New here - symptoms and how to cope

[gymandpiano]

Hi all,
New here and have been reading through old posts to find answers to my questions. All very helpful. But I thought if I want to get more specific answers I should ask specific questions.
I'm a 37yo, M, Personal Trainer and a couple of years ago had bulging disks at c6-c7. The MRI showed the disks but also revealed chiari malformation (6mm), but I wasn't symptomatic and didn't think anything of it.
A couple of weeks ago I started feeling weird pressure in my head, no pain, just pressure, so went to my osteo to see if there was some tightness in my neck. She reminded me of my Chiari and loosened up the tension in my neck. Since then the pressure has been constant and there are days when I feel like I'm falling to the floor even though I'm standing perfectly still. Is this a typical symptom of Chiari? I don't experience real pain, just tension in my head and my vision is starting to be affected.  I feel like compared to what some of you seem to be going through, this is nothing.  I have a referral to a neurosurgeon, but waiting for them to contact me.  Am I going to feel like this forever? It seems like there are no relief strategies for the symptoms according to what I've read on here.
I'm cautious about taking long drives as I always feel on the verge of passing out and it's the same with work - being a personal trainer, all I do is extraneous physical activity, so am worried I'll have to back off my own training for fear of making it worse (can it get worse?)
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[selmaS]

If a room is not well lit it can affect how we feel....I also found florescent lights also trigger symptoms for me.

Since your symptoms have changed, you will need a new MRI and other testing to rule out related conditions.

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Chiari symptoms since it is a congenital condition may not be noticed by the patient until the symptoms change in severity...Chiari symptoms also cycle so they come and go and it can be for long or short periods of time....it depends on the individual .

We are told to avoid  activities that will cause us to strain.....avoid lifting, bending etc.

I can post a list of activities to avoid if you would like.

As for feeling like you are falling but still standing...yes it is a symptom of Chiari....do you know if the room was darkened, or if the floor was checkerboard? this can contribute to the feeling.....

Have you had any recent MRI's?

[gymandpiano]

Nothing recent since the MRI in Sept 2015.  The room was neither dark nor checkered, it was the whole day, no matter where I went.  Thanks for the help. Unfortunately I have to lift and bend for my job, so I'll just persevere.