It has taken me a while to get round to posting this one, to Marina I must apologise!

With one thing and another, I have left this blog lonely for too long. I am now going to try and get back into it and update it.

This is the start of that by adding peoples stories that most of you will definitely find similarities between these and your own situations.

Marina's story is no exception. She has left out "little" things like being accused by her GP of being a Hypochondriac and that "it was all in her head".......... how ironic really????

Marina has now been given a date for surgery, and so has been totally validated and now is well on the way to getting her life back at long last.

Marina is one of those people that loves to help, she is a natural people person, one who belittles her own ability to offer lots of great well meant support, but she really is a shining star on the forums and a great friend to us all. Time soon for us all to pay all the support back 10 fold ;)

Anyway, here's the beginning of her story!

Marina's Story.

Thinking back, my story started 13 years ago, I'd always been a headachy person even as a child. Then 13 years ago the headaches suddenly turned into what I thought was Migraine's, the pain from them was so severe that I used to vomit. Around this time my now 19 year old daughter was diagnosed with Scleroderma and Raynauds and was desperately ill. Not being the sort of person to go running to the Doctor every 5 minutes I just put the migraines down to stress.

A few years later, I still suffered with Migraines, but by then the pain had got so bad that not only was I vomiting with them but whenever I strained my myself, coughed or laughed it felt like someone was trying to split my head with a cleaver. Then it seemed to be one thing after another my health was slowly detreorating, I was diagnosed with an Underactive Thyroid, then came the dizzy spells. At first I would have attacks of them, until I was more or less permanently dizzy, I would stagger about as if I was drunk. At this point I was put on antidepressents, I didn't feel depressed but the Doctor said what with my home life, he felt sure I was depressed, so I thought OK he is the Doctor he must be right.

Of course the anti D's didn't make any difference and by now I had all sorts of weird things going on with my body I was getting pins and needles, numbness. So off I went back the the Doctors, he then sent me to an ENT specialist, who thought I might have Menieres Disease, I was then given medication for Menieres, that didn't help!!

It was then thought I had a middle ear infection, given antibiotics, then it was decided I had a virus and for months every thing I had was a virus, I never knew there were so many viruses!!!! The dizzyiness and cottonwooly head feeliong got even worse so I was packed off with more Antibiotics, of course they didn't work.

Then thank goodness I started seeing another Doctor at our practice and after listening to my history said it sounds more like a Neurologial problem. He then sent me to a Neurologist who was the most arrogant person I have ever met.

I walked into the Consulting room and gave him my history complete with a list of my symptoms, he didn't even look at them. He then proceeded to ask me to write my name and then to draw a circle!!!! He then turned to me and said, I kknow what's wrong with you, you are suffering with Anziety, I tried to explain that I wasn't at all anxious but he stopped me and SHOUTED at me and said, I don't care if you try to argue with me or not I am TELLING you you are only suffering with anxiety. By this time I was near to tears but I stood my ground and eventually he said OK I will give you an MRI but I'm not expecting to find anything.

I subsequently went for the MRI, then went on a follow up appointment to see him complete with another list of symptoms in case he lost the others. He showed the screen which had a picture of what was my brain with loads of white spots (I later found out they were lesions) he then did a few what I felt, half hearted tests, finger pricks, sensation. He then said that he had found that I had a very small abnormality at the base of my brain but that as it wasn't showing any symptoms (helllooo the list!!) that it probably wouldn't enver show symptoms, again,.... Helloooo the list.... and that he was positive that the only thing wrong with me was Anxiety Grrrrr.

I then went back to my wonderful supportive Doctor told him what had happened, he then sent me to the RVI in Newcastle, there I went to see Dr Duddy, a wonderful Neurologist who actually listened to me and read my symptom list LOL. He then sent me for a complete head, neck and spine MRI,telling me that he would send an apointment to see him in a couple of months. The appointment letter duly arrived but it wasn't to see him but to see a Neurosurgeon at the Newcastle General, to be told that I had a very large Chiari Malformation and an extensive Sryinx, I am now on the list for an op. So this is where I am today I will update as I go on....

Quick update on marina's progress:

...I have recently developed heart problems brought on by the Chiari, but cannot have the operation until they get my heart rate sorted out........catch 22!!!
Was diagnosed with Atrial Fibrillartion and am on medication to try to contol the heartrate. I have received my operation date of 15th March with my pre-op assesment on the 9th. So this is where I am today, I still continue to go downhill, my legs have almost lost all their strength and I have had many falls. The headaches never leave me, I have trouble swallowing and choke quite regularily and the drop attacks are still a problem for me. I'm praying that my N/S wil still go ahead with the surgery given the fact that my heart rate is still not regular but it is a lot better and slower, we shall wait and see at the pre-op............