Pictures - Please tell me what you think!

[Cryscodoll]

I am new to this so I don't know who sees what...I posted some new pictures if people can take a look and let me know what you think.  I don't take any of the opinions as a diagnosis...just opinions.  I am getting more miserable by the day with the pain. :(

[*Stormy*]

Yes, the burning sensations were one of the first indicators that my legs were starting to get involved, with that came serious pins and needles and loss of feeling on the bottom of my feet. The burning and prickling is actually something that has not gone away with the surgery and I am guessing it may be permanent neuropathy.
As for the throat, that is a common feeling with Chiari too. Does your voice start giving out when you talk for awhile and do you have trouble raising your voice? Those were some of the first things I noticed when it started to affect my vocal cords. I also get some pretty intense spasming in my throat which when it first happened, made  me a little scared! The good news is that I have had those things for almost two years now and it never cut off my air supply or anything but it's not a pleasant feeling. To ease anxiety with having Chiari you have to kind of accept what will be will be and keep in mind that Chiari is VERY rarely ever fatal.  To me though, it sounds like your symptoms are progressing so I would really start working on finding a NS!!

Carolyn

[Cryscodoll]

The burner sensations feel like the hot part of icy hot!  I went over a bad bump yesterday on the way to work and my gosh it felt like I had smacked my head and got a concussion!  The pain and pressure ended up being so bad and the pressure sensitivity to my head was awful and made me nauseas.  I have noticed that my throat gets tired when I am talking a lot...I do seem to get really bad tension in like the way way back roof of your mouth/throat area.  For over about the last year I have been getting what I like to call my "man voice".  It sounds like I drank all night and partied...it's weird..I haven't had my voice start cutting out yet, but when I am either talking a lot or trying to speak at a louder volume I start to get a headache.  Most of the time I am trying to remain upbeat (pain meds help) because if this is truly what I have, I know that I have no choice but to figure out how to keep going forward...but some days I just want to cry.  My body just felt so worn out today...and I am not always actually sleepy but sometimes just tired..........

[n40066]

i took a glance at your pictures and with the ones you posted, it is impossible for me to tell if you have over crowding of your brainstem.  this over crowding is what would be responsible for many of your symptoms.  from your posted pics, it is also very difficult to ascertain your cm.  what i suspect, (and please bear in mind this is only my humble opinion.  i am not a radiologist) is that you have what is called chiari 0.  this, according to the medical community, is a herniation of the cerebral tonsils which is less than 5mm below the foramen magnum.   there are many members here that have chairi 0 and have even more symptoms than those that have a herniation of 10mm or more!  
some drs do not feel the need for a cine mri if they can clearly see a blockage at the base of your skull, it would be rather obvious that there will be a disruption of csf.  others insist on a cine.   it IS important to have a full spinal mri to rule out other problems and they all pretty much will agree to do that for you. ( to look for t.cord, syrinx,bilateral pars defect...) don't know if it will, but hope this helps you some.....
elizabeth

[Cryscodoll]

I have read about Chiari 0 and I was wondering if that might be the case myself.  One picture it looks like there might be crowding, but not obviously not being a neurologist I have no idea if I am making a correct guess.  I have never had these problems before, they just started suddenly within the last month.  The only issues that have been long term for me would be balance issues.  It just seems to get worse everyday...

You recommend insisting on a full spine MRI just to be on the safe side?  I had never even heard of Chiari until about a month ago when I had a Cat Scan and the nurse from my doctor's office called and told me I had it...

[Cryscodoll]

My biggest fear is that the neurologist is going to blow me off and say I am just having something like migraines.....

[classiechic]

Wow.....reading your symptoms is identical to mine. Exactly.