New Member

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

I thought I should introduce myself since I am a new member to the

group. I've been reading posts for a week or so and just found the

time to say hi.

I was diagnosed with ACM after a car accident in December of 07.

My Chiropractor didn't feel that I was responding to treatment as I

should have so she sent me for an MRI. She is the one who found the

Chiari, and referred me to a Neurologist. She is wonderful and of

course, said she couldn't treat me for or with Chiari. I saw the

Neurologist who confirmed the Chiari and referred me to a

Neurosurgeon. The NS read the MRI's and again, confirmed the

Chiari. He told me that usually he wouldn't recommend surgery unless

there were bothersome symptoms, which I did have, so the surgery was

scheduled for April 1st (if you knew me, you would know that April

Fools Day is fitting for me...HaHa). Surgery went well, other than

me coming out of anesthesia vomiting. I had several heart and

breathing decelerations immediatly after surgery that really

concerned the staff. My stay was six days. I came home and seemed

to be doing well until I got some sort of stomach virus after a week

at home. More vomiting and more pressure in the head. Finally got

over that and started physical therapy on May 7...the first day of PT

went well, nothing to hard. I walked outside the office and sneezed,

it hurt so bad that I thought I would pass out. The next morning, I

woke up wet down the back of my shirt to the waist with CSF. I was

home alone, so I called the Doctor and called the Hubby and off we

went to the Dr. Office. He put a stitch in to stop the CSF leak with

nothing to deaden me because it could cause seizures. From there it

was strait to the hospital. They found a small leak in the patch

they put in, most likely from the pressure of the vomiting, the

sneeze just put the icing on the cake so to speak. I stayed in the

hospital for four weeks.

Forward to today. It's now September 16 and I'm in so much pain.

Not from the head, but in my lower back and tailbone. I can't sit

for very long, sometimes standing helps, but I can't stand for long.

Walking sometimes helps. I had a Lumbar Puncture after the second

surgery. It took TWO HOURS for them to do the LP. My NS was very

unhappy about that, but now I wonder if they possibly damaged my

sciatic nerve. I went back to work part time for about a month, but

I couldn't handle it due to pain. Now I am off work again and

worried that I will not be able to work any more...Does anyone know

of anyone who was successful in getting Disability after Chiari

surgery or due to complications from Chiari?

I think I've bored you enough...Take Care...Praying for No Pain today

for any of us...Dee