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Avatar universal

Mood swings and obsessing over nothing

I was diagnosed with chiari I 3 years ago. The dr said it was nothing to worry about but the headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, mood swings, and obsessing over the smallest of things are just getting worse. I asked about getting another MRI to see if it had progressed and was told the the recent CT scan showed no signs of progression. I was under the assumption that a CT scan would not show like a MRI would.   I would like a new dr and am looking for  referrals. I live in TN, Knoxville area.  My family doesn't want to be around me anymore because of the mood swings and I am afraid it's going to cause to my marriage to end. We fight all the time now because I obsess over everything. I don't want to be this way. I want to live a happy, normal life. Please help me.
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7489440 tn?1442008376
Hello welcome to the community. There is a list of doctors that the community has been to. They have either been treated by and or liked these doctors. By no means are these referrals and this site does not endorse  these doctors.

Chiari is something that no one should be told to not be told not to worry about. Key to success is to educated yourself. And find the right doctor for you. I haven't expierenced with obsessive part yet but I hope you feel better. Do research and set up several aappointments with several doctors that ways you can find the right Dr for u.
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Avatar universal
obsessing over nothing.( we can never say it is*obsessing* over nothing becoz only the concerned person knows his/her feelings), ....mood swings etc.,  are something that  some of the chiarians do experience from time to time..

u need to find the right dr for u .and also  educate urself well ...

Your family members might be all be  normal in all aspects  and they might not know as to how chiari would affect anyone ..

chiari affects each one in different way and not in the similar manner

hence they might think u are exaggerating or something like that..As u must be  aware that  they do it out of ignorance tl.

.In the mean while ..If u believe in prayers /meditation etc.,do practise them ... try to focus on each day as it comes and try to keep ur mind calm., as much as possible.

..it is easier said than done but an attempt in doing it costs nothing .
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Avatar universal
sorry dear I posted the *to address* to kwalker0004 instead of ur nick  name
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620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

As the others have mentioned many of us obsess over trivial things as we need to do something so we remember  what we need to do, and if my DH moves something I placed so I remember....well lets just say we have fireworks not only in July...lol... but, I have also found that the mood issue can also be a related auto immune thyroid issue...so u do need to have urself tested as that will affect ur moods more so then Chiari alone....to get checked  u will want TSH, free T3,FreeT4 and TPO antibodies looked at...just TSH alone can give u a false "normal" reading...u may even want to have ur thyroid gone over with an ultra sound to see if u have ne nodules....

And finding a true Chiari specialist is KEY !!! There are so many related conditions and once u r DX'd with Chiari u will want to know if u have a CSF obstruction or a syrinx, so u need more testing to know what is going on and how ur Chiari is affecting not only u, but ur over all health.
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Avatar universal
Thank you to everyone. I have been researching doctors and I may have found a specialist. I will have to travel pretty far but I will do whatever it takes. I don't know how much more I can handle of unanswered problems. If I knew all if this from the beginning I think it might have been a little easier. Again thanks so much.
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7489440 tn?1442008376
You are welcome, continue to share your journey with us. Fill up your journal pages that way maybe one of us who might be going through what you are going through maybe we won't feel alone. We all are scared and many dont understand including our loved ones. My mom and grandmother blamed my migraines on genetics for many years. They still dont believe there is anything wrong with me but then again everyone can either accept this or deny it. But we have to live with it and coupe with it. I really hope you get your answers this time. Never give up hope:-). We just have each other and our expierences to go by.
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Avatar universal
I've been on this side for a while reading people's comments and I find it very distressing. My long term boyfriend of 4 years was recently diagnosed with Chiari and the mood swings was not something that I was ready for. My once very kind and thoughtful man has turned into a mean quarrelsome jerk. He gets frustrated and angry about the smallest things and we fight all the time. I had hoped that this surgery would bring some relief to our relationship but it seems after reading the comments that things won't get better and that there's a very good possibility that they're only going to get worse. How do I, as a loved one of someone with Chiari deal with this? We are about to have a baby. It's very scary to me to even think about bring the baby into this is very stressful and hostile environment. what do I do?
Helpful - 0
620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

I did notice mood swings for myself and it was only while I was in pain and discomfort.....

Has he had surgery yet?

And does he have a true Chiari specialist...having the right Dr is key ! and Knowing ALL related conditions b4 surgery as they can cause the same symptoms and even affect recovery.

How to deal...know it is the Chiari affecting him and do not fight back....as it will only prolong the argument....and not help either one of you.....when in pain like this, even the smallest thing can set us off and sometimes we are aware we should not be saying something but I for one knew I could not stop....I felt like I could just blow apart if I did not release the pressure somehow.....and it could be how your BF is feeling....you are scared...imagine how he feels....he was just told about this condition and having a baby without this is scary.....so it is magnified many times over for him..... walk away when he is upset over something that is not worth fighting over....give him space to release his pressure so it does not affect you and the baby and help him find a true Chiari specialist to help him....I am 6 yrs post op and I no longer have the need to blow up anymore..

Hang in there and love him and understand , this is not him.....Chiari affects the brain stem and spinal cord so all nerves can be affected....
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