CHIARI MEASURED 5mm IS THIS SERIOUS?

[tattie29]

This journey has been one of a kind, I have been off work for two months now and it is horrible, no money anymore struggling to pay bills and I continue to be in pain, headaches, dizziness, weakness in my arms and hands, my shoulders and back constantly hurt. Monday went to see my Neurosurgon and he showed me pictures from the MRI were there is FLUID leaking but he said that none has went into my spine so he does not understand why I am having pain in my back. He told me that the CHIARI measured 5mm and that was not bad. He then gave me a note to give to my job saying that I can return to work on the 17th of this month, which is crazy because I am a BUS DRIVER and with all these symptoms there is no way I can drive passengers. I really want to have the surgery to releave some of my headaches and pain but the doctor seemed to try and talk me out of it saying: how serious the surgery is and how so many things can go wrong from this. He then said that the MRI of my back did not show SYRINX which I beg to differ because I have read that some times it takes a different kind of MRI to actualy tell. JUST HAD TO VENT A BIT! But has anyone been diagnosed at 5mm and are the complications worse than someone having 2mm? PLEASE REPLY!!!!!!!!!

[selmaS]

Hi tattie!!.....I hear u.....u need a chiari specialist!....also if u have a CSF leak, did they check further with a CINE MRI?....5mm is mild, but it all depends on ur symptoms and CSF if it is blocked or not.....u can have chiar 0 and still requirre surgery, so to look just at the herniation is wrong....u need an MRI w.wo contrast and u would need it of ur  cervical spine, thoracic spine and lombar spine.These r in addition to the brain MRI.
Everyone will be different...again...look at symptoms and csf flow...not size of the herniation.
let us know where u live so we can help u locate a specialist near u or one u can travel to....most of us do need to travel to get to a chiari expert!!

Godspeed
"selma"

[tattie29]

Hi SelmaS,..... He told me that I had  very little bit of fluid and I am not understanding what is mild when my symptoms seems so severe to me.... Having Chiari has caused me not to work because I am in pain constatntly.... these are my symptoms severe headaches at the back of my head that goes down my spine.. dizziness,.. severe weakness in my arms and shoulders.... tingling in my arms,.... I have experienced twitching in my eyes, eyes that continue to hurt but eye doc says can't find anything wrong.... I have experienced like some sort of shock that goes through my body.... then extreame weakness comes on,..... nauseated most of the time along with breathing and swollowing problems and the list goes on...... All I am looking for is some relief,... I just had the MRI with contrast on the 18th of November of the thoracic spine,.... cervical spine, and I think lumbar and that is when he told me that he did not see Sprinx so where do you think the pain is coming from in my back?.... I live in Fort Wayne Indiana.... I go to the Cleveland Clinc on the 10th of this month.....and this doctor is a CHIARI specialist that is about 3 1/2 hrs away..... So I'll find out then if I need surgery or not.

[selmaS]

By mild, the dr is only lookinh at the size of herniation....it means nothing in retrospect to what u may be experienceing as symptoms.I am the same as u....told I have mild chiari...NS I saw locally would not offer treatment or suggest nething....I also am out of work....and at this time of yr, really stinks.I've had all the twitching too.
As long as ur dr is a chiari specialist and u r comfortable with him...follow his advice.
I totally understand what u r feeling and going thru...I had a really bad day yesterday, not great today either.I also will be traveling 2.5 hrs to a specialist.

Keep us posted on ur next visit....in the meantime join us here to vent and get that much needed support from others who can relate!!

Good luck
Godspeed
"selma"