SEVERE PRESSURE IN MY HEAD

[ashadaranch]

Hi I NEed HELP! I have had sever pressure in my head for as far back as I CAN remember was 17 .I HAve had only cat scans and MRIS and was told was in my mind and always put on drugs.I Have had them ALL>> NO relief..THE PRessure will build up til my head feels like it will expolde I GET VERY  hyper and lots of anxiety [on xanax for that] then it feels as if it all drains out and i am fine for such a short time then starts all over again short time i mean minutes..my memory is so bad i lose my phone ater minutes of putting it down could not remember shutting a window in the house after being outside for 20 minutes..cannot remember a lot of my life and none of my childhood. I know i had a sever injury to the head neck and back when I WAS SMALl not sure what they did cannot remember..ALL I KNOW CAnnot live with this pressure or the memory loss anymore please help????? GOD WILLING>>>

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

The member you are addressing this to is no longer an active member.....

Have you had testing done to try to figure out what is going on with you?

[Thatsmyname76]

I have had similar symptoms recently. Did u ever get a diagnosis?

[lu7997]

Same here.  My eye doc saw floaters. She said they are cussed from the pressure breaking off cells but she didn't see any sign of pressure on the nerve.   My vision is horrible yet me rx for glasses hasn't changed in 5 years.  This is all a frustrating process.  I go back to what I have said all along.......I would rather be missing a foot. At least no doc could ignore that.    Good luck. And hang in there.   There are so many of us going through this. And a large number of them have gotten the help they need.  There are answers out there and u will find them.  

[*Stormy*]

I'm not sure how the visit with eye dr went but I just wanted to say that it isn't the best way to tell if there's pressure (at least it wasn't in my case). I went to an Ohptha way b4 my dx and I had several visual issues and he couldn't find anything wrong. After the surgery, I saw a difference Ohptha who did see some abnormalities but not a real indication of pressure... However, once the pressure was released by the surgery my walking got about 80% better..so I know that it was there.
I asked the Ophtha how that could be and he explained if there was pressure or  damage to the occipital lobe (visual part of the brain at the back by the cerebellum) that it wouldn't be detected by an eye exam. He did see floaters in my eye but most eye drs tend to dismiss that even though they started after I started to have a rapid progression of symptoms.

Let us know how you are!
Carolyn

[lu7997]

I agree with the others. Start by getting copies of all your scans.  Too often things are over looked speacially if your doc had ordered the scan to rule out something ( radiologist tens to only look for the thing they are ruling out). Next schedule an apointment with a doc u trust maybe your primary and ask if chiari or some other related condition could be the cause. And don't setlle with anything thtbu aren't comfortable with. Unfortunetly we have to be our own activist.  Learn as much as u can so u can understand what theyvtell u. And bring a friend or family member with u for added support.   I am so sorry u are goin through this.  I wish there was something I could say to help u feel better.   And be careful with tests Luke LP (lumbar punctures). There are several conditions including chiari that this test done wrong could make worse.  Tell ur doc with out a dx u are uncomfortable having the test and if he thinks it's needed don't let them take more fluid than necesary.  Good luck and hang in there.  



~ Angela~

[gmaldonado]

I agree with Selma. If you have them, send them off to a specialist. They need to have a CSF flow study done and a lumbar spine MRI to check for a syrinx or anything else. Chiari  symptoms can be dismissed as migraines or to other conditions and it's hard to get a firm diagnosis as you know...dr's can assume one thing is related to the other and they ignore your other symptoms. I have a friend who had extreme pressure in his head and it turned out he had too much fluid in there and he needed surgery. I'll ask him for his dx's. I hope you get some help soon.

[selmaS]

Hi...do u have copies of the MRI and CT scans with reports?...if nething is visible then send them off to a chiari specialist for review.

"selma"

[ashadaranch]

I had cat sacn and mri all within 3 months was sent to a nurologist June 22nd and he says everybody has what I got stress related headache try to tell him it was pressure he says thats all stress related and gave me nortriptylene..What a joke...he did not even request to look at my mri films just read what they wrote down at the modesto imaging center.....I know something is wrong been going on to long no relief from ANY drug they have put me on.I am surprised I have not died from this yet!! They just have to help me!!!

[selmaS]

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Have u had a dx of chiari or a related condition? Or do ur symptoms coincide with symptoms of a chiarian?
Since u had an injury to yr neck area, I would suggest that a new MRI be done and for the purpose of looking for a syrinx.
Getting copies of all tests past, current and future is the best in helping u get ur dx.

"selma"

[ashadaranch]

I am going to a eye doctor tomorrow start there to see if he can detect any pressure if  so thats a start if not going back to the nero Dr.should I insist on a spinal puunture to check my csf that way? is this the best way? I cannot go on like this..Carolyn I to cannot remember almost any of my past but like you said i do remember certain things but it was like i remember them like i was not in them just recall certain things its weird..Right now got in my truck put my phone down on the seat then started the truck put on my seatbelt then forgot where my phone was.This is getting worse...A long time ago when I was seeing a chiropractor I was like 17 told him the issue he pressed on the top of my head really hard and it almost felt like it kinda even out the pressure it was still there but it felt different then he let go and was a bit lightheaded..I know when I was 5 was in a accident fell off a running horse and was knocked out my mom does not remember what happened I sure dont but maybe something happened then I do have sever scoliosis and degenerate disc disease arthritis in neck and spine spondiosis [sp] bunch of bone spurs everywhere in neck and back and a lot more issues as well.I am glad I found this group I just pray I can get diagnosed I am 48 and want to live life clear headed its a horrible prison to fell like your living in your head the pressure makes it feel this way :(

[*Stormy*]

Hello and welcome,

I am assuming that you haven't had a dx of Chiari but are suspicious that you may have it?

My first piece of advice....get copies of ALL your MRI and CT reports!!! Extremely important..there could be something on there that you were not told b/c they dismissed it as incidental. For many of us, the dx of Chiari was treated this way.

Secondly, when you get copies of your scans...send them in to a good NS...possibly one that specializes in Chiari and ask them to review them for you. There are some places (like the Chiari Institute) who will review your scans for a small fee.

Also, have you ever had an LP? With such intense pressure, I would think that a Dr would want to see what you pressure reading is. If you don't have a Dr that will listen, keep pushing until you find one that will.

Unfortunately, when things happen to you that are not black and white...you have to advocate for yourself to get the answers. Basically, all of us here have had to do that at one time or another.

Crazy..when you mention how your forgot a lot of your childhood....that is something that has bothered me a lot too...I have voids in my life (especially during stressful times) where I now can't remember anything about it. I mean, I know it happened but I can't actually remember it.

I am so sorry that you are having this struggle...but we are here to help in any way we can.
Carolyn

[gmaldonado]

Hi, I'm sorry you're going through this. Have you had any recent MRI's or CScans? Do you have any other symptoms along with the pressure? Blurred vision? ringing in the ears? Have you seen a doctor recently?

[ashadaranch]

I forgot to mention I also have a humming or ringing in my ears have had this also just as long...MEMORY LOSS GETTING WORSE>>PRESSURE IS BAD>PLEASE HELP THANKYOU