Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.
I had a few Drs that saw me mention Dandy walker..not sure if it was some of my symptoms or their inexperience with Chiari.
It is very possible to have more then just Chiari be it a related or unrelated condition...we are all different in that we have different issues going on all at once .
Seeing a true Chiari specialist will be helpful to you...as for SSID it can be a very difficult journey....we do have a thread with tips to win....and yes an attorney is suggested.
For Meds I have had great success with Cambia for my headaches.... And I would suggest some life style changes for your other symptoms.... Be careful when dealing with a Neurologist it's been my experience that they don't understand Chiari and the meds that I have been given by the 5 Neurologists I saw made me have some wacky side effects.... Neurosurgeon is the way to go!
I have found stability with my regamine but it worries me when I take the adderal( just recently switched to vyvance due to less adverse side effects) and it brings about the clogged feeling in my ears as well as louder than usual tinnitus. Like I said vyvance has far less adverse effects but tends to increase anxiety esp when I have groggy days. My appitie is better and it doesnt seem to overstimulate like the adderal. I just recently tried welbutrin but it didnt do anything to combat fatigue and left me feeling hazy.
And @ selma and Slowe...I just recently had an mri which saw pretty much the same as my ct in rochester which was signs of over drainage and slit ventrical syndrome with no evidence of chiari malformation. Every neuro surgeon who has actually been inside my head has mentioned or noted chiari and my symptoms support that notation. I was told by NYC chiari institute to submit the paperwork and let the professionals there examine the films. @ Slowelady, my current neurosurgeon, or at least the last neurosurgeon to operate and knows my current hardware/ plumbing; is a pediatric neurosurgeon and just tells me to wait and see. I believe due to avg age that symptoms become noticeable he is not very familiar with effects of chiari can have on daily life.
If either of you would like to see the mri report id be glad to send it to you
Ps. My meds are perscribed by general practitioner who is trying his best but seems to be attacking symptoms the best he knows how.
Have you sent your MRI's to TCI in NY?
Having them review them will give you the best DX of what is going on....if you want to post them in your profile page so we can take a look....but I am not a medical professional and may not be able to say much about them..sometimes it is very clear to me on some MRI;s but depending on the slice I can not tell what is going on.....my Dr was good at showing me how to see it...but we all have different images.
Meds for me did nothing b4 surgery....and if you should be a surgical candidate in the future meds you are on now could lessen the ability of the med post op to be effective.....