cysts found on liver

[needinfonow]

an abdominal scan found cysts on my liver.  I am under 50 and recently had a stroke.  They have found no neuro or cardio cause and I guess they are being careful and have referred me to a GI doc because of the custs.  My question is what can I expect from my first visit and what might the doc suggest?

[Sue949]

A related discussion, Large liver cyst was started.

[needinfonow]

My neurologist did a bunch of bloodwork because my primary had never checked cholesterol or anything and anything that would have indicated problems in the liver was normal.  My question is - what kind of test would the GI doc suggest?  The tech said they looked like simple cysts and I guess I've had so many scans (in fact I have to schedule a tee with the neurologist next) I'm just getting tired of tests with no answers and we've exhausted all the non invasive stuff I know of.  Thanks for your time Beaker - I know that as far as the stroke is concerned no news is probably good news but I'm the kind of person who likes to find the problem, fix the problem, and be done with it so this is frustrating and worrisome for me.

[Beaker]

God Bless Your Soul, there isn't a normal person out there who does not feel the same way when it comes to medicine.  I believe medicine today is up to the patient to discover much of what is ailing them.  Like you, I likes to take control of a situation and fix it. Unfortunately many medical folks are about as clueless as we are.
  It really is hard to say exactly what the gastroenterologist will do as far as test goes.  Since the tech said it is a simple cyst I am thinking maybe the doctor may order an ultra sound but if the test is from a radiologist he/she feels confident with, he/she may not.  I believe blood work will be drawn.  Unless you give him information that makes the doctor suspect something else, I doubt if much will be done. I do not know how old you are but at a certain point of your life, they like to do colonscopies.  I guess it is a good idea, because they found a polyp.  The procedure isn't bad, it is the prep you have to take to clean you out.  Since I have a bad stomach anyway, I was sick for three days after the procedure.
  I believe I would not be concerned about the cyst as much as I would be about the stroke you had.  Watch out for the high fatty foods and stay away from red meats.  Chicken and fish is okay baked.  Let me know how you are doing.

[Beaker]

I am glad you are on the mend and will keep you in my prayers that you will be as good as new soon.  It is tough when you have children and you become ill.  My son was 11 when I took ill and he is 19 now.  As he got older I also realized that while he was being a teenager my stress levels would sky rocket and I found myself feeling worse.  I do not know how to tell you to do this but as much as you can, try to get the stress out of your life.  Of course teenagers and stress go hand and hand.  LOL!!!!!!!!!  Also, being sick doesn't help the stress.  I love the doctors who say, don't worry.  I will send him my son and see what he prescribes for himself and then he can give me some.  LOL!!!!  What I do when I go to the doctor anymore is to have a list of questions I want answered.  As I ask the question if he answers it in a way I understand, I check it off.  If he doesn't, I put don't know.  Usually that gets their goat, but at least it lets them know I know, they are as clueless as myself.  The funny thing is, usually when they see that, they will answer your question, or offer advice to the answer.  You hang in there and let me know how things go with you gastroenterologist.

[needinfonow]

thanks - the stroke was in the cerebellum and the ony lingering effects I seem to have is a little less coordination in my right hand, extremely minor balance problems and aphasia, and a sound in my right ear on a regular basis kind of like holding a seashell and hearing the ocean.  My MRI, MRA, Doppler, echo, and ekg were all fine and my cholesterol is only 127 which is not perfect but not bad. I guess I just need to suck it up and schedule the visit with the GI.  I've got a couple of kids and I'd like to stick around for awhile.  I agree that the medical community is less all-knowing than most of us would suspect.  When I had the stroke, the hospital kept me for observation for a day and released me with the diagnosis of inner ear problems.  I checked myself out and went to my primary and told him I couldn't write and and the rest is history.  Hope your bad stomache is ok, I ward clerked in a GI lab years ago and saw a lot of folks go through colonoscopies and the idea doesn't appeal to me but ya do what ya gotta do!

[Beaker]

By chance did the doctor mention if it was a simple cyst?  If so many folks have those kind of cysts and they do not pose a problem.  Your first trip to the gastroenterologist will probably be where he will study your files from your doctor and then prescribe some test for you.  He may do a physical and ask you a bunch of questions.  Once you go and have the test done then he will decide what your diagnosis is.  If your family doctor had done blood work and your liver levels are high, more than likely he will redo those test.  The first visit is pretty much like the first visit to any new doctor, it is a fact finding visit.  I would not worry.  Good Luck!