I am sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis. Whenever I hear people say that their doctors told them their cyst "couldn't be causing the symptoms because they are asymptomatic" I cringe. I heard that for so long, as I detriorated and one new symptom after another came up.
When I was going through that stage, I started doing a lot of research on "neurological" symptoms related to the cerebellum and brainstem, and what I found was that the brainstem and cereblleum were responsible for all the symptoms I was having...dizziness, numbness, tingling, breathing problems, etc. You see, the cerebellum, when compromised, can cause problems with these things. Like now, my brainstem, having the chiari, is compromised yet again, and I have problems with nausea, balance numbness and tingling, all kinds of problems. Anything neurological stems typically, from these areas of the brain. If you research neurological problems related to the brainstem and cerebellum, you will see what all these areas of the brain are responsible for. It took me a while to locate information on all I wanted to know, and I can help you find information and send it to you, but these areas of the berain are greatly responsible for all the problems you list.
Without knowing what size your cyst was originally, by having it followed over the years, it is hard for doctors to know if it's been growing over time. Just as it was with mine. They didn't "want to believe" it had been growing, but my surgeon, the one who operated, told me that is what they do....they build walls inside, the fluid gets trapped inside the walls and cannot escape, so the cyst grows. As it grows, it begins to put pressure on the different areas of the brain....whatever it is in close contact with. He also explained it is a very slow process, that the symptoms sneak up on you slowly and you may not recognize them as being "symptoms" of anything. And that is precisely what happened with me....just a very slow, gradual change.
But I decided to go with my gut on this, even prior to having my surgeon in my life. I knew these other doctors had to be wrong. I had been living my life fine for all those years, no weird symptoms, no neurological trouble like this, then the cyst was discovered, and it was sitting on the cerebellum and brainstem, the two brain structures that control everything I was dealing with symptom-wise by then. I listened to my body, and I listened well. I put the pieces of the puzzle toegether myself.
My advice is to use your intuition. Use your computer and find out everything you can about the brain structures in your head that are being affected by your cyst. If you are like me, you will start to see a pattern develop.
Of course it is always good to get a 2nd and 3rd opinion if that helps you. But do not give up, and do not wipe out the idea that this all could be being caused by your cyst....not yet. I personally think it sounds like cyst-problems. That is my personal opinion. It all sounds eerily similar to my symptoms in the beginning. And I hope you can get the answers you want, and more importantly....need.
Keep me updated. Good luck and if you need any help locating information, let me know.
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Hi,
I am sorry to hear of your recent diagnosis. Whenever I hear people say that their doctors told them their cyst "couldn't be causing the symptoms because they are asymptomatic" I cringe. I heard that for so long, as I detriorated and one new symptom after another came up.
When I was going through that stage, I started doing a lot of research on "neurological" symptoms related to the cerebellum and brainstem, and what I found was that the brainstem and cereblleum were responsible for all the symptoms I was having...dizziness, numbness, tingling, breathing problems, etc. You see, the cerebellum, when compromised, can cause problems with these things. Like now, my brainstem, having the chiari, is compromised yet again, and I have problems with nausea, balance numbness and tingling, all kinds of problems. Anything neurological stems typically, from these areas of the brain. If you research neurological problems related to the brainstem and cerebellum, you will see what all these areas of the brain are responsible for. It took me a while to locate information on all I wanted to know, and I can help you find information and send it to you, but these areas of the berain are greatly responsible for all the problems you list.
Without knowing what size your cyst was originally, by having it followed over the years, it is hard for doctors to know if it's been growing over time. Just as it was with mine. They didn't "want to believe" it had been growing, but my surgeon, the one who operated, told me that is what they do....they build walls inside, the fluid gets trapped inside the walls and cannot escape, so the cyst grows. As it grows, it begins to put pressure on the different areas of the brain....whatever it is in close contact with. He also explained it is a very slow process, that the symptoms sneak up on you slowly and you may not recognize them as being "symptoms" of anything. And that is precisely what happened with me....just a very slow, gradual change.
But I decided to go with my gut on this, even prior to having my surgeon in my life. I knew these other doctors had to be wrong. I had been living my life fine for all those years, no weird symptoms, no neurological trouble like this, then the cyst was discovered, and it was sitting on the cerebellum and brainstem, the two brain structures that control everything I was dealing with symptom-wise by then. I listened to my body, and I listened well. I put the pieces of the puzzle toegether myself.
My advice is to use your intuition. Use your computer and find out everything you can about the brain structures in your head that are being affected by your cyst. If you are like me, you will start to see a pattern develop.
Of course it is always good to get a 2nd and 3rd opinion if that helps you. But do not give up, and do not wipe out the idea that this all could be being caused by your cyst....not yet. I personally think it sounds like cyst-problems. That is my personal opinion. It all sounds eerily similar to my symptoms in the beginning. And I hope you can get the answers you want, and more importantly....need.
Keep me updated. Good luck and if you need any help locating information, let me know.
Best wishes-
May 8, 2010 - 4:20amMaria
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