The Sucky Part About Having a Chiari Malformation
Well, all of it is pretty crappy, if you ask me, but right now, the most sucky thing?
When the neurologist admits that she can't tell whether the vertigo is causing the ubiquitous headaches, or whether the headaches triggered this current vertigo episode. I can honestly say it is not a lack of knowledge on that front, it is a labyrinth of issues that are so interconnected that even the most seasoned neurologist can't definitively answer this one.
Thing is, the headaches are nearly always a part of my days, that I never stop to consider that they're causing other problems. The only thing I have notices is that the constant neck and shoulder pain (that hovers at a 5 or 6 on that Likert scale) have been strangely absent since this whole episode started.
I think the biggest surprise is that this doctor, who I am not really fond of, was actually rather decent and displayed a modicum of compassion-which she has not shown one shred of in the past. She even offered up a prescription for valium for next week's MRI, when last year, she told me I didn't NEED them. Maybe it's the fact that I'm symptomatic and it's obvious it's bad.
Heck, she gave me a note to not go back to work. Alas, the impending deadlines convinced me to not use it.
Upshot is an increase in the meclizine, a steroid, use my migraine medication on any and all headaches, even ones I am convinced won't improve with it, and go back in two weeks if there is no improvement in my situation.
When the neurologist admits that she can't tell whether the vertigo is causing the ubiquitous headaches, or whether the headaches triggered this current vertigo episode. I can honestly say it is not a lack of knowledge on that front, it is a labyrinth of issues that are so interconnected that even the most seasoned neurologist can't definitively answer this one.
Thing is, the headaches are nearly always a part of my days, that I never stop to consider that they're causing other problems. The only thing I have notices is that the constant neck and shoulder pain (that hovers at a 5 or 6 on that Likert scale) have been strangely absent since this whole episode started.
I think the biggest surprise is that this doctor, who I am not really fond of, was actually rather decent and displayed a modicum of compassion-which she has not shown one shred of in the past. She even offered up a prescription for valium for next week's MRI, when last year, she told me I didn't NEED them. Maybe it's the fact that I'm symptomatic and it's obvious it's bad.
Heck, she gave me a note to not go back to work. Alas, the impending deadlines convinced me to not use it.
Upshot is an increase in the meclizine, a steroid, use my migraine medication on any and all headaches, even ones I am convinced won't improve with it, and go back in two weeks if there is no improvement in my situation.
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