Aa
Posterior Fossa Arachnoid Cyst
I'm a 28/M/230Lbs (104kg)/6 feet tall(1.82M). I've suffered from headaches, pressure behind eyes, light headedness, mild syncope, somnolence, flashes and swirls in my vision, "stuffy" ears, various bodily pains and all symptoms of depression. Interestingly, I also have very high blood pressure with no cause and no response to many different treatments. I'm very intelligent but did very poorly in school because I have trouble with perceptions and senses. I have trouble reading words yet I have a near gifted ability to understand technical drawings.
I was recently in a car accident and they did a CT scan because I seemed confused. They found CSF collection. I later went for an MRI where they found a 11cm x 2cm x 2.5cm posterior fossa arachnoid cyst. I've found so many accounts online where doctor's disregard cysts' as being as insignificant as say, a blemish on the skin would be. Even in infancy, I used to bang my head on the floor because my eyes and head hurt- the banging relieved the pain. I have horrible dreams every night. I often wake in the morning wanting to be homeless or forgotten because the pain is so bad. My mother died from complications of Shy-Drager Syndrome which is a form of Parkinson's Disease (for anyone reading). She had some type of lesion on her brain but I don't remember what it was. She was only 62 at the TOD. Is it highly likely then, that I could develop that same type of her condition? I'm only 28 years old and I don't enjoy life at all. Every second is a painful struggle.
I've kept quiet about a problem I have that I've learn is called "dissociative disorder".
I also notice that I often have to look at something to realize I'm touching it and I have a lot of trouble telling if something is very hot or very cold. The skin under my chin is numb. My skin feels like it's not sending the same signals that it used to.
Many thanks and I appreciate your time.
I was recently in a car accident and they did a CT scan because I seemed confused. They found CSF collection. I later went for an MRI where they found a 11cm x 2cm x 2.5cm posterior fossa arachnoid cyst. I've found so many accounts online where doctor's disregard cysts' as being as insignificant as say, a blemish on the skin would be. Even in infancy, I used to bang my head on the floor because my eyes and head hurt- the banging relieved the pain. I have horrible dreams every night. I often wake in the morning wanting to be homeless or forgotten because the pain is so bad. My mother died from complications of Shy-Drager Syndrome which is a form of Parkinson's Disease (for anyone reading). She had some type of lesion on her brain but I don't remember what it was. She was only 62 at the TOD. Is it highly likely then, that I could develop that same type of her condition? I'm only 28 years old and I don't enjoy life at all. Every second is a painful struggle.
I've kept quiet about a problem I have that I've learn is called "dissociative disorder".
I also notice that I often have to look at something to realize I'm touching it and I have a lot of trouble telling if something is very hot or very cold. The skin under my chin is numb. My skin feels like it's not sending the same signals that it used to.
Many thanks and I appreciate your time.
I also added a clip from my MRI as my profile image. The cyst is quite obvious. For anyone wondering, the image has opposite left and right sides, as if you were looking up from the toes.
I'm only searching for some advice, and would use this information as diagnosis or treatment. My doctor has officially diagnosed me with a "posterior fossa arachnoid cyst". It almost entirely covers my cerebellum. I've included several questions please answer or not at your convenience. This post is very long, as much as I'd like to have every question answerred I understand you may have other pressing affairs but do please answer as much as possible.
I have an appointment with a neurosurgeon tomorrow. I'd like to research as much as possible before the appointment. Can you answer these questions? You don't have to give long answers, just a word or two will do.
Would a cyst that stretches across the entire left to right posterior aspect of the cerebellum some 11.5cm in length and the entire surface superior and inferior to the cerebellum 2.5 x 2.5 cm in width and height be considered "large"? Huge? Small?
The most difficult part is explaining my symptoms. Since I don't have many physical symptoms I'm doing a lot of research about what "normal" people see and feel. One of my most persistent and painful symptoms is "afterimages" or palinopsia. Does palinopsia occur commonly with my type of cyst?
Do you know a medical term for something similar to palinopsia or perhaps photophobia but it's a sensation where a single shadow can change from very light to very dark just by moving my eyes slightly. Or sometimes when I look at a shadow it is very light, when I look away it gets very dark. Normal?
Also, do you know of the symptom where my eyes feel relaxed and my headache eases when I cross my eyes? Is that normal?
When looking from one object to another my eyes tend to overshoot or swirl around out of focus, cross eyes, then take a moment to focus on the new object. Is there a term for that?
I often see little white dots of shooting white light in my vision. What is that called?
Whenever I stand from a sitting position I get a light-headed feeling. It feels more like "dark-headed" because things get very dark and my head pounds very hard. Is this common for cyst-sufferers? I think orthostatic hypotension can be ruled out because I have very high hypertension 160/96. I don't know if there is a difference in my cerebral blood pressure, or how to test that.
Can you give me any percentages or figures on "posterior foss arachnoid cysts" such as occurance, pecent requiring surgery, average sizes, etc, if such information exists. Any other pertinent information regarding posterior fossa arachnoid cysts will be much appreciated.
I have three herniated lumbar intervertebral discs with degenerative disc disease throughout my spine. I've found at least one solid source suggestioning a direct connection between herniated discs /degenerative disc "disease" and cerebellar maladies. Do you support the idea of there being a connection between cerebellar arachnoid cysts and degenerative discs / herniations?
I have nerve pain in my legs from the herniated discs. I feel shooting pain down my left leg with burning in my left gastrocnemius. In the last few months I've developed hip and knee pain around the synovial membrane. I have a very slow, lumbering limping walk. Could all of this back and leg pain be attributed to a postural or balance problem that I'm unaware of stemming from the cerebellum- ie. cyst?
Finally, given my symptoms, extreme pain, the size and location of the cyst itself and my extremely depressed lifestyle do you think I'm a candidate for surgery?
It's difficult and sometimes embarassing to explain these feelings so I appreciate any help. Thank you very much!
I have an appointment with a neurosurgeon tomorrow. I'd like to research as much as possible before the appointment. Can you answer these questions? You don't have to give long answers, just a word or two will do.
Would a cyst that stretches across the entire left to right posterior aspect of the cerebellum some 11.5cm in length and the entire surface superior and inferior to the cerebellum 2.5 x 2.5 cm in width and height be considered "large"? Huge? Small?
The most difficult part is explaining my symptoms. Since I don't have many physical symptoms I'm doing a lot of research about what "normal" people see and feel. One of my most persistent and painful symptoms is "afterimages" or palinopsia. Does palinopsia occur commonly with my type of cyst?
Do you know a medical term for something similar to palinopsia or perhaps photophobia but it's a sensation where a single shadow can change from very light to very dark just by moving my eyes slightly. Or sometimes when I look at a shadow it is very light, when I look away it gets very dark. Normal?
Also, do you know of the symptom where my eyes feel relaxed and my headache eases when I cross my eyes? Is that normal?
When looking from one object to another my eyes tend to overshoot or swirl around out of focus, cross eyes, then take a moment to focus on the new object. Is there a term for that?
I often see little white dots of shooting white light in my vision. What is that called?
Whenever I stand from a sitting position I get a light-headed feeling. It feels more like "dark-headed" because things get very dark and my head pounds very hard. Is this common for cyst-sufferers? I think orthostatic hypotension can be ruled out because I have very high hypertension 160/96. I don't know if there is a difference in my cerebral blood pressure, or how to test that.
Can you give me any percentages or figures on "posterior foss arachnoid cysts" such as occurance, pecent requiring surgery, average sizes, etc, if such information exists. Any other pertinent information regarding posterior fossa arachnoid cysts will be much appreciated.
I have three herniated lumbar intervertebral discs with degenerative disc disease throughout my spine. I've found at least one solid source suggestioning a direct connection between herniated discs /degenerative disc "disease" and cerebellar maladies. Do you support the idea of there being a connection between cerebellar arachnoid cysts and degenerative discs / herniations?
I have nerve pain in my legs from the herniated discs. I feel shooting pain down my left leg with burning in my left gastrocnemius. In the last few months I've developed hip and knee pain around the synovial membrane. I have a very slow, lumbering limping walk. Could all of this back and leg pain be attributed to a postural or balance problem that I'm unaware of stemming from the cerebellum- ie. cyst?
Finally, given my symptoms, extreme pain, the size and location of the cyst itself and my extremely depressed lifestyle do you think I'm a candidate for surgery?
It's difficult and sometimes embarassing to explain these feelings so I appreciate any help. Thank you very much!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Dear Buddy,
I can really understand your problem.But please understand that i have not examined you myself an hence, i would be able to give you more of an advice, rather than full treatment.
First of all, i would want you to meet a real good councilor who can really cross question you so as to know you better.This won't be possible by me at this level.I think, through this medium, all the major problems would be resolved as he would be able to extract out the full details, within yourself.
Generally it has been commonly observed that once the details are extracted, it really becomes easy to follow the path of normal activities/attitude.
Medicines, i won't prescribe at all, because till the diagnosis is established, we can't arrive to a conclusion of correct medications.
So put up a fast appointment with the concerned person.
Please discuss more with me, for any doubts,
Regards
I can really understand your problem.But please understand that i have not examined you myself an hence, i would be able to give you more of an advice, rather than full treatment.
First of all, i would want you to meet a real good councilor who can really cross question you so as to know you better.This won't be possible by me at this level.I think, through this medium, all the major problems would be resolved as he would be able to extract out the full details, within yourself.
Generally it has been commonly observed that once the details are extracted, it really becomes easy to follow the path of normal activities/attitude.
Medicines, i won't prescribe at all, because till the diagnosis is established, we can't arrive to a conclusion of correct medications.
So put up a fast appointment with the concerned person.
Please discuss more with me, for any doubts,
Regards
You are reading content posted in the Neurology / Neurosurgery Forum
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease
