Arnold Chiari Malformation my story
 

Hi to all readers,
I am dealing with a number of health problems I am now in my 50's. I thought I would share my story about my Arnold Chiari Malformation. The reason I am doing this is because I know after looking up medical problems all you find is doom a gloom. Well here is my story, When I was about 16 I was working out in my High School gym. I use to work out very hard, very very hard. well I was doing some dips (really pushing myself) and all of a sudden I felt a sharp pain in the back of my head. I never told anyone and I was having pain for months , I stopped the only thing I loved to do, and just suffered with the pain. well guess what after a bout 6 months the pain went away, I slowly started to work out again, and was fine. when I was 49 I got a sore throat My ent told me to get an MRI of my head and I found out I have Arnold Chiari Malformation. ( side note the sore throat was from from something else not the Arnold Chiari Malformation. ) So this is another story but some of the doctors thought my sore throat was from Arnold Chiari Malformation and wanted to give me powerful pain killers ( dont remember witch ones they looked like horse pills)

anyway now that I am in my 50's I wonder what would have happened to me had I complained about the pain in the back of my head. I can only guess, they would have found my Arnold Chiari Malformation and gave me powerful pain pills, I would have never done the things that I did in my life, US Army, Black belt in karate, I use to run a lot too doing half marathons and a lot of 5 & 10 k runs. I even came in 3rd place for my age group one time in a 5 k I ran in my 40's. and I know I would not have the job I have now.

I am not saying dont go to your doctor, I am just telling my story, and I wanted to let people know its not all doom and gloom, and sometimes people do get better

God bless all that read this ( I know the dark night you are in)

I am now 37, but was diagnosed in 2002 when I was very symptomatic. I was given pain killer after pain killer. I was given medication that no one should ever be given. Lucky for me, I couldn't tolerate pain pills.
Except for daily headaches (which I learned to live with) .. my symptoms went away. They returned in the spring of last year, and again.. Doctors kept throwing pain pills my way. I am currently suffering from extreme fatigue, horrible face,neck,head,shoulder and back pain, but I treat my symptoms in other ways. ( With exercise, diet, heat and cold packs, massage). I'm wore out from this disease but I refuse to hand my life over to narcotics.I refuse to give up! I'm so glad you posted this. Thanks!

Chiari Malformation
 

A neurosurgeon read my brain MRI and the report said I have chiari malformation ... but my second neurologist said my chiari is up high and I DO NOT have the malformation. I guess the typist forgot to put the NO in the sentence? It is all driving me nuts. Have neck and headache pain sometimes and thought that was the reason. So I guess I'll go back to the drawing room.