Introduction From Caryn

July 16, 2002

Hi,

My name is Caryn. I'm 26 years old. I live in Boston, Massachusetts. In

February, my right side went weak and numb, so I went to the ER and they

suggested I see an MS doctor. I saw the MS doctor and she scheduled an MRI,

which showed 10 lesions and the Chiari. I went back on July 11th, 2002, to

get the results of the MRI and was diagnosed with ACM. I'm not certain if

it's I II or III.

In many ways it was a great relief to know what was causing my symptoms, a

name for it, answers to my questions, knowing I was crazy (hehe), etc. But

yet, scared knowing that surgery is needed to correct this problem. And yet

again, happy that after I have the surgery my symptoms will decrease or

disappear. I will be able to go back to working, schooling, etc. I will be

able to go on and have a creative, happy life.

My Symptoms are:

Dizziness (from fatigue-anxiety-loud noises floor me-etc.), Vertigo

(spontaneous and mainly from positional changes), Pain behind my eye (right),

Fatigue, Headaches, Neck spasms/shocks/stiffness, vision change (blurry,

depth perception, nystagmus, etc.), Numbness/Tingling/Weakness (face, arm,

leg - right sided mainly), Swallowing difficulties (Motility dysfunction,

esophageal spasms, reflux), Right hand tremor, Burning (mainly head), Ants

Crawling (mainly head)

I should hear back from my MS doctor tonight to see when I can get in to see

the neurosurgeon.

I would really like to meet people with Chiari in my area of Boston (I live

in Roslindale). Please e-mail me or IM me if you'd like to talk. I'm also

looking forward to talking with people not in my area.

Caryn

Boston, Massachusetts

Dx'd with ACM 7/11/02

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