Originally Posted by momof4

Hi,

I am new here and have been searching for more information regarding recovery after surgery.

My story: I had mild headaches with an occasional "big" one for several years but in July '06 they blew up. They became intense daily with very severe headaches every couple weeks. The daily ha intensified to the point that I couldn't handle any noise, movement made it worse and of course light sensitivity increased. After several doctors treated me with no results I was referred to Diamond Headache in Chicago where I took loads of drugs but the headaches continued to worsen. I lost feeling in my fingertips, had increasing difficulty swallowing, the right side of my face sagged, daily toothaches, ringing in the ears, loss of balance, etc.

Against my Diamond's doctor's advice, I found a neurosurgeon that said that I had a "small" chiari and pulsating artery in my spinal cord that needed more room. (I may not be describing this in correct medical terms!) The surgeon is fabulous at surgery and I would recommend him in a heartbeat!

I woke up from surgery in February with a huge relief to my headaches. My struggle has been the recovery. My neck is so weak and I feel that I have come to a standstill. If I am up too long my neck will become sore and feel inflamed in the back to the point that I can't move it at all and it feels like my head will fall off. If I push it to far, I will get a headache although not nearly to the intensity that I had before. If I really overdo it, which means that I don't lay down 3-5 hours of the day and sit at my office desk for about 3-4 hours in the morning or try other activity, I may be totally flat in bed the next day in misery.

It has been just shy of 6 months since surgery and I am starting to wonder if something has gone wrong. The surgeon is caring and intensely intelligent but doesn't seem to like the follow up issues. The nurses will sometimes say that this is normal and sometimes will say that I should be doing better. I am not getting a clear answer. The dr finally authorized physical therapy but limited to only flexing my shoulderblades and stretching my chin in and out. (my chin doesn' go "in") He said no aerobic excersize or any other neck strengthening activities.

What do I do? The surgeon lives about 8 hours away and travel is difficult. He doesn't seem to think that I need to come back. I am longing to become stronger, both in body and neck and am starting to wonder if it will get better. I am healthy, just 39, average weight and no other health issues. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks!
motherof4

Originally Posted by momof4

Hi,

I am new here and have been searching for more information regarding recovery after surgery.

My story: I had mild headaches with an occasional "big" one for several years but in July '06 they blew up. They became intense daily with very severe headaches every couple weeks. The daily ha intensified to the point that I couldn't handle any noise, movement made it worse and of course light sensitivity increased. After several doctors treated me with no results I was referred to Diamond Headache in Chicago where I took loads of drugs but the headaches continued to worsen. I lost feeling in my fingertips, had increasing difficulty swallowing, the right side of my face sagged, daily toothaches, ringing in the ears, loss of balance, etc.

Against my Diamond's doctor's advice, I found a neurosurgeon that said that I had a "small" chiari and pulsating artery in my spinal cord that needed more room. (I may not be describing this in correct medical terms!) The surgeon is fabulous at surgery and I would recommend him in a heartbeat!

I woke up from surgery in February with a huge relief to my headaches. My struggle has been the recovery. My neck is so weak and I feel that I have come to a standstill. If I am up too long my neck will become sore and feel inflamed in the back to the point that I can't move it at all and it feels like my head will fall off. If I push it to far, I will get a headache although not nearly to the intensity that I had before. If I really overdo it, which means that I don't lay down 3-5 hours of the day and sit at my office desk for about 3-4 hours in the morning or try other activity, I may be totally flat in bed the next day in misery.

It has been just shy of 6 months since surgery and I am starting to wonder if something has gone wrong. The surgeon is caring and intensely intelligent but doesn't seem to like the follow up issues. The nurses will sometimes say that this is normal and sometimes will say that I should be doing better. I am not getting a clear answer. The dr finally authorized physical therapy but limited to only flexing my shoulderblades and stretching my chin in and out. (my chin doesn' go "in") He said no aerobic excersize or any other neck strengthening activities.

What do I do? The surgeon lives about 8 hours away and travel is difficult. He doesn't seem to think that I need to come back. I am longing to become stronger, both in body and neck and am starting to wonder if it will get better. I am healthy, just 39, average weight and no other health issues. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks!
motherof4

Originally Posted by momof4

I am curious--if anyone reading this has had surgery for Chiari I would like to hear how you've done. It would be interesting seeing some response on this because there is so little information available! Good or bad, please share your story!

Originally Posted by punkies187

Hi my name is Melissa iam 22 i was diagnosed with chiari In july 2008. One morning i was sick and called in from work i woke up and my hand was numb like i had slept on it. it wasn't going away so i went to the doctor they said it was nothing that i was just sick. i made another app to go see the doctor from that time to the time i finally got to see the doctor some of my sympotms were the numbness in my hand not being able to feel hot or cold headachs throwing up for no reason, loosing balence when i would walk, sharp pain going down my arm like someone was stabbing me the doctors dident know why half of my body was numb they sent me to a neurologest they took a M.R.I. and found out i had chiari from there they sent me to a neurosergen and sept 9 2008 i had my surgery. they gave me a time period of 3 weeks to 6 months to retern back to work, i went back to work nov12 2008. Today is feb 27 2009 half of my body is still numb i dont have the feeling of throwing up anymore and sometimes i loose my balensce. lately my back has been hurting my neck starts getting sore when iam using the computer for a long time but other than that iam doing good i go back in aprl to take another M.R.I. to see how the scf is flowing and to see if i need another surgery. my dr told me that the surgery is to help stop more symptoms from happining it doesent cure the chairi there is no cure for it. the best thing to do is to do alot of reserch on it to help understand more. if anyone has questions please let me know id love to hear your stories.

Originally Posted by squirrel154

Hello, I am look to find a sugeon to relief me from this pressures headache and this noise in my left ear that is driving me crazy and I am having other symptom, have been dx with a9.4mm chiari 2 month ago and not getting any better. can you please tell me the name of the Dr that did the surgery please

thank
Laura
Quincy,MI
Chiari 9.4mm

Originally Posted by momof4

Hi,

I am new here and have been searching for more information regarding recovery after surgery.

My story: I had mild headaches with an occasional "big" one for several years but in July '06 they blew up. They became intense daily with very severe headaches every couple weeks. The daily ha intensified to the point that I couldn't handle any noise, movement made it worse and of course light sensitivity increased. After several doctors treated me with no results I was referred to Diamond Headache in Chicago where I took loads of drugs but the headaches continued to worsen. I lost feeling in my fingertips, had increasing difficulty swallowing, the right side of my face sagged, daily toothaches, ringing in the ears, loss of balance, etc.

Against my Diamond's doctor's advice, I found a neurosurgeon that said that I had a "small" chiari and pulsating artery in my spinal cord that needed more room. (I may not be describing this in correct medical terms!) The surgeon is fabulous at surgery and I would recommend him in a heartbeat!

I woke up from surgery in February with a huge relief to my headaches. My struggle has been the recovery. My neck is so weak and I feel that I have come to a standstill. If I am up too long my neck will become sore and feel inflamed in the back to the point that I can't move it at all and it feels like my head will fall off. If I push it to far, I will get a headache although not nearly to the intensity that I had before. If I really overdo it, which means that I don't lay down 3-5 hours of the day and sit at my office desk for about 3-4 hours in the morning or try other activity, I may be totally flat in bed the next day in misery.

It has been just shy of 6 months since surgery and I am starting to wonder if something has gone wrong. The surgeon is caring and intensely intelligent but doesn't seem to like the follow up issues. The nurses will sometimes say that this is normal and sometimes will say that I should be doing better. I am not getting a clear answer. The dr finally authorized physical therapy but limited to only flexing my shoulderblades and stretching my chin in and out. (my chin doesn' go "in") He said no aerobic excersize or any other neck strengthening activities.

What do I do? The surgeon lives about 8 hours away and travel is difficult. He doesn't seem to think that I need to come back. I am longing to become stronger, both in body and neck and am starting to wonder if it will get better. I am healthy, just 39, average weight and no other health issues. I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks!
motherof4