Are any of you from the Pittsburgh, Pa area??? If so can anyone recommend a GOOD "Chiari" neurologist? I have a NS on standby if I should ever decide to go through with the surgery. But I am in desperate need for a neurologist who will treat me for the symptoms and research things further. You know like order a Cine flow MRI to check the spinal fluid. Possibly even an MRI of my pituitary. It's like pulling teeth for anything with my current Neurologist. All they EVER want to do is to push pills (and not even the good kind!) and I HATE taking medication. I'd rather know why and what rather than covering it up without any investigation. But trust me, when I'm in the middle of one of my big painful headaches that lasts a week or more I'll gladly take something to knock me out!

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you so much!

BrainAb (Angie)

Dr Leland Albright
Chief of Neurosurgery
Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh
One Childrens Place
Pittsburgh
(ph) 412.692.5090


Dr. Leanard Bruno
727 Welsh Rd Suite 108
Huntingdon VY, PA 19006
Office Phone:
215-843-8908


Dr. Shripathi P. Holla
Neurosurgeon
Bank Towers Building
Scranton PA 18510
(ph) 717.348.1711


* Dr Ghassan K Bejjani
Greater Pittsburgh Neurosurgical Associates-UPMC
Aiken Professional building, Suite 311
532 South Aiken Avenue
Pittsburgh PA, 15232
Phone: 412-623-6910
Fax: 412-623-6911
http://www.neurosurgery-web.com/

Dr. Joseph Maroon
UPMC Presbyterian, 5C
200 Lothrop Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-647-3604
1-888-234-4375

Razzle,

Thank you for the doc info, but those are all neurosurgeons. I'm in need of a new neurologist. Dr Ghassan Bejjani (in the list you gave) is my NS that is on stand by. And I understand he is wonderful. It's just too easy to find someone to cut you open and SO hard to find a neurologist to get to the bottom of it all and treat you. Thank you for the reply!

why do oyu need a Neurologist? They are just for testing. Your family dr. can presribe meds ..

Razzle,

Unfortunately, My family doc doesn't understand a thing about Chiari and it's related disorders. How do I know if I have the related disorders? I just don't want thrown on medicine. Doctors are too quick to do that. I want someone to do testing to get to the bottom of my issues, instead of placing me on a pill that will just mask it anyway. So they see "mild Chiari" from an MRI and want to do surgery. Can't we investigate it a little further. Especially since I have other things going on. For instance my bloodwork is all out of whack. I have just over the last 6 months developed (or realized) that I am deficient in multiple vitamins and minerals. That's weird to me.

I've already been down "pill pusher" route with my first Neurologist who refused to even INFORM me that I had Chiari. He didn't think it was relative to my symptoms. Therefore he just kept putting me on medications. One i've been on for 8 years for PTC "headaches" and they didn't help but my body is so used to it (Its a beta blocker) and my heart is so used to it that after all these years I've weaned myself down to a half dose and will try to stop it totally when I lose a good deal of weight. I guess I'm not totally convinced that all of my symptoms are from Chiari. I just want to be sure. And I'm tired of pressure for surgery, that in my research, hasn't shown to be a cure all. The things is my symptoms will be treatable and bare able for months and months and then I will have a "off" weeks. This particular "off" period has been going on for months. Somehting just isn't right. I'm not feeling myself. It's scary.

good luck on finding a Neurologist that knows Chiari , and if you do find somebody they will eventually send you to a pain clinic.. take care

and too Dr. Bejjani should refer you to a neurologist ...

I don't recommend letting your family doctor treat your ACM symptoms.
I see Dr. Tew in Cincinnati,OH. He is a Chiari specialist, but I live 5 hours from him, so I also see a neurologist in my local town who refers to Dr. Tew about my problems when he needs to.
I see my family doctor for all other problems not relating to ACM!