Hello all..
My name is Stacie and I was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation in April 2010. I have always had some sort headaches on and off throughout my life. My "headaches" changed and I had a MRI to discover what could be going on. Extremities would become numb, unexplained pain, I became confused, brain fog, memory would go, ears popping, nausea..etc.etc.etc. I have been able to deal with the pain but the memory issues really get me down. I have been to neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins that said my Chiari isn't bad and its more likely to be a basilar migraines? Coincidence, considering that is a brain stem inflamation. I see a neurologist on a regular basis. The past two weeks my symptoms were really bad, I was an adult ahlzheimers patient, that couldn't formulate a sentence. My neuro believes it is partly structural with "something else going on". The month of April I didnt have a quality of life. I spent most days in bed after work. The only thing that seems to "dampen" the symptoms would be steriods. I have had oral and IV. My neuro thinks I may be having petit mal seizures. I have had several EEG's and about 8 MRI's lol. I take meds to help with some of the symptoms; it only lessons the extent of them. Its been difficult dealing with these issues, Im active and like to participate in sports. I DO not always have a headache with the symptoms. Anyway, I am hoping to learn as much as I can.
Stacie