I know the obvious answer is probably the decompression surgery, but until my doctors decide that's an option, what can I do to help relieve the intracranial pressure? Does anyone have any tricks or medications you'd recommend? It's becoming unbearable and my tricks aren't working as well as they used to.
Diamox is used for a few reasons, and is the first choice for IIH. Works quicker than any other med.
Coffee seems to help me when the Pressures is at its worse , because it’s a stimulant, I guess it helps open the vessels. But, I do stand by that as much as I hate coffee it worked better than the doctors morphine. Doesn’t always work but it’s worth a shot. Sometimes it relieves enough just to be able to take on the day. 
Deia coffee helps pressure? I read that coffee only helps when its low? Not questioning you, just asking. :-)
My pressure headaches that feel like my heads gonna explode, that’s what pressure feels like to me , I’m suggesting what sometimes works for me without pain meds.
For me the key is diet. I've found that a ketogenic & paleo diet makes a huge difference in brain pressure and eliminates many symptoms from chiari. It is the same diet that is given for epilepsy but without any processed foods. If interested, read more from the blog of Dr. Kruse, neurosurgeon:
Paleo Diet for SURE! It's a lifestyle change for the long term, but as you read books onit, you'll realize that we can no longer eat carbs and sugar if we hope to be as functional as we can be- chiari or not. But especially crucial to chiari patients. I have spoken to a few chiari patients who are further along in their recovery from surgery than I and they say they are always better symptoms wise when they are on the diet. It takes courage, gusto and gumption to completely cut out ALL carbs including rice, pasta, legumes and sugars. I am on month 3 of a paleo diet and month 2 post-op. My time in the hospital was flawlessly amazingly painless and a quick recovery. I credit my diet. What else could it have been? :) I am feelign symptom snow but i believe it's because my stress levels are up. In the presence of Cortisol, no diet can fix that inflammation. So like the queen says, "stay calm and carry on"- keep those cortisol levels down and change that diet! Have people you live with help you. My husband tries to sabotage my paleo diet by eatign bread and chips in front of me. The first 2 weeks is hard and you get cranky, but his competitiveness with me has only fueled the fire! Be well. In my opinion, alter your diet before you try drugs with side effects that are still unknown. But if it's bad enough, try both! all my best!
Thank you all for your inputs! I actually got the call today that they want to do surgery, so August 8th is my date! My symptoms/ pain have taken a quick plunge these last two months so they just put me on Hydrocodone until surgery as well. Working full time right up to my surgery date so for now I’m just trying to push through. I will definetly look into the diet after surgery though. Anything I can do to avoid taking any medications afterwards!
Avoid salty foods, as they pull in fluid into your system. When that happens there is no place for the fluid to flow. I believe thats why Diamox works, takes out excess fluid.
I am looking for preassure relief as well. However, is preassure the same as a CM headache?
Question when you all say pressure how woud you describe it? Does it every feel as your ears are full or your jaw hurts?
By pressure I mean I feel like my head is going to explode! If I had to compare it, it's almost like a really bad sinus headache but starting at the back of my head/neck area. My ears feel full as well when dealing with the pressure.
Sometimes ice helps. When the back of head goes numb I have relief for a little bit. Coffee helps mine as well once it kicks in. Medicine wise, sumatriptan helps (most days). And then there are the days that nothing seems to help! It's very temperamental!