This all started because I'm concerned that I'm still lactating. My yongest children are twin 2yr olds and I stopped nursing when they were about 3mon old. Needless to say, (this is tmi) my right breast still leaks! Sometimes a little, sometimes a lot, mostly when I'm ovulating, or when the hubby has me "excited". So anyway, my doctor wanted an mri done to check for a pituitary tumor. I got a phone call from her on 3.2.12, saying "we didn't find a tumor, so it's still unknown as to why you're still lactating. On a side note, a type 1 chiari malformation was found." I just sat there. I had NO idea what she was talking about. She starting explaining, using all her medical terms and I was so confused. She set me an appointment with a neurosurgeon and said he'd probably want another mri done and would advise me further. Once I got her to spell it, I started my own research.....I was floored! I have dealt with many of the symptoms for a long time and some have definitly gotten worse as I've gotten older. I didn't think that my issues were related. I always had a "reason" why something was happening. It was always either, because I'm overweight, or because I have 4 young children, or simply, a "Sharisse" quirk and maybe I'm a little coo-coo. Since this diagnosis, I don't know if it's all mental, but it seems that my symptoms have gotten even worse. It could also be that now that I recognize what's going on, I'm not as quick to disregard the different issues. It seems that everyday brings something different and some days are perfectly fine. The things that I deal with are:
bad headaches, (sometimes my eyes hurt, or it feels like my brain is burning)
dizziness (sometimes when I bend down and stand back up. sometimes when I've been working all day. I stare at a computer)
memory loss(very random, sometimes short-term, sometimes long-term)
tingling in my arms and fingers (it's usually my right arm and my pinkie will go numb, like it fell asleep)
brain fog (I'll stare are one of my kids and cannot for the life of me call out the correct name. I'll get so frustrated that I'll call them #1, #2, #3, or #4)
Sometimes I'll drive somewhere and a part of the trip is a blank. Like I'll be on the highway, but not remember actually getting on the highway.
fatigue
fatigue when I get upset(when I stressed or upset about something, the more I think about it, the more tired I become)
my depth perception is sometimes off at night
A tone in my ear and sometimes I can hear my pulse
my sinus are all out of whack. I've become addicted to nose spray.
I'm sure there's more, but I can't think of them right now. Yesterday, my right arm was extremely tingly and weak. I couldn't open my G2. My husband told me to toss it to him, and I gave the most pathetic attempt. He didn't believe that my arm was that weak. I was also VERY tired and out of it the past few days.
Today, I felt better, but now as I'm typing, my headache has come back along with the brain burn, and I almost feel like I'm high or dreaming or something. It's weird.
My first appointment with the neurosurgeon is 3.21.12. So until then, my question for you all is this:
Is chiari malformation an actual disease, or some type of defect(is that the same thing)?
I work at a computer all day, does the computer screen make some symptoms worse?
I'm currently taking phentermine(for weight loss), does this medication affect anything?
Ok, thanks for listening. :-)
As for your questions I also took Phentermine for weight loss and I didn’t notice anything that seemed to get worse because of it, losing weight helped some of my pressure headaches and fatigue but everyone is different as said before. I notice while working on a computer I’ll get a burning feeling between my shoulders and down my spine as well as an increase in numbness and tingling, eye pain happens also. Chiari is a rare disease but as said before it is not curable. You will know alot more after your appointment, keep us updated.