My name is Jennifer. I’m 30 years old and about 10 years ago my mother was diagnosed with chiari malformation. She had the surgery and is doing good now. A couple of months ago I began having headaches ( more severe and frequent than before). Well about 2 weeks ago, when I bent over to run my boys’ bath water, I had a sharp pain from the left side of my head down my entire left side. It was as if I was electrocuted. I lost my vision for about a minute but the pain in my left side remained for about 30 minutes. Since then, my left arm hurts constantly. My headaches occur 4-5 times a week. The left side of my back hurts, I have dizzy spells, and stroke like symptoms that go away after a few minutes. I had my first mri with contrast yesterday. I’m still waiting on results. My doctor wants to rule out the chiari. I’m a little nervous and scared. More so about my boys rather than me. I was hoping for some insight about my symptoms. Thank you!
Hello Jen! Glad to hear that your doc is doing a work up. Sometime waiting is one of the hardest parts. I’ve had intermittentent weakness on one side, drop attacks and a multitude of other weird symptoms. They come and go and sometimes get a Lille better and sometimes get much worse. There are a lot of things that could also cause the same symptoms but I think it is a huge positive for you that your doctor is considering chairi right off the bat. I don’t have children and I have no idea how I ever would have cared for them with this so even though I wanted kids, it may have been a blessing in disguise. But I can see how your kiddos would add to your stress and worry over this. Try to keep taking it one moment at a time till you get some info back and start to peice together where you stand. Keep focus on being in the present with your kids and not only will that help keep them from becoming stressed but it’s going to help you keep distracted till you get some answers so that you can keep your stress levels down. All that is way easier said then done, but by taking that fear or worry and channelling it into something productive and positive is going to help you through this. As will trying to stick to your routines as much as your body will allow. Sending you Hugs and Prayers if that is acceptable to you. Please keep us updated on your journey. Kris
Well MRI results are back and my doctor wants to see me at 11:30.
Sorry it took a moment to update. I’m still trying to piece everything together. I am going to a neorologist on may 20th. I was told that I may have ms. I do know that my mother was diagnosed with ms prior to chiari. I don’t know which would be worse. I’m just ready for answers to I can treat my symptoms. Today my left arm from my shoulder to my middle finger has been throbbing. I also have a mild pain just behin left eye. Thanks for the support.
Hang in there! My aunt who helped raise me has MS and they have been back and forth with me on the looks like MS roller coaster too. I have lived with a remitting and reoccurring condition for almost 20 years now that often looks like MS. I can relate to your journey somewhat.
Did they find lesions on the MRI?
I get that it is easier said then done and I am not minimizing any part of what you are going through, but while you are going through this, Try to keep in mind that sometimes it’s better to have answers we don’t like then no answers at all. Worse case senerio say it’s both chiari and MS, at least you will know what you have going on and what you can do about it and which areas of research you can focus on. It’s a lot easier to fight when you can see what you are fighting. I’m not saying stepping out on that path is in any way simple, I’m just saying to keep breathing and allow yourself to look at it from all perspectives. Allow yourself to feel what you are going to feel be it a little fear or worry or grief but don’t forget to balance it out with relief for having your nemesis named and the empowerment that comes with turning on your heels and meeting the enemy head on. Youve got a handle on this and you can adapt to whatever it throws your way so long as you keep getting back up and keep improvising. It maybe bad. You don’t know that yet so focus on how to cross that bridge once you get there. In the meanwhile spend the energy you have on life and all the inbetweens. Whatever you have, you have today. Whatever it’s named your already dealing with and coping with and you will continue to do so. A name doesn’t change where you are today and what is coming tomorrow. It’s just a name. Do not let it have any power over you. It doesn’t dictate the course of your life, you(and if your a believer GOD does) do. Having that named doesn’t deplete you, on the contrary it gives you power over it and although it may create limitations you get to punch back and say oh heck no your not beating me and you rebel and make the best you can out of everyday by fighting back and staying true to your self. Will that path be easy if that is the ultimate outcome? No. But you are already there and you are already doing it and you can carry on through this! Now I have hopes and prayers for the best of news for you but If that is what it is, then it is what it is. Your strong and you will get through this day by day or moment by moment if need be. You have seen the worst of what MS can do but that doesn’t mean that is your course or will be your outcome. You can’t assume the worst. MS is highly variable and if that is the case the biggest thing you can do is flex and adapt to what your body throws at you and fight to regain ground when the opportunity presents itself because there is no absolute set way it plays out on a day to day basis. The best advice I can give you, is when you don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring the best thing you can do is to be present in the moment and live for that moment. Deal with what tomorrow brings tomorrow. Is it ideal? No. Would you pick it? Probably not. Will it be life altering? Perhaps. Will there be obstacles to overcome? Probably. But can you find a way or make a way to overcome? Absolutely!!! So with confidence I send you my support, pray for God to give you strength, wrap you up in hugs and say one way or another it’s going to be alright because I have faith that you can handle this! Kris.
If it is acceptable to you, I will say: God gives his toughest battles to create his strongest soldiers! Keep calm and soldier on!
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Thank you so much. I have never thought of it in that way. You are absolutely right.