[Totum74]

Does this below sound like I could have Chiari Malformation?

I am a 49 year old male.

LONG TERM SYMPTOMS

For 5 years I've been suffering from hoarseness especially if I talk much.

Also for 15 or more years I have had on/off discomfort in my fingers a bit like the feeling of having dough stuck under your fingernails but in the joints, a umb stiffness sort or reluctance in them.

Again for years I have had an occasional headache in the base of my skull particularly if I run, sneeze, or look down too much (when washing up I rest my forehead on the cupboard above the sink).

I was also told five years ago after an Oesophageal manometry test that my swallowing was quite weak.

RECENT SYMPTOMS

I have been suffering with fatigue since October last year. It has been getting slowly worse and seemed to be exacerbated by exercise. I became housebound in May and then bedridden for the last 9 weeks. I get up only for the bathroom really. I have weak hands arms and legs.

The other symptoms are tinnitus and hyperacusis (in my right ear) . If I listen to sound it tends to make my tinnitus worse and give me brain fog and sometimes a headache at the base of my skull. I also often get brain fog if I try thinking for too long. These can be accompanied by pressure headaches across my eyebrows and a feeling of bugs crawling under my skin. Or sometimes I get those without other symptoms. I have lots of trouble sleeping at night and often wake up. I also get body jerks when I am close to sleep, though this could be the Amitriptyline I am taking.

CONCLUSION?

So my GP has diagnosed me with probable ME/CFS, but it doesn't completely add up as I've never really had PEM, I've mostly just got worse after exercising. I've not had flu like system symptoms at all.

A few days ago I heard about Chiari Malformation and in some ways that fits.

What do you think? Would it make sense, could it lead to my symptoms and being bedridden with tired legs?

Thank you.

[Chemar]

Hello and welcome
I can't offer any insight on your symptoms, but just a few things you mentioned made me also remember posts that some of our members with Myasthenia Gravis have mentioned as some symptoms? Here is that forum if you want to take a look at the info there.
https://www.neurotalk.org/myasthenia-gravis/

I also copied your post to our New Member Forum, just so it could get more views, and hopefully some helpful responses for you. Here's that link
Could this be Chiari rather than CFS/ME?