My Chiari story !!!

[Guest guest]

It was New Years Eve this year and there was a death in my family

that required my wife to be out of town. It was around 9 p.m. and I

was at home with my 4 kids. I am a 33 year old Store Manager for a

large Home Improvement Store. I went to stand up from bed after

laying there watching TV and it instantly felt like the top of my

head was going to blow off. It hurt so bad. I jumped in shower

thinking that it was a tension type headache, the water was turned to

fairly hot. I instantly felt even worse to the point I feel down on

ground. I crawled to bed and called for help. Blood Pressure was at

190/154 and headache never let up. Once at Emergency Room I was

given morphine, Dullata, and many other pain medicines and nothing

was helping. The doctors gave me ct scans, spinal tp, cat scans,

ultra sounds over the next 5 days while in the hospital. They gave

me a nerve block in head and still no relief. I then followed up

with my family doctor and they sent me to another Nuerologist. This

doctor said after reviewing the MRI results he had found something of

interest. He then suggested the Chiari Malformation and suggested

that I see a Nuerologist Surgeon. I felt this was very interesting

sfter 4-5 Nuerologist looked at this while I was in Hospital and did

not see. Today, I saw the surgeon and he said the only way to fix

the issue due to no meds help was to perform the surgery.

I often feel like noone believes the amount of pain I am in everyday

and how every movement will send pain through whole neck and head. I

am so ready to try anything to cure this headache and pain.

I am looking for feedback from others on the expectations of surgery,

the results, what to expect?? Will I ever be able to hold a Manager

type job and be running on feet 12 hours a day?? Will I be taking

meds forever??? Tell me your experiences.. What is the recovery

time for the surgery?? How long was the hospital stay? Who did

yours??

Thanks for all Your Help !!

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Welcome to CCI...What a quick onset you had. I can't remember an

incident for myself that was that 'eye opening'.

While no one can accurately predict the future, I would be of the

opinion(and some NSG's believe this as well) that the quicker you

found out, the sooner you figure out impact it has on your life;

and if you have the surgery sooner rather than later. These are all

components as to whether you will be able to continue working.

Was there a precipitating event? Like a car accident, a fall, a blow

to the head?

All of us are comprised of many things that have happened to us

throughout our lives, so everyone IS different.

A lot of us do have to take medications, and a lot do not take any at

all, or just over the counter medications. We are all different.

We are here for support, information..and please keep us up-dated on

your progress along the way.

You are def on the right track when it comes to the acknowledgement

of your doctors that do know about Chiari Malformation. Keep informed!

Check out the website for more information

www.chiariconnectioninternational.com

All the best to you and yours, and I hope that things have improved

on the family front.

Kathymichelle

>

> It was New Years Eve this year and there was a death in my family

> that required my wife to be out of town. It was around 9 p.m. and

I

> was at home with my 4 kids. I am a 33 year old Store Manager for a

> large Home Improvement Store. I went to stand up from bed after

> laying there watching TV and it instantly felt like the top of my

> head was going to blow off. It hurt so bad. I jumped in shower

> thinking that it was a tension type headache, the water was turned

to

> fairly hot. I instantly felt even worse to the point I feel down

on

> ground. I crawled to bed and called for help. Blood Pressure was

at

> 190/154 and headache never let up. Once at Emergency Room I was

> given morphine, Dullata, and many other pain medicines and nothing

> was helping. The doctors gave me ct scans, spinal tp, cat scans,

> ultra sounds over the next 5 days while in the hospital. They gave

> me a nerve block in head and still no relief. I then followed up

> with my family doctor and they sent me to another Nuerologist.

This

> doctor said after reviewing the MRI results he had found something

of

> interest. He then suggested the Chiari Malformation and suggested

> that I see a Nuerologist Surgeon. I felt this was very interesting

> sfter 4-5 Nuerologist looked at this while I was in Hospital and

did

> not see. Today, I saw the surgeon and he said the only way to fix

> the issue due to no meds help was to perform the surgery.

>

> I often feel like noone believes the amount of pain I am in

everyday

> and how every movement will send pain through whole neck and head.

I

> am so ready to try anything to cure this headache and pain.

>

> I am looking for feedback from others on the expectations of

surgery,

> the results, what to expect?? Will I ever be able to hold a Manager

> type job and be running on feet 12 hours a day?? Will I be taking

> meds forever??? Tell me your experiences.. What is the recovery

> time for the surgery?? How long was the hospital stay? Who did

> yours??

>

> Thanks for all Your Help !!

>

>

>