful.  i have face pain, burning sensations lower legs feet shoulders and down arms on and off. pulsetile tinnitus and loud ringing in ears also.  unsteadiness - loose balance a lot sometimes just standing and i tip over.  i experience the episodes i explained in my last post where it feels like brain starts buzzing and i feel as thought i am passing out - feels like brain is short circuiting.
have problems with slurring of speech and forming words on and off.
Concentration problems and sensitivity to loud sounds.
eye problems - blurring, flashing lights (fireflies) and the muscles in my thighs in my legs weaken on and off making it difficult to do stares when this happens.
i have Graves disease, Osteoarthritis in all my joints, degenerative disc disease in c-spine and lumbar spine causing a lot of pain and bulging discs in c-spine.  i have Fibromyolgla, and GIRD.
I am on Tramadol for pain, Lyrica for Fibro, Celebrex for Osteo, Omeprzole for GIRD, Ametriptyline low dose for headaches, and helps me sleep better.  flexerall ad bed times so muscles will relax. estradiol very low dose because i had a total hysterectomy in 2000.
I also use topical pain cream on shoulders and neck when i am in a big flare up. Levoxyl for hypothyroidism because they did RAI treatment to kill part of my thyroid because of the Graves disease (hyperthyroidism) which pushed me into hypothyroidism.  i still get flare ups on and off with the Graves disease.

anyway pretty much feel like a mess.  but the meds help a lot.  they make it so i can at least function daily.  I can't do the things i used to be able to do but i can at least function.  off the meds i cannot even function.
so that about sums it up.  i have been considering going to the Chiarra center in Long Island as the doctors here do not know very much about Chiari and do not seem to understand all the symptoms that can come with Chiari besides the headaches also because i am having bladder issues and was worried about tethered cord but doctors did MRI of lumbar spine and said they did not feel i had tethered cord and i am seeing a urologist who did the test to decide if i had Neurogenic bladder and he did the test and says i do not have that even though i have most of the symptoms of Neurogenic bladder and he wants to do a procedure (surgery) to help prevent loss of urine.  but i have not decided to let him do this yet.
anyway that about sums it up - I am functioning by taking my meds and doing my stretches and neck excercises and being careful what i do being careful not to overdo it or i end up in bed.  i am not working because my job consisted of me sitting at a computer all day long and multi-tasking big time and i can no longer do either because of my condition.
write back when you get a chance.  Thanks Selma

selmaS

Oct 28, 2012

To: cfinniss9

  Hi,....I had a feeling they did not open the dura for u....and  symptoms returning at 3 months is typical....but, it should not last and not be as severe as per op....

I am 3 yrs post op and I am much better then I was b4 my surgery and I did have my dura opened.

I also had a chiari specialist that made sure to look at all related issues first, and found I do have EDS, so they used my pericardium for my dura patch.....

  With EDS I heal slower then most and I can say I am much stronger now then I was 4 or 5 yrs ago....so my surgery was a successful one...do I still have issues...yes, I do, but they r manageable....and some r due to other related conditions I have ....not all chiari....so this is y it is important to know.

  May I ask did u have a MRI post op?

Please get the opinion of a Chiari specialist....u r in NY and I know up state but it would be worth ur while to travel to Drs that know how this affects us....

I am so sorry u had to leave ur job, but so did I as I could not go back after  my surgery...it takes longer to heal and not  the time line that many expect us to bounce back,.....

  Hang in there <3

Casscarez

Oct 29, 2012

To: selma

Hi,
I have just been diagnosed with ACM 5mm. My neurologist dismissed the ACM as insignifiant as soon as he read the radiologist's report of my MRI but after lots of reserch I think I have finally found a reason for feeling so awful for so long. I would like a second opinion but I am South African and am struggling to find a specialist here. Can anybody help?
Also I am only 22 and would like to know if I can expect all these weird symtoms (symptoms) to get worse as I get older?
Thanks

selmaS

Oct 29, 2012

To: Casscarez

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

I am so sorry u r feeling so poorly, this condition is one that can make it frustrating to get answers...especially since it is Drs that understand and know how to treat it that seem to be the only rare thing about it as there r far too many of us for this to be a rare condition.

As far as symptoms getting worse as u get older, it is possible, it all depends on what symptoms u r dealing with and how ur chiari is affecting u and ur overall health. It is also possible that ur symptoms may not change from what they r now.

Too many Drs say Chiari is insignificant some do not even bother to tell the patient they have it....so, I understand how u feel... unfortunately we do not have a list of Drs in Africa...I do recall having a member from there, I will look to see if I can find that person and mayb u can see what they did , who they went to etc...

sarahjean321

Oct 30, 2012

To: selmaS

Hi,
My 6 year old daughter has recently been diagnosed with Chari type 1, with a hernation of 12mm more on the right than the left side.
She's had a full body MRI where the chari showed up i orginally asked for her to be refered because she shakes a lot, we have been told on conclusion of the MRI that they think she has essential tremour which is apparently not linked with the chari they didn't instill me with confidence.
She suffers headaches every week usually for 3-4 days in a row, regular has pain in her right eye and compains the light in the room is too bright even though it's only a 60 watt bulb,she regular gets reflux which she explains as "sick in her mouth" and chokes easily.
She gets pains in her legs and her neck aches after a headache, these symtoms (symptoms) sometimes go away with paracetamol.
She has had some quite bad behaviour problems at school which are out of chracter and sometimes displays toddler type behavior like putting starnge things in her mouth and running off in public which she has never done before amonst a list of other things.
These are only the symptoms i can get out of her as she often goes silent and shuts down on me when she's in pain
She is seeing a neurologist which seems a little vague on the subject, she has ordered another MRI scan which is next week for her head,neck and spine and she has an appointment in december with a neurosurgeon to have a review, do you think she will possibly need surgery, i'am quite worried as the docters here in England seem to be a little vague with it all and don't seem to concerned but she is only 6 years old and shouldn't be going through all this.
I would appreciate some advice if any of these things sound familar to anyone.
Kind regards Sarah.

selmaS

Oct 30, 2012

To: sarahjean321

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

I am so sorry ur little one is suffering with this and u as a mom has to watch and hope u can help...it is very frustrating trying to find Drs that know how this affects us.

We do have a list of Drs and for those in England we do have one from the Ann Conroy Trust ...I strongly suggest u research the Drs on the list as I do not know nething about them, this is just a place for u to start ur research.

We do have others in the UK that may be able to offer insight in using Drs on that list.

Please know u r not alone and u were right to go with ur mom's intuition and continue to go with ur gut feelings as to what u feel is right, but do use this site to help educate urself so u know what to expect for ur DD.

sarahjean321

Oct 31, 2012

To: selmaS

Thank you for getting back to me so quickly, i read through this forum looking for a case similar to my daughters but couldn't really find anything, i suppose i just want to know what to look for if the docters were going to consider surgery?
I will have a look at the website you suggested to me and the list of docters just in case i might want a 2nd opinion she is of course very precious to me!
There's only so much i can ask her to explain how she's feeling without putting words in to her mouth due to her age.
Thank you for your advice,
Kind regards Sarah.

selmaS

Oct 31, 2012

To: sarahjean321

It is not a separate web site it is here in our Health Pages...here is the link...

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Chiari-Malformation/LIST-OF-CHIARI-SPECIALISTS-UK/show/1503569

Children act out when not feeling well....some get more aggressive with pain...so, if the child is acting differently u can assume ur child is being affected in some way ...not always pain, but blurry vision, cognitively...it is such a strange way to feel that even for adults it can be difficult to explain....so no wonders a child acts out.

Instead of putting words into her mouth u can ask if there r times she does not like to do things....and ask about things that r typically an issue...like being around bright lights, loud noise, yelling, jumping, spinning, hanging up side down....sit ups...there r things she can tell u that should indicate she is having symptoms.

Please keep us posted <3

sarahjean321

Oct 31, 2012

To: selmaS

Thanks i will try different stratgeies, she does get aggressive with her friends at school it has been quite a major issue, when she has reflux several times in a day she will usually complain of a headache at some point and she did lay down on the floor the other night saying she felt sick and her right eye was a bit blurry so she was proberly feeling dizzy.
At school she has been placed in a smaller quieter group to learn as she struggles in large groups and noise seems to be a distraction.
The 1st school year she was progressing well at school but in her 2nd year she was aggresive (aggressive) and what her teachers described as unreachable at times, she became very unpopular with friends and was completly miserable totally different to what was my my sunshine daughter.
She ended up 3 levels behind her learning for her school year, we were quite shocked and frustrated as to what had happened to our little girl.
The school called in an educational phys
This school year since she's been in the small quiet group she has started to settle down and progress in her learning.
So she is now under a neurologist, a neurosurgeon, an EP and a nurture group at school for children with learning difficulties quite a lot to be going on with as she is only 6.
Hopefully we should get some answers soon, it's taken 2 years to get this far.
Thanks once again for your advice Sarah.

selmaS

Oct 31, 2012

To: sarahjean321

No worries Sarah...keep us posted on her progress : )

((hugs))

Casscarez

Nov 01, 2012

To: selmaS

Thank-you for your help and this forum!

JMKavanagh

Nov 11, 2012

To: sarahjean321

Hi I live in England, just outside of London and my daughter is 11 now and had decompression surgery at the beginning of 2009 with Mr Dominic Thompson at GOSH. Her Neuro consultant was Dr Adelaide martinez who was lovely. My daughters post operative condition is interesting and challenging at times and she will always be special and need extra special help and attention. If you want to talk more let me know.

Janinex

selmaS

Nov 11, 2012

To: JMKavanagh

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Thank u for reaching out to another chiarian and offering to share ur childs chiari journey...it is so important to this forum that we all do this...and it is so nice to see : )

I hope u share more about ur DD's journey with all of us, as u never know who is reading may benefit as well <3

ldeanna67

Nov 18, 2012

To: selmaS

I am 49 years old and was told that I had atypical MS about 20 years ago after being diagnosed with transverse myelitis. I also had a seizure about 8 years ago just 1 time only. Last week I was hospitalized with what appeared to be stroke but after an MRI was told I have Arnold Chiari. I have a 4mm tonsillar ectopia. My symptoms are numbness and tingling on the left side leg and arm with weakness. I also have numbness on my face especially my lips and tongue. I have also noticed that when I shower and lift my arms to wash my hair I go numb on my right side... arm and hand only. I am seeing double out of my right eye only and vision is not corrected with glasses/contacts. Just got new glasses in the last 4 months and they were fine until 6 weeks ago. Using the wrong words for common situations is happening ocassionally. I feel the MS diagnosis was incorrect. I also have spina bifida occulta and lumbarized sacral vertabrae with Pars defect which they found about 15 years ago. Is this all related? Due to it only being a 4mm ectopia should I be having all these symptoms? I see a neurologist next week is there anything I should be asking?

selmaS

Nov 18, 2012

To: ldeanna67

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

I have heard many that have been mis'dxed as MS...and this is one test we all should have ruled out...not sure how they got that wrong as the LP test should show bans in the fluid...and demylation on MRI....it is possible to have both too.

The length of herniation is not void of what symptoms u will have, and far too many Drs will only look at that....it is more if they r causing a CSF obstruction....so ask about a CINE MRI, and MRI's of the thoracic and lumbar spine to rule out syringomyelia...u already know about tethered cord....so u must have had a lumbar spine MRI b4.

Over crowding of the skull is another issue...retroflexed odontoid is one aspect that some with chiari may have ...and it can cause many of the symptoms u mentioned.,

Also Ehlers-Danlos...they should check u for that as well, many times we r misdx'd as having fibro when it is EDS. U will want to know about this as it too can cause many of the symptoms and can affect the out come of surgery if u r considered a candidate.

ldeanna67

Nov 18, 2012

To: selmaS

Thank you. I am printing your response to show the Dr next week. I do not know what Ehlers-danlos is but will goggle it.

selmaS

Nov 18, 2012

To: ldeanna67

Hi we do have an EDS group here on Medhelp and info on what it is...here is a link to the Group -http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Ehlers-Danlos-Syndrome/show/417?controller=forums&action=show&id=417&camp=msc

punky1974

Dec 31, 2012

I was diagnosed with a chiari a little over a yr ago. I have headaches neck and shoulder pain. Weakness with tingling in my arms and legs. I have disk in my neck that r ruptured also. I just wanted to know if anyone else experiences any kind of weird feeling between their eyes kinda like they want to roll back in their head

selmaS

Dec 31, 2012

To: punky1974

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Yes, that sensation is pretty typical for many while others do not get it ...we r all different in how this condition affects us as it has other related conditions and u need to find out if u have those as they may be what is causing some of ur issues as well.

Such as the disk issue can be from Ehlers-Danlos a related condition...this is important to find out b4 u consider surgery......

The actual location in ur cervical spine where this disk is ruptured will also dictate what u feel and deal with.....

Find a true Chiari specialist as this is key to have the right Dr.

t457

Jan 16, 2013

To: Everyone

I am a 38 years old and had my first tonic/clonic seizure on November 2012. I since have had several small seizures. I just had my MRI and the neurologist that I was seeing is giving me the run around. I spoke with my PCP and he read the MRI results and informed me that I had Chiari 1 Malformation today. I have no idea what this is. But reading your post and "you know you have Chiari when" was so helpful. Thank you all. Now I know I am not CRAZY or DRAMATIC!!! This is real and I'm just starting my journey. I can see the support on the forum. Thanks! I feel better!

selmaS

Jan 16, 2013

To: t457

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

It can be a long and bumpy road form Dx to treatment....many od us have had symptoms our whole lives and also got the run around which we have dubbed "The Royal Chiari Run Around"....not too many Drs r informed or experienced on Chiari, Syringomyelia and other related conditions.

Finding the right Dr is key....and we do have a list that u can use to research Drs, the list is not a referral as not all Drs on the list may be true Chiari specialists, but have treated a member here successfully.

Make sure all related conditions r ruled out b4 u consider surgery as it has risks and is not a cure or a fix...just a means to restore CSF flow and slow progression.

I am glad u know that u r not crazy and u deff r not alone : )

t457

Jan 29, 2013

To: selmaS

Hi selmaS, Thanks for responding so quickly. I have seen a new neurologist and got "The Royal Chiari Run Around" again. It was dismissed and I was told to that it was insignificant. I was angry but remembered what you said "you have to find the right doctor". I am waiting to change insurance. I read on an earlier post that the Kaiser system has Chiari specialist is there any more information on them and where they are? Thanks a lot. I will start the research now.

selmaS

Jan 29, 2013

To: t457

If u look at the Drs list we have in the health pages and is also a thread on this forum u will find who we r referring to, but do research the Dr as well...just bcuz he worked well for someone else does not make him the right Dr for u.http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/list?cid=186

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