petrified!

[wingnutt]

I'm 46 years old and was just diagnosed with AVM and Chiari Malformation of 5mm with numerous symptoms! My pcp and neurologist didn't seem concerned at all!! I'm petrified! They're not doing anything at all for me despite being nauseous dizzy falling to one side or the other cold hands and feet severe migraines chest pains ringing in my right ear with some loss of hearing pressure behind right eye neck pain and spasms with burning pain in neck and down into my shoulders and back. And more symptoms? Any advice? Feeling lost and angry!!!

[wingnutt]

Oh! Sorry so much but I forgot to mention my MRI said 9mm herniated with arachnoid cyst in fp region with csf blockage? But for some reason neither my pcp nor NL told me about it?!! Do I trust them....huh highly unlikely! Why wouldn't they share that info with me?! I found out because I needed a copy for a new appointment.

[wingnutt]

My new problem is a weird pulling feeling in my throat eye pressure slurring words Very forgetful! Neck pain Soooo many symptoms! Neuralgia of my big toes with pain cold hands and feet chest pain that comes and goes with tachycardia and palpitations ringing in right ear with occasional buzzing in my head sometimes rubbery arms and legs. I trip over my own feet sometimes!

[wingnutt]

Thxs! I do have Bit B and D deficiency 's. For some reason my body won't absorb vitamin D? I had a Thyroidectomy due to cancer I don't sleep much at all also hypotension hypoglycemic migraines and on and on.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
I am sorry to hear that you are going through so much. Chiari malformation and AVM if symptomatic need to be treated. However, surgery for these is pretty risky by themselves.
Brain has a part called cerebellum (a very sensitive part which control respiration, heart beat and other vital functions), which has parts called tonsils. If they herniated through foramen magnum, which is an opening in the skull, then it can cause pressure on the brainstem and upper cord. Depending on the degree of herniations, these are classified into 3 types Chiari Malformation (CM) 1, M 2 and CM 3. CM1 is usually asymptomatic and an incidental finding in most MRI. Hence you must be having either CM 2 or CM3 if you are having vertigo and dizziness. The first attempt is to treat them with medications. If medications do not help, then treatment is decompression surgery.
Also, your symptoms can also be due to TMJ, compression of spinal nerves in neck region, vitamin B12 deficiency, hypothyroidism, diabetic neuropathy and other such related neuropathies.
I would sincerely advice you to discuss this with your doctors and take a second opinion from another doctor who can examine you. Take care!