Overwhelming MRI

[bryan59]

My symptoms are bad, about 22 in all. MRI say's: Chiari Mal. 1, only 2mm, but symptoms are severe. Can't look up or down, etc. Also, C3-4 central protru. causing convex mass effect on thec. sac & mild canal sten. Cord contour deform. At C4-5 Broad based cent. protrus. w/convex mass efft. on thec. sac. w/central canal stenosis & cord deformity. What's this mean & what's in my future? I had a C5-6 acdf last August. Could this happen when I fell off my deck at 30" high? Could I be paralysed if I fall or in a fender bender? Can't get in to see a surgeon til Nov. 19th. No upper body strength, 49 & had to retire from law enforcement. Also have Fibro. Had RSD in mid 90's. Also have a lrg. protrusion at L5. I'm miserable. Don't know which is causing more pain, the Chiari or the C-spine. How do I know which symptom is coming from what? Sorry to be so complicated. Don't have no one to talk too though who really wants to listen. Thanks so much. Bryan.

[chadry]

Try doing a seach on images of the cerivcal nerve pathways and see where they lead. I know they asked my daughter before and me about any breathing difficulties. Go to www, asap .org and post your question there, it may have happened to other peole and they can fill you in on some details.
I am always telling my daughter not t carry my neice around on her shoulders becasuse I am afraid something will happen. She gets mad at me when I tell her not to do things.
You may have hurt something from your fusions.
I would have been really scared too. I hope you are doing OK now. Let me know what you find out.
take care of yourself.
Chadry

[bryan59]

Hi, How's your daufgter doing ? Sat. I went to watch my daughter play her final soccer game at home this season, & I played with an 18 mo. old boy who was adorable. I picked him up & tickled him, I never gave it a thought. I was lifting him up to my shoulers. As I drove off the campus, all of a sudden I started having trouble breathing, & the pain in my neck felt like my C-5&6 fusion from last August was in a vice.. I made it to K-Mart cause I had my wife & mother-in-law, but I was scared & couldn't hardly stand up. Felt like 200 lb. of lead was on my chest. If I would have been by myself I would have called an ambulance. It let up after about an hour. I wonder if my C-3 or C-4 disk did that or the Chiari. I don't know which disk controls breathing but I think one of them does. Can't find the right info on that. It was stupid but I honestly forgot about my condition. I can't remember anything anyway, seems like.  Take care.  Bryan

[chadry]

Hi Bryan,
I am so glad that the doctors office is trying to work you in earlier. I bet that something comes up sooner. Did you find any helpful info on that site to h elp you determine some of the chiari symptoms? TRy the www.asap.org site there are so many people that post with questions there and others really try to help them get some answerws.
I know how it feel to try and find a way to sleep.Hope you have a better day and maybe get a nap or 2 in sometimes that helps.
You know what it just dawned on me that there is another place for you to check out. Look up the Chiairi Institute. They have so much on there for you also. I think they have videos and all that kind of stuff. I do not know where you are from but I read that people come from all over the country to go there for the doctors and to get their surgeries. I forgot all about that earleir in my posts.
Let me know how things are going.
Chrisitna

[bryan59]

Bless you for being so kind. I went to the Conquer Chiari site & it was great. My Neurosurgeon's office called & said they are trying to find a cancellation for me, & they havn't forgot me. I'm not looking forward to more surgeries but I know they're coming. Had a bad night last night & did not sleep at all. Legs went numb. I have to sit up to sleep. Take care.
Bryan

[chadry]

Her vestibular testing consisted of a PT exam for strenght and balance. She also had a gait anaylis done and then she had all kinds of tests done on her ears to record eye movement and also the inner ear to see if her balance/dizziness is chiari related or inner ear issue.
You have so much going on that i am sure it is so hard to tell what is what. Did you check out that other website yet. People are always on there asking different questions about their symptoms.
I know the first neurologist that found the chiair thought that is was nothing to be worried about but I did not think so. I  have found 2 different really good neurosurgeons that feel she can benefit from the decompression surgery so we are still a little undecide as to what we should do. It is a hard decision to make. We we know more after we go back and see what all these tests end up saying.
I have problems with my c spine and low back, but as of now I am not having any surgery done.
I think it will take a very good doctor to help you figure out what is going on. I guess it will be a little at a time to figure things out.
Let me know how you are making out.
Check out that asap website. Lots of info for you.
Chadry

[bryan59]

What exactly is vestibuler testing ? I just don't know which is more serious, my c-spine or the chiari symptoms & what symptoms are coming from which.

[bryan59]

Thank you so much. It's nice to know someone is out there. I wish you the best with your daughter.

[chadry]

Hi, my daughter has Chiari 1 and in fact we just spent the day at a children's hospital having vestibuler testing done on her. It is a scary diagnoses. Her main problem is balance , dizziness and occasional headaches but there are more symtoms. everyone is different. There is a great wessite for you to go to about this conditiong it is www. asap.org. You can go on the forums there and read up about the condition also. This is something they say that is found accidentally when looking for other things but if you ask people that have Chiari they will tell you different. You are born with this condition.
I can not help you with the other things posted but if you have not been to this website yet i would really suggest you go there and find out what you can. there is another also called conquering chiari and they have a list of symtoms there also.
Lots of luck to you and I hope you get some answers.
Chadry