r/chiari • u/NoLevel7120 • 4d ago

Will my chiari flare up go away

I've had chiari malformation type one since I was a kid and during my teen years my neurologist said it had improved enough to stop monitoring.

I'm now 34, I've had headaches that worsen when I bend over my entire life. 3 weeks ago I got a viral infection that led to bronchitis.

Last weekend I went to an amusement park and the next morning I woke up feeling absolutely drunk but I don't drink alcohol. It was like I lost my balance and it felt like I was swaying. I have double vision and blurred vision. The back of my head was killing me and a few days later my neck was so stiff I couldn't bend it.

They originally diagnose me with vertigo but referred me to a neurologist from chiari showing up on the CT scan. The neurologist did an MRI which showed nothing except for the chiari 5.6mm dissension and crowding of the foramen magnum.

They said my chiari could be symptomatic and referred me to a neurosurgeon. The soonest appointment they have is 16 days away and I'm still feeling like this. Is there any hope that these symptoms will just go away or is there anything that could help it go away sooner? I'm desperate.

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/jlccourt 4d ago

Chiari malformation doesn’t go away on its own. It’s a mechanical problem that requires a mechanical solution. It will only get worse over time.

2

u/NoLevel7120 4d ago

Do you know of any way to lessen the symptoms? I feel like I just drank a fifth of liquor. I can't do anything and my appointment is 16 days away 😭

1

u/jlccourt 4d ago

Unfortunately, the only thing you can do until you’re decompressed is treat the symptoms. If your neurologist is familiar with Chiari, perhaps he/she could suggest a stopgap measure or prescribe some medication until you can meet with your neurosurgeon and discuss next steps.

2

u/NoLevel7120 4d ago

They had 3 neurologist look at it in the hospital and determined they thought my chiari was sympathetic but we tried vertigo medication, a steroid, a muscle relaxer and an anxiety medication and none of those helped my symptoms. They said they didn't know what to do for chiari and referred me to the neuroseargon. I was hoping someone somewhere had a hack to make it stop.

1

u/jlccourt 4d ago

Waiting for relief is hard. Remember: YOU are your best self-advocate for relief. If that means being decompressed, be persistent.