I've been under a lot of stress lately and in the last 2 weeks my left side of my brain has felt extra swollen. I'm just wondering if anyone ever feels like I do? It's like I can feel the divide between the left and right side of my brain the right side is fine not bothering me at all. It get worse as the day goes on so by about 8 or 9 at night I feel like my brain is pushing my eye out of my head if I lean my head forward I can feel it touch my eye and then if I tilt it back I can feel it push out the back then if I lay on my side I can feel it on the side of my head. I feel like i'm losing my mind how can I be feeling my brain moving around in my head but its also making my vision blurry at night. The Dr gave me a steroid pack to help with the swelling but it doesn't seem to be working.Has any one ever felt this and what did you do to stop it ??
DZ, so sorry you are in so much pain. I had a one sided headache before my decompression, and there were many days the headache would build as the day went went on. Steroids never helped me either. The only drug that helped me pre- op was fioricet. It didn’t get rid of the headache but took the edge off. I think it’s a narcotic so should be used sparingly. Also, many of us have had luck in pain reduction with this OTC combination: Vitamin D3 (I take around 6-8,000 I ifs a day- 2,000 isn’t enough), magnesium, and Arnica gel or cream to the back of your head, your neck, and peck muscle areas(Walmart or drug store). Many of us are also low in vitamin B12- get tested 
Something else to consider…do you bend your neck forward looking down, or head bend back a lot during the day? This could be aggravating symptoms. If you do you may want to try a cervical collar to see if it makes a difference- it did for me. Hang in there.
Jenn
We haven't tried much of anything yet. I'm in between insurances and cant get into my nuro right now. My family Dr has me on all the stuff from when I just had fybro because he cant give me anything else so I take norontin and topamax and sometimes I get pain meds but a low dose that doesnt last long or help much. I feel like im going crazy I've always had the headaches since i was a little girl but now my hands and feet go numb and my vision gets blurry. I cant function most days i feel like a bobble head trying to hold my head up is almost impossible by the end of the night. it all happened so fast and I've lost soo much weight I had to quite my job because I was getting so sick with the migraines throwing up for days at a time. I feel like my world is upside down one day I was ok and the next I'm super sick. I can even feel my brain now....I'm sorry I'm feel like I'm talking crazy my husband just doesnt get it ......
Your mention of the bobble head feeling makes me really think the collar might help your pain and other symptoms. A lot of us with Chiari also have cranial cervical instability - basilar invagnation, and or retroflexed odontoid, and or abnormal amount of movement of cranial cervical joint. I had all three and the collar made a huge improvement for me.
Being in so much pain and then getting a hard time from family, spouse, or work because we can’t do it all would make anybody feel like they are going crazy. It’s not your fault. Just keep hanging in there.
Hugs, Henn
I just hate the idea of the collar Im such a control freak and it makes me feel even more disabled I took one look at that thing and said no way cant do it im trying really hard to be "normal" for as long as I can. I have a 6 year old son and I don't want him to think his mommy is weak or notice that there's something wrong with me. but thanks for the kind words its always nice to hear form someone that understands
But there is something wrong with you... I have 2 children as well and they both understand that sometimes I just don't feel well and that can't be "fixed". As far as the husband thing... my boyfriend of 7 years left me yesterday because he just doesn't understand and thinks I am crazy. There is so much more to this condition than just the herniation. Most people just can't grasp that.
The collar can really be helpful, as Abby said. It can stabilize you neck and the decrease movement in the base of your head. I think it would be worth a try, even if you just use it when you are alone at first to see if there is any reduction in your symptoms...
I actually have been getting this feeling for some time. It is a crazy feeling when you feel like there is a line dividing the two sides of your head. I told my husband the other night don’t be surprised if my head actually explodes. The pain and pressure is so intense on one side and nothing at all on the other. Nothing seems to help, but putting Tiger balm on my neck and having my husband or kids rub out my neck and the base of my head seems to take some of the intensity away. I hope you can find some relief.
im so happy (sorry for you though ) to hear i'm not crazy and i really can feel my brain divided I really thought I was losing it!!! my problam at the moment is the baby thing the do I or dont I have one and if I do do I do it before or after surgery.... My husband has no kids and wants one of his own but we just started a landscaping company and he wants to wait a little longer to start trying but im afraid my body isnt going to let me wait.. i've been telling him for 2 years now that I felt like i'm running out of time to have more kids I've been on the shot for so long it will take forever for us to get pregnant any way I just dont know if I should even have another kid I feel like chiari is so hard on them ugh............
There is a video on the CSFinfo site about pregnancy and Chiari- I haven’t watched it yet so not sure it would help you…,
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Jenn