Skiltrip,
I hope everything is working out ok for you. I have symptoms similar to yours if not just a little more severe becuase I have started showing signs of nerve damage but I am having the exact opposite reaction from my doctors. They think that I need to do everything in my power to avoid surgery and it should be used as a last resort. I know that surgery (especially brain surgery) is major is isn't something to take lightly but I would like someone to even consider it a possibility because it is the only cure. Like you said, some symptoms might not improve like the headaches and the pain because there is no way to prove that they are connected to the chiari but at least the nerve damage would stop progressing (or in your case, wouldn't have a chance to start! WOO HOO). Please let us know how things turn out for you. I have another appt sched for Oct 1st to discuss surgery again but we'll see if anything changes. I hope everything works out for you! Thanks

-Sarah