pulsatile tinnitus

[cfinniss]

do any of you guys suffer with pulsatile tinnitus? i had my decompression in 09 and most symptoms are back but the pulsatile tinnitus came after the surgery and it drives me crazy.  i have read that ICP can cause this but do not know weather to press my ns to check my ICP or not?

[cfinniss]

Thank you for taking the time to write back to me...In Sept. 08I was diagnosed with Chiari 1 (7 mm herniation of tonsils...after my first decompression (craniectomy and lamenectomy of L1) in Jan. 0.9 My worse symptoms went away which included the wicked Chiari Headaches, numbness tingling and burning in feet and legs and hands, very high pitch ringing in right ear, balance problems, slurring of speech and trouble saying what i wanted to say, i knew what i wanted to say but it just would not come out, started having panic attacks, face pain and swelling in jaw line area, tightness in throat, eye problems (but doctors kept telling me the eye problems were thyroid related because i was hyperthyroid with two nodules but had RAI to kill thyroid which then pushed me into hypothyroidism now i am on thyroid med 112 mcg of Levoxyl for the rest of my life). My eye pushed out and down and after my decompression surgery i had to have eye surgery to make my eyes even again so i would not see double.  I had to wear a patch over one eye for a year and then a prism lens so i could see single until the surgery. I also had the naseau on and off dizziness and vertigo on and off. most of the annoying symptoms that everyone else with chiari complain about.  

Well about 3-4 months following surgery my symptoms were mostly all gone then about 3-4 months following surgery little by little the symptoms all started coming back so about 6 mos. after surgery my NS here in Syracuse had me get another MRI and CINE flow study which show there was obstructions again and crowding again at the foreman magenum.  but not as sever as before my first decompression.  My NS and NL here in Syr. then suggested i could have a second decompression to open the dura to make more room but i wanted a second opinion so i asked him to refer me to Dr. Benzell out at Cleveland Clinic  in Ohio.  After an evaluation with Dr. Benzell he felt a second sugery including opening the dura would help me but wanted to wait a few months and check me again wtih another MRI and flow study to see if things got worse.  so we waited another 4 mos. and went back to see him and the MRI showed same as the one 4 mos. previous nothing better nothing worse, still crowding and obstructions but still not as bad as before my first surgery.  So he said i could go either way he could not garentee opening the dura would help me but said he felt it would at least help with the headaches but not a lot of the other symptoms.  He sent me home to consider the surgery and return in another 4 mos with an answer.  So i took 4 mos. in agony trying to decide whether to have it done or not.  my husband finally talked me into it and when we went back again 4 mos later i was ready to tell him to schedule the surgery but i had developed some more symptoms and told him about them, i was having severe dizziness and nausea at the time it was my worse symptom and when i told him that he said i was adding new symptoms and did not feel the surgery would help with most of the symptoms i was having and wanted me to go to their pain rehabilitation clinic for a month to get off pain meds (tramadol and ibuprophen and muscle relaxer) and learn pain management techniques.  i did not go for the evaluation because i cannot afford to live out there for a month.  

So that is my story.  I now have this really bad pulsatile tinnitus and waking with extreme pounding headaches that go away once i am up either sitting or standing so i am worried about ICP because those are symptoms of ICP.  i am afraid to go back to NS with more symptoms because they look at you like your a hypocondriach.  
i never had a thorasic spine MRi just cervical, brain and lumbar- the lumbar was orderedc by my NL because i have a lot of lower back pain and some urinary loss and sudden urges but he said it did not show a tehtered cord.  

do you think i should push my NS for a LP to check ICP?
I appreciate your advice.

Cathy

[selmaS]

Hi...if most of ur symptoms have returned and u have this pulsatile  tinnitus, I would encourage u to get it checked out....

R the symptoms the same as b4 or worse?(sorry, that sounds like an eye exam question)....
Do u get presssure HA's...and r ur symptoms  very different recently....when was ur last MRI?And last have u ever had a LP?

"selma"