Effects of Chiari on mental/emotional state

[marjo68]

Diagnosis:  SPINAL STENOSIS WITH MYELOPATHY-- discectomy and fusion C5/6 & 6/7 in 2001   -   laminectomy & fusion C3 C4 C5 in 2002    CHIARI - Craniotomy & Release in 2008    MITRAL VALVE PROLAPSE   possible FIBROMYALGIA - this was the original diagnosis but symptoms my be from the stenosis/chiari/MVP.

My question is regarding what seems to extreme sensitivity to noise, light, & commotion.  I have poor stamina in general and get have headaches on a regular basis.  I find I am most "well" when I it is quiet and the light is dimmed.  Being in a large group of people (especially small children) is overwhelming to me.  Could this be related to the stenosis, chiari, or MVP?

Thanks for any information you can give me.

[Kateums32]

I was recently diagnosed with Chiari. Headaches can most certainly be caused by Chiari. Personally, my headaches stay around all the time. It feels like a have a fifty pound weight on my head. Any light makes it worse and little noises sound extremely loud to me. So my guess is that Chiari is causing you to suffer from those symptoms.

[youngwife]

Hello!

In my (unprofessional) opinion, what you are dealing with is caused from living with chronic pain.  Your body is very stressed, and you are not able to process the sensory overload of noise and lights.

My daughter also had a hard time dealing with being at home with her siblings playing, although she loves them very much.  And she actually feels better at night.  Florescent lights kill her head!

Also, my daughter's neurosurgeon told us that a large percentage of his patients struggle with a mood disorder.  

It's really hard on a person to live in pain.  So, my guess is that Chiari is causing you to suffer with it's symptoms, and then that causes the increased sensitivity.

I hope this is helpful!

Rebecca

[selmaS]

Hi and welcome to the CHIARI forum.

I can totally relate to the nosie, light issues.Over the yrs I have gotten worse..but when my DD was small and I came in and the TV is on...DH talking on the phone and DD wanted to tell me something I always felt like I had to scream....it was too much.

I never knew what was wrong with me....

I was dx with chiari, tethered cord,mild scoliosis,DDD, cervical spinal stinosis, and EDS...and fibro.

I have not had ne surgeries on my spine or for chiari....

Not sure if that helps, but I can totally understand how u feel.

"selma"