Possible Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome with craniocervical instability

Hi @derrickbff, welcome to Connect where you can meet other patients talking about Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome like @kariulrich @jigglejaws94 @blossom2016

Derrickbff, have you been diagnosed with EDS? Or is this what you are trying to get confirmed? Do you know what type you have or suspect to have?
https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6322/ehlers-danlos-syndromes

An Ehlers-Danlos diagnosis really isn't as important to me right now as getting my neck fixed due to the possible EDS. I tried to get genetic testing but due to only having hyper-elastic skin and no dislocating joints (other than thumbs) I was denied, Locally that is. Though she, (the rhuemotologist), didn't notice any hypermobility, my last MRI report stated that my c2 facets were significantly exposed in right/left rotation. It then stated in the next sentence that "this may represent hypermobility" . I'm actually trying to get craniocervical instability diagnosed because that's what would be causing my symptoms for the most part. Then hopefully I can get an odontoidectomy to reduce the retroflexion of the c2 vertebra as well as fusion for the unstable area. The report I got from Vicenç Gilete, a Neurosurgeon from Spain who deals with Chiari malformations and Ehlers-Danlos complications, is the only doctor who agrees that this is most likely what I have. I included his report in the package I sent. His measurements of my skull angles were pathological and indicative of brainstem compression. An Ehlers-Danlos diagnosis would be nice but that's at the bottom of the to-do list. Though it would be good to get vascular EDS tested for because it's dangerous. Do you think they will be upset that I added measurement tools with pictures to the package? I only do this because, like I said in the first post, I've been dismissed as a psychiatric patient for the last 8 years. How does loss of balance and dysphagia/globus sensation stem from depression...?

Hi:
I wish you all the luck in the world. I have a severe balance problem too. I have been to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester in MN. I was told that I have Functional Neurological Disorder which is not true. I also have EDS with problems with my cervical. I had an X-Ray of my Cervical at the Mayo and I was never told that I have Sublaxation in my Cervical. Please keep me informed with your condition. I just did not have any luck at Mayo. I hope you will have better luck.

I've done all the work that doctors should have done. I've given them everything they need to diagnose. I hope they believe the neurosurgeon in Barcelona and not think that he's just some quacky doctor and I'm just getting scammed by him. Unfortunately I think this is the popular opinion among the doctors I've told about him. The report states that he thinks I have CCI and AAI. He also put the pathological CXA's and Grabb-Oakes measurements in the report which I sent. I also attached the actual images of how to do this measurement which they should know about. If this doesn't work I'm basically just going to ask God to kill me every night in my sleep. Uniformed doctors... Did you have any reports or anything done before going to Mayo or did you count on them to diagnose you? I don't mean that in an offensive way I just know from experience that doctors know very little to nothing about EDS. Other than your more flexible and/or have hyperflexible skin. If this works out for me then I'll recommend you to get an upright flexion/extension MRI and an upright rotation MRI. The doctor in Barcelona charges 250 usd for a basic evaluation. That's how I got my "report". The difference with him is that he's informed about the craniocervical deformities of Ehlers-Danlos patients. If you can afford it I would say get the 250 evaluation so he "knows" your case somewhat. Then you can go over there and get the surgery you need.

I know it is very hard to be doctor-searching, but I wanted to prepare you- Mayo neurologists often refuse to order upright MRIs for EDS w/ possible CCI. They say uprights are unnecessary and give poor results. Mayo may not a good choice for neurology for those with Ehlers-Danlos, from what I've heard. Or in general for those with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. Across the board the doctors aren't even familiar with some basic current research. Please don't hold out any one doctor as your last hope, things are changing fast in EDS research. Wishing you the best-

Well I actually sent it to Neurosurgery or so I hope. I don't know if they're both equally uniformed departments on EDS. I actually sent the scans of the upright MRI scans I had done here with Dr. Gilete's report with his measurements (which are pathological). I also stated that I took the measurements on the above image before he evaluated me. I then said that the measurements I took and the measurements he took were only off .7-1 mm/degree, (which they were), to try to avoid eye-rolling about a patient taking measurements by his or herself. All they will have to do be informed on pathological skull angles and know that the doctor in Spain is legitimate. After that I see no reason other than incompetence and/or arrogance to refuse me treatment for this.The only option after this would be to fly to Spain to get my CXA normalized by Dr. Gilete. I would need someone to go with me though, that's the hard part. I'm so confused and have Avoidant personality disorder so it's a double-whammy. I'm completely fine with paying a medical bill for the rest of my life I just want to live instead of being afflicted and miserable because I don't have cognition anymore.

Hi:
I am not impressed with Mayo at all I went there for a balance problem and they told me that I have Functional Neurological Disorder which I do not have. I found out that I have severe arthritis in my spine plus I have subluxation in C2-C5 which nobody at Mayo told me. Plus I saw PA’s and DO’s so to me I felt that I was not taken seriously because I have a complex situation and they diagnosed me before all the test were completed. They suck

Hi:
Do you live in the States? I do. I have no idea what to do. I am so freken tired of going to Doctors. I had 3 tubes inserted into my right ear and no Doctor can tell me why I had failed tubes. I did have a Balloon inserted into my ear canal about a year ago but there is something wrong with that ear. This has been going on since 2013. I cannot imagine them trying to figure out why I have this balance problem and they keep telling me it is not related to my ear, or brain. It’s my freken Spine and now I have to convince some Doctor that. It will take me years to do that. Have any ideas?
Thanks
Debbie

Well ear problems can cause balance problems. Any issues with the spinal cord or cerebellum can also cause balance problems. You would have to post an image of your cervical spine or the whole spine if you have one. If you have a copy of your images just insert the CD into the computer and run it in MicroDICOM. It's a free DICOM viewer you can download online. Once installed open it and to the top left there will be a CD image. Click this to open the CD. Once you have the right image hit print screen on the keyboard and paste it into paint and save it. Then you can upload the image here. If you don't have your scans you can ask whoever done them for a copy on CD-ROM. You can Private message the image to me if you want but the only knowledge I have regarding the spine is about Grabb-Oakes and CXA measurements.

Hi:
I saw my ear Doctor today and he ordered me an MRI of my Cervical for the 8th of October. I did not informed him about me going to the Mayo Clinic. This Doctor did my ear surgery he inserted a balloon into my right ear. I know for a fact that I have Advanced Arthritis in my Cervical and Subluxation in C2-C5 but he doesn’t know that. I was diagnosed with FND by Mayo even though I had the x-ray done at the Mayo. Not one Doctor at Mayo said anything about me having Advanced Arthritis and Subluxation. I hope I am doing the right thing. Once you are label for FND no Doctor wants to help you. That is the way it is. So that is why I am doing this way.
Thanks