I started having severe headaches that me and my doctor thought were migraines. I later had a MRI of my brain that showed that I have CM at 15mm. I was told that I am not a candidate for surgery, and that we would just manage the pain from the headaches as they come. I feel like its pressure and intense pain at the base of my skull that radiates to the front. I am on naproxen, Imitrex, and Fiorinal when the pain is really bad. But lately it seems to be getting worse, so I am going in for a C-spine MRI to see if there is anything else that is wrong. It is affecting my daily life, and I have missed work because of the pain. So I am just wondering how everyone else copes with the pain.
Hi Danielle. Before I had my surgery I took injections near my spine which gave me some relief for a couple weeks. I also used a soft collar neck brace even after surgery at times. I only had a 5mm but my symptoms wer so bad that my NS decided I was a good candidate for surgery. I would maybe seek a second opinion. My NS told me he doesn’t base the need of surgery on mm but on our quality of life.
I see a neurologist who specializes in headaches/migraines/head issues. She is from a top notch location here in Oklahoma. I did try physical therapy, but that just seemed to make it worse. I told my doctor, and she is now concerned that I may be having more issues with my c-spine. So I have a MRI scheduled for Feb to evaluate my neck.
What symptoms did you have that your doctor thought you would warrant surgery, if I may ask?
Fentanyl patch's have helped me immensely the pain is still there just dulled.
I had many symptoms at the end before my surgery problems swoallowing severe headaches daily fast heart rate trouble talking seizures numbness across my chest face and hands just to name a few. My neurosurgeon out weighed my quality of life. Which by this time I stayed in bed most of the time cringing in pain abd having trouble breathing and scaring my husband to death because of the seizures. My neurosurgeon highly believed that all my symptoms where true chiari but made it clear that surgery may not help but was worth a shot. Thank God I gad the surgery! I am living a almost normal life now pain free!
I so agree with Andrea! Prior to surgery, a Pain Management clinic had me on opiate pain relief… oxycontin, percocet, norco, morphine, fentanyl, ritilin, adderall… you name it. I was on it. And, after 10 months, my dose requirements got to be so frighteningly high - I was in danger of overdosing. Optiates were the only things that worked, though. Nerve pain responded to nothing else. But, opiates have that diminishing return ‘curse’ to them. NOT good for chronic use. Only surgery gave me permanent relief. Makes sense. If your spinal cord is being squished by your own skull - how are drugs going to alleviate that? Post surgery, I was found to have some permanent nerve damage (because I waited too long to have the surgery). Now, I have some nerves that keep saying “ouch, ouch, ouch,” even though there is nothing “Ouching” them! For me, the old tryciclic antidepressants, either noritrypteline, or ametriptilyne - work very very well for stopping those nerves that keep wanting to say “ouch, ouch, ouch.”
Neuro-orthopedic Insttiute out of Australia has some excellent research and clinical treatments for nerves that continue to say ‘ouch’ - nice way to put it!