Balance issues

[Devin215]

Hey everyone,
I just want some feedback from those who have had surgery. I am noticing now that I am also having balance issues where while I walk one of my feet will drag on ocassion and I am getting the numbness and tingling in my foot along with the fact I am still getting leg and back pain and arm and hand pain and numbness and tingling and weakness... Last night also I got a bad headache and neck pain. I am about 6 months post op. so In total some of my symptoms are new and increasing. Sometimes I will walk and get dizzy and my ankle will just roll causing me to walk crooked too. Last night with the headache too I laid down and the headache went away almost completely and then when I stood up the headache came back THROBBING. then again once I laid down it tappered off. What is going on? Should I talk to my NS about this? I still get the muscle spasms and swooshing sound too when I turn my head.

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

May I ask, did they rule out related conditions b4 ur surgery? And what all did they do? Did u have a lamenectomy, a duraplasty?

It takes time b4 u may feel better, and for some of us we may continue to have some of the symptoms...surgery is not a cure or fix, it is a means to slow progression and restore CSF flow....depending on how long this has been an issue, some of us end up with nerve damage, some lingering symptoms, ....did u have ur 6 month post op visit yet?

DO u notice if u r up right that the symptoms r more of an issue as opposed to laying down?

[lean44]

i had surgery 6 weeks ago and i am still having numbness, tingling,weakness,and balance issues. when will this end. will pt help?

[bbisweary]

That is so weird because I have those issue now and I haven't had the surgery yet. I am really hoping these symptoms will go away with the surgery.  Please let us know what you find out.  I hope you get better soon.

[angiebaby78]

Ever since my surgery  I also have had balance issues.  I had lots of complications after my PFD as well.  Fluid collections and what not, I ended up with a LP shunt and then all my issues stopped...so far.  Has your NS said anything about hydrocephalus?  My NS said that 10% of chiari patients have it and some require shunts for it.  I know from my experience that when I had excess fluid build up my gait would change, my legs (1 or both) would get heavy as well as my arms...

Should definitely get with your NS.  Hopefully, it is not any of the above but it is worth checking into.

[redkim]

Hi Devin!  I am sorry you're having problems.  I sometimes get the leg weakness and have to wakl very slowly.  Sometimes when walking my foot won't pick up as much as it should and I sraco my foot on the ground causing some unbalance.

I suggest calling Dr. Won.  Do you have NL?  I don't yet, and should get one for monitoring.

[selmaS]

Hi...I know this is not easy to figure out....u said u do grocery shopping...how heavy r the bags u lift/carry?...same with laundry....it just may be too much in addition to working.

Try cutting back on the lifting to see if u notice a difference.....I pray u do : )

"selma"

[Devin215]

The thing Is when I last got a cat scan I think around christmas time they told me the Fluid was almost all the way gone. I know I have mild facet joint degeneration in my low back and mild disc bulging too....I just wanna know whats up with all the muscle spasms and why sometimes when I stand I feel pressure in my head and still get the weakness and pain in my legs and arms and that stupid annoying swooshing sound when i turn my head.... Its not like I am doing a tri-athalon or anything lol ...I am a desk jockey (bill collector) at work and do basic things at home like laundry and make dinner go gorcery shopping etc.... I have no kids yet so I dont have to worry about that.... I just hope these symptoms are not here to stay but am happy I did the surgery to at least prevent it from getting worse...

[selmaS]

Devin...U know the size of the herniation is not the issue here...it is the collection of CSF.....and I am perplexed as u as to what is causing it......have they suggested steroids to help reduce it?


I understand how u feel...getting nowhere fast with the drs.....

"selma"

[Devin215]

My herniation was "4mm" but my NS did tell me I had restricted CSF flow when he got in there and then a week after surgery I was put back in the hospital when my brain swelled up and I had fluid collection at the surgery site....ugh I am so frustrated with all this.... I feel like a lame farm animal....just take me in the back and shoot me lol not literally

[selmaS]

I agree with Carolyn......call the dr...my question is what have u been doing prior?...I know I sound like a broken record, but we will experience symptoms be they old or new as we heal....our nerves r involved in all this......

U did have some set backs too, if I remember correctly.....look at ur activity  and how it correlates to ur symptoms.

Get plenty of rest

"selma'

[jakey518]

sorry bad spelling how big was your herniation how many millimeters

[jakey518]

how big was ur heniation

[*Stormy*]

Hi

I would definitely give the NS a call. Did you have leg involvement issues pre op? It sounds a lot like what I have now post op but for me it is an improvement. However, if it is a new thing...I would be concerned enough with the fact that these symptoms are new and are increasing. Have you had your post op MRI yet?

From what I rememeber..throbbing headache when standing is signs of low pressure in your head (like a leak or something) and headache when lying down is usually signs of high pressure. I didn't think you could have a leak this far post op...but you never know..

Carolyn