surgery question?

[ambyj]

at what point does someone with chiari become a "candidate for surgery"? and if all else fails is it possible to request surgery?(<-----i know, crazy but im just wondering really.) i have my appt with the NS on feb 4, and i want to make sure i have everything i need. so far i have my disk with the mri scans, my long list of symptoms and am working on a list of questions. anything i am forgetting?

[selmaS]

  Beighton is for Ehlers-Danlos a connective tissue  disorder.

Syringomyelia, EDS, ICP, POTS, tethered cord, sleep apnea (if u r having sleep disturbances or snore in excess), disk issues, vitamin and mieral levels as well as thyroid.

If ne Dr says after surgery u will be cured...do not believe them....u also will still have Chiari, u just may no longer have the herniation to the extent u had prior....the main reason for surgery is to restore CSF flow, and slow progression...this means formation of a syrinx...if someone has a syrinx, they will most likely be considered a candidate as u do not want the syrinx to grow larger and possibly cause perm nerve damage.

[ambyj]

thank you. what kind of related conditions should i be sure to be tested for? and what is the Beighton scoring test?

[selmaS]

  Hi...first, surgery is not a fix or a cure....u can continue to feel as u do, or possible feel worse.

A surgical candidate is based on the Dr if he would do surgery on u and many use different  criteria to classify u a surgical candidate,and u do not want one that say u have Chiari and I will do surgery and it will fix u....RUN if u hear that....make sure the Dr is looking at CSF flow and how it is affecting ur overall health and ur symptoms....make sure they rule out ALL related conditions especially Ehlers-Danlos by doing the Beighton scoring test on u.....

If they say u r hypermobile but that doesn't mean nething RUN...bcuz it can and will affect how u feel and heal.

JMHO from all that I have seen over the yrs.