Thank you for the comment. I am seeing Dr. Tew and that is the soonest he can get me in. There are no other specialists in my state and the only other doc that has experience with Chiari doesn't take my insurance. Since I have Medicaid there aren't many out of state that accept it. I'm just lucky that Dr. Tew does.
I'm going to take it easy for the next few weeks. The Gab seemed to help a little today, although it's made me tired. Of course, i already felt fatigued so no change in that. :-)
call that specialist that you have an appointmemt with and see if they can get you in sooner or recommend somebody else that can get you in sooner.
There is a slight chance that many of those symptoms will go away or become tolerable if you just sit comfortably and really try to relax your muscles especially in your neck. I would recommend a recliner or some position like that where you can really relax. This all depends on your actual anatomy, so maybe even lying flat on your back my help but it doesn't for me. Just definitely stop doing things like lifting and bending, you know, like chores around the house and stuff like that. I really hope you find the help you need<3
I have no idea why she sent me to get the CT scan. My whole left side has been extremely painful and my back has gone almost completely numb. It's hard to use my hand. She thinks I have a syrinx. Why she didn't send me for a spinal MRI is beyond me. I'm also having almost debilitating headaches now and a constant wooshing sound in my ears. Plus, I now have what I can only refer to as a "dead spot" in my right eye and can't see out of it. My balance is completely off and I can't carry my baby because I keep falling. Carrying her would be out of the question anyway since my left side is so weak I have no use of that arm or hand.
I HAVE been referred to a specialist. My appointment isn't for another 5 weeks.
I don't know why your PCP sent you straight to get a CT scan. They should have referred you to a specialist. Has this become a frequent symptom? CT scans show mostly bones depending on the contrast. What exactly were they looking for? If the radiologist didn't know exactly what they were looking for that person may have missed it.
When I had my CT scan for my concussion, that's when the figured out that I have "significant" Chiari 1 Malformation and was immediately referred to a neurologist. And although no one around here seems to know how to communicate very well, or make sure that they are giving me the correct information, my NL ordered a head and neck MRI to get a clearer understanding of what is going on.
MRIs give clearer pics of the soft tissue than a CT scan and CT scans seem to show more bony structure detail than an MRI does.
That's what I was hoping she would do. She suspects a syrinx but said that on the brain CT scan if I had a syrinx it would show up by making the ventricle swollen (or something).
How can the MRI (like the images I have posted here on my profile) show Chiari but the CT not?
Keep in mind when u go in many of these Drs and radiologist r giving an opinion...and if this is not their area of expertise then u may not get ne info on ur chiari at all.
Med schools were teaching old out dated info and many Drs were not given the latest research findings on how chiari can affect a patient or how to classify it.
Too many do not acknowledge it in reports at all as they consider it an incidental finding.....
With the bowel issues I would suggest u get a full spine MRI...Cervical, thoracic and lumbar, the lumbar to check for a syrinx and tethered cord...the thoracic and cervical for a syrinx...and all 3 for disk issues.
Mine showed on a CT scan, but I thnk that is only because they had it in my records, becuase all it said was consostent with patients known history of Chiari Malformation. Follow up with MRI recommended. ( they never did the MRI that night) GRR. I hope that the Gaba helps you. I have been on it for the last three months and it has helped me, My doctor had me step it up 100 mg at a time now I take 300 mg 3x a day. I have noticed that the all over hurt has decreased. Try to keep it in your system though because it isnt fasst acting, It will take a few doses toget it into your system and working. At least that is what my doctor told me and it worked well. Good luck to you and I hope it getrs better for you.