Recently Diagnosed (28F)

Hello all, after a recent MRI I was diagnosed with Arnold-Chiari syndrome without spina bifida or hydrocephalus and have been referred to a neurosurgeon at Westchester Medical Center in NY. Along with Chiari, the MRI showed a C5-6 spondylotic disc displacement with mild left and moderate right foraminal stenosis and a congenital C6-7 interbody fusion. I began showing symptoms about 2 1/2 years ago with neck pain and joint pain. Initially, the doctors believed it was possibly Fibromyalgia. However, nothing seemed to help… in fact it got worse. A couple weeks ago the pain was so intense I contemplated going to the ER but decided to wait to get in with a doctor’s office. I should be getting into the neurologist soon and hope to have some answers and eventually relief. My life has done a complete 180 since the symptoms started. All the things I loved to do seem impossible now. It’s gotten to the point where all I can think about is how bad my neck hurts ALL THE TIME. I’m starting to loose feeling in my right arm/hand which from reading is not good. The idea of surgery is giving me anxiety but the idea of living the rest of my life in this pain sounds unbearable.