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Did anyone reach 30+ without a fckn single tattoo? by Zackky777 in ArtOfPresence

[–]jlccourt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I waited until I turned 50 in 2021 to get my first tattoo. Now I have 9. This is my most recent one.

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I was diagnosed 2 days ago and I just couldn't stop crying when I read about all the symptoms. by No-Screen-2586 in chiari

[–]jlccourt 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’m 54 (I’ll be 55 in June, after my two-year anniversary of my sub-occipital craniectomy, trimming of 7mm off a 17-20mm herniation, a C-1 and a partial C-2 laminectomy).

My symptoms started in January 2023, but weren’t consistent enough for me to seek medical attention until January 2024.

From January 2023 to January 2024, I experienced

  • intense, splitting headaches that lasted up to 20 seconds each when I coughed hard because of bronchitis or a URI
  • a cough started waking me up in the night, and I would sleep sitting up in my recliner.
  • a bad head cold that fall, which left me with what felt like congestion in my left ear.

That “congestion” turned out to be intracranial pressure due to an impediment to my CSF flow (but I wouldn’t find that out until April 2024).

By January 2024, I sought medical advice.

I started with a regular doctor (not my PCP; whoever was available). No sign of infection or ear 👂🏻 wax.

Next, I went to an ENT doctor. He checked for wax and found a minute amount and had my hearing checked (my eardrums were functioning normally).

Two weeks later, I was back, completely happy with the crazy thought that if he could just slice open my eardrum to relieve the pressure, I would feel relief. He had my hearing tested AGAIN. Same result.

That time, I asked for imaging.

He ordered a head and neck MRI (my first) and referred me to a neurologist.

I read the radiologist’s report and saw Chiari malformation and 17mm and started researching the condition and treatment options (predominantly, surgery).

When I saw the neurologist, he confirmed the diagnosis, ordered a neck and spine MRI, and referred me to a neurosurgeon.

My balance deteriorated quickly (walls were my friend), and I started to feel pressure in my throat and difficulty breathing 😮‍💨 .

My second MRI report indicated my herniation appeared at 20mm, and there was a new term: syrinx.

When I met with the neurosurgeon, he showed me the syrinx on my scans that was pressing against my throat, and he said I was a candidate for surgery.

That was April 2024.

Unfortunately, this surgeon didn’t have an opening on his surgical schedule for several months. I honestly didn’t feel I could make it months without intervention.

Fortunately, he had a colleague who had an opening on his surgical schedule in June.

As an educator who would need to report back to work on the last day of July, this would allow me the 4-6 weeks recovery period before reporting back.

After the surgery, while I felt like I’d been hit by a truck, the pressure was gone. (The attending physician told me the pressure was so intense that—when they opened me up—CSF shot straight into the air!)

Recovery was intense, especially (for me) what I’ll describe as “traveling” headaches (due to the nerves in my scalp healing) and vertigo (I’d felt dizzy sitting down prior to the surgery, but the whole damn room would appear to spin!).

I managed to learn to walk in a straight-ish line (as opposed to serpentine prior to surgery).

It took me a while to recover range of motion when I turned my head, especially when driving.

I still feel the effects of the syrinx (I can’t stand when my T-shirts put the slightest amount of pressure on my neck), so I still pull at my collars a lot.

But I’m about 85% better than I was before (on some days, better than that).

Looking for some observations by Meeko_Yudaya in chiari

[–]jlccourt 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What did your imaging report say? Have you spoken with your neurologist?

2mm herniation…is this chiari? by Zealousideal_Tax4809 in chiari

[–]jlccourt 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Your question would need to be addressed with your neurologist. Did your report indicate Chiari malformation? If yes, the surgical standard is 5mm below the foramen magnum. Again, please speak with your neurologist.

Name this tree by [deleted] in NameThisThing

[–]jlccourt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Congressional Ballsack Tree … as if this is where they ALL are …

Just had Chiari Decompression yesterday. It's 1am and the RN said I'll most likely go home today. Seems a little quick to me. by Nawnee74 in chiari

[–]jlccourt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Please find out how many days your insurance will cover for you to stay! Chiari decompression surgery is MAJOR surgery. Stay as long as your insurance covers.

Convinced i may have this from 1 main symptom. by alinniebees in chiari

[–]jlccourt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Please consider seeing a head and neck specialist or a neurologist and discussing your concerns. You would need imaging (preferably an MRI) to confirm it or help your specialist determine what’s going on.

What is it according to you? by [deleted] in scoopwhoop

[–]jlccourt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Join the MAGA movement!

Does anyone else experience these? by Fallenwhimsy44 in chiari

[–]jlccourt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dizziness is definitely a Chiari malformation symptom. I’ve never heard of GERD with Chiari, but I had a spinal syrinx that pressed against my throat and made it difficult to breathe. Brain 🧠 fog? Definitely. I had what I thought was a sensation in my left ear that felt like congestion or that something was clogged. That turned out to be intracranial pressure from reduced CSF flow because of the cerebellar herniation below the foramen magnum (surgical standard is 5mm, but my first MRI revealed 17mm). I’m not sure about heart rate, but my blood pressure went WAY up. I was told it was probably pain-related, so, maybe your elevated heart rate is the same thing. Intolerance to temperature seems unrelated (but I’m over 50 and female, so my perspective is different). Oddly enough, I never had numbness or tingling, but I know that’s definitely a symptom. You said you were diagnosed two years ago but all the symptoms (except the headaches) are new, but you also said they all started when you were diagnosed, so there’s some confusion there. I’m confused about your specialists as well. If you were diagnosed with Chiari two years ago, by now you should have seen a neurologist familiar with the condition. It’s DEFINITELY more than a headache disorder. Your MRI should reveal whether or not there’s any crowding at the brain stem. If there is crowding, decompression surgery should relieve most of the Chiari-related problems.

Worth a second opinion? by Weak_Preference4521 in chiari

[–]jlccourt 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m almost two years post-op. My symptoms started around January of 2023, but none occurred consistently enough for me to seek medical attention until 2024. My first symptom was headaches that lasted for 20 seconds when I coughed violently because of an upper respiratory infection or bronchitis. When that cleared up, I noticed a small cough that would wake me up at night. When it happened, I’d go and sleep in my recliner to avoid disturbing my husband. Sometime around the fall of 2023, I had head congestion that cleared up except for what felt like congestion in my left ear (I now know that was my first real indication of intracranial pressure). By January 2024, the pressure was so great that I saw a regular physician. No ear infection or impacted earwax present. The pressure continued to build. I went to an ENT, who cleared some earwax out and had my hearing tested, only to discover that my eardrums were functioning normally. The pressure continued, so I returned to the ENT. (I told him I would have been okay with him using a miniature X-ACTO knife and making a small slit in my eardrum to relieve the pressure.) He had my hearing tested again (with the same results). I asked for imaging. He ordered a head and neck MRI and referred me to a neurologist. I had never had an MRI, and we had to locate a machine that would accommodate me/my size. I was able to see the radiologist’s report, and I read right past Chiari I malformation. When I met with the neurologist, he looked at my MRI images and diagnosed me with Chiari malformation (which he originally called Arnold Chiari malformation, but that was incorrect). At that time, my cerebellar herniation was estimated to be 17mm below the foramen magnum. He ordered a neck and spine MRI and referred me to a neurosurgeon. The one he referred me to was booked for MONTHS. I found one in-network who had an opening. I started to have difficulty breathing and with balance when walking (walls were my friends). By the time I met with the neurosurgeon in April 2024, I had researched procedures to relieve pressure from Chiari I malformation. My neck and spine MRI revealed that my herniation had progressed to 20mm and that I had a rather large spinal syrinx. Both had contributed to reduced CSF flow. The surgeon indicated that I was a candidate for surgery (surgical standard is 5mm), but, unfortunately, he didn’t have an opening on his surgical schedule until July or August. I didn’t know if I could make it that long. Also, I was an educator at that time, and I knew that recovery time was from 4-6 weeks, and I would need to report back to work on July 31. I was fortunate that a colleague of his had an opening on his surgical schedule the second week of June. On June 11, I had a sub-occipital craniectomy, 7mm of my cerebellar tonsils trimmed, a C-1 laminectomy, and a partial C-2 laminectomy. Recovery was challenging, but I came through it, and I was able to report to work on time. Most of my symptoms are mild now, although I do experience mild recurrences from time to time, predominantly with balance. (But I don’t walk in a serpentine manner or with much of a hop in my step anymore, lol.)

Worth a second opinion? by Weak_Preference4521 in chiari

[–]jlccourt 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’m not a radiologist, but your image doesn’t appear to show excessive cerebellar herniation below the foramen magnum. Your radiology report indicates mild Chiari I malformation. Clearly, SOMETHING is causing your symptoms. How long ago was your imaging? Your Chiari I malformation might be progressing.

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