Thanks for the reply. Basically Chiari Malformation is when the bottom portion of your brain herniates through the opening of the skull. It can back up spinal fluid and put pressure on the brainstem. There is a controversy in the medical field because of all of the vague symptoms that it causes.
The operation is called a posterior fossa decompression. They go in a an take out about a 50 cent peice worth of skull in the back to make room. They also take tissue from your underneath your scalp and sew that into the lining of the brain to make more room.
Deep down I never thought that the Chiari was causing the problems that I have described, but since it was possible that it could be, I had hoped the surgery would relieve them. I have absolutely no regrets though. The doctor told me that it was actually worse than he could see on the MRI's and I had an issue that he mostly see's with people who have spinal cord cysts. Thankfully I did not, but it was probably only a matter of time before they developed.
Also I healed extremely quickly from the surgery. I was driving at two weeks with full range of motion in my neck (they cut through neck muscles at the back of the head) at three. I was back at work in 4. Most can't turn their neck at 3 months. Oh and when I say back at work I mean I have a job where if I need to I can lay down and rest.
As far as doing my homework, that is all I've been doing for the past 18 months, lol. I have been researching ADR's this whole time as well as Chiari Malformation. Since the only tests that have come up with any info are the MRI's (multiple EMG's showed lower voltage in left arm but nothing specific) I had to make a judgment call on what to do first.
Here is a pic 3 days after surgery.
