My brain ‘slips’ into my spine & causes me to collapse 20 times a DAY – I’m in so much agony I want to rip my head off
A WOMAN with an incredibly rare brain condition which caused her to collapse 20 times a day says she would be in so much agony she wanted to “rip” her head off.
Jennifer Sullivan, 35, from London was diagnosed with Chiari malformation in 2012 after doctors battled for two years to pinpoint the cause behind her extraordinary symptoms.
Her medical troubles started after she collapsed on her stairwell in 2010 and began suffering extreme pain.
She told My London: “I used to grab my skin, as I wanted to rip my head off.”
Jennifer, who lives in Dulwich, began randomly passing out more frequently, at one stage up to 20 times a day.
In some cases, she would be temporarily left without sight or hearing, and continued to suffer in agony.
She feared she would be wheelchair bound for the rest of her life after losing all of the feeling from her chest down.
Sometimes the pain would be so bad, it felt like someone was “squeezing” her brain.
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She said: “I was passed on to every hospital around London, but no one could diagnose me.”
“It was terrifying that no one could find what was wrong.
“If they found something we could work on it, but I started to think it was all in my head and I was going crazy.”
A breakthrough only came after her MRI scans were sent to a friend’s father who was able to help identify the cause.
She found out she had Chiari malformation which was causing the lower part of her brain to be pushed into her spinal canal.
But putting a name to her symptoms was only the beginning, and has undergone three brain surgeries as part of her recovery.
SUCCESS STORY
However, it’s unconventional approaches that Jennifer credits as helping her get back to her old self.
She began having reflexology massages and found them the most helpful in being able to restore movement.
Jennifer said: “Learning about reflexology and removing toxins in my life have allowed me to find some normalcy, and that’s why I’m not in a wheelchair like the consultants said I would be.
She said: “I honestly wanted to die, as I felt so alone.
“But now I want to raise awareness of this condition, so it’s less of a lonely process for other people.
“I want people to hear a success story like mine, to give them hope, so they can see it’s possible to lead a normal life.”
