brain tumor/syst

Hello. I have been investigated by the neurology team at a hospital for 6 months now.
Had numerous scans which show a large syst/tumor on my left frontal lobe.
I have been told due to location it cannot be removed and treatment is to much of a risk.
Fortunatly I have been told its not immediatley life threatening but cause further complications over time.
To date iv suffered from sickness, terrible fatigue, sleeping problems and some pain.
Over the last few  weeks I have noticed a dramatic change in my personailty, I feel like a total stranger to myself.
On top of this I get severe anxiety attacks now coupled with rage and what I can only describe as feeling mad.
I often find myself just sitting down in the quiet and feeling totally strange and I have pushed away as much contact with anyone.

Is this something related to my condition or something else entirely?

Many thanks

Andy

[Christopher R Newey, DO]

Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

I am sorry to hear about the tumor/cyst. Masses in the head can cause changes in behavior. These can be due to the location of the mass itself or the mass being a seizure focus. Also, treatment of tumors/cysts usually includes steroids, which can also cause changes in personality.

I recommend that you discuss your symptoms with your physician. They may or may not be related. It might be worthwhile to have an EEG (looking at the electrical waves of your brain) to ensure you are not having seizures. I also have to mention that depression/anxiety may be your way of handling the stress of the mass and its workup. You may benefit from speaking with a psychiatrist.

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.

[mkh9]

I'm really sorry you have a brain tumor or cyst. Don't the doctors know  which one it is by the MRI?  I wanted to add in addition to the above comment that if it is a brain tumor sometimes over long periods of time the low grade tumors can progress. I would see a neurooncologist (even though it maybe not be considered "cancer" at this point. If it is a cyst then it won't change grades but if its is a low grade tumor then over time it may. If it is a tumor and not a cyst then I would go to a major university hospital and talk to their neurooncologist. They are excellent in helping many types of grades or perhaps call them and I'm sure they would deal with you even though it is not cancerous. I also have a really good website for brain tumors I may have given the wrong website before, it is ***@****. It is a forum like this but specifically for brain tumor patients. I know it is very scary. I know something about this because my husbands brother had a brain tumor as well. We ended up going to UCLA and talking to Dr. Cloughsey. He will also read your MRI for free. THe office visit may or may not cost you. I also recommend DUKE UCSF, Stanford, Johns Hopkins and University of Pittsburg depending where you live. It may be worth the trip.  Yes usually they give steroids  and depending on the tumor grade chemo. I don't know enough about your situation to help more and I am not a doctor just spent a year and a half with my brother in law's brain tumor. The steroid decadron he was on didn't change his personality but it is extremely hard to get off of once you get on it. let me know if you have any questions on my part.
hang in there.
mkh9