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colloid cyst

i have just found out i have a colloid cyst anyone with any info would be greatly appreciated


This discussion is related to Colloid Cyst of Third ventricle - how small can they be removed safely?.
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Avatar universal
I had my cyst detected in 2006 and had emergency surgery I had moments of loss vision and I get shooting sharp pains in my eyes. My vision is getting progressively worse. I had a second surgery in 2007 as it came back and I am currently waiting for a third surgery as it has come back again. The only medication they insist I take is Tylenol extra strength. I find it does nothing. but if I hear of anything special I will post for tyou.
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3143920 tn?1343009428
Hey I am Brittany and my Mom found out she had a colliod cyst 2 years ago, we were soooooo worried from one day to the next if she was going to wake up that morning. On top of that she was going to a neuroligist in Asheville and he was just an butt whole all together, he came into the room and drew the forman monroe on a sheet of paper and said that this is the forman monroe and heres the cyst, and if you don't have it taken out your going to die.He was just cold, cruel. So we went to a nueroligist in Winston Salem to get a second oppinoin. He said that he would not opperate because she was not symptomatic and the risk would be far tooooo great to operate then to just leave it alone. So every year since she has been back to have an MRI. We have prayed a lot and let me tell you first hand prayers are powerful and God is mighty strong and wonderful!!!!! My Mom went back this past year to Winston and her cyst had shrunken 1mm. It was 7.9mm now it is 6.9mm!!!!!! All this bull crap on the internet saying that they don't shrink they only get bigger obviously hasn't heard the wonderful word of God. If you haven't had any symptoms then if I were you and it isn't growing don't mess with it!!! Just have faith in Jesus Christ and he will help you through your long journey ahead.
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Avatar universal
Go to the doctor straight away. I was diagnosed with a 12mm colloid cyst in April 2012, I was admitted to hospital straight away however released 5 days later with no surgery or explanation as to why i was admitted so quickly. I received a phone call from the hospital 2 weeks later asking me to go back in for an assessment. I was told then that the cyst was giving cause for concern as i was having headaches which woke me from a sleep. I was operated on the 17 May 2012 and thankfully they removed all of the cyst. I have been headache free since and i have a lot more energy.  

Don't leave it until its to late. I have the fortunate position that i am from the UK so don't have to worry about insurance.
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Avatar universal
i was dignosed with a colid cyst in a odd spot on third ventricle exactally a year and a month ago april 2011 .i was told it was 9mm and have been to er many times and they just give me pain meds and send me home not really taking me serously because i have pac incurance that does not pay for hospital visits or specialests i havent even seen a nerosurgen.i have bad headakes weakness memory loss,dont have any enegry and i would tell er doctors this and primary docs but it seemed to me they did not care.so its been about 6 months.with out seeing anyone but after reading some cases on this site im going to go back to hospitle and get another mri or ct scan if i let this go will it defently kill me.what should i do ?
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Avatar universal
Hi,

My Best friend (that is also my Boyfriend) has been diagnosed with Colloid cyst 1 mnth before. He was having kindaa of shock sometimes in his left side of brain past 3-4 months back that has been replaced by a severe headache on left side and most of the time grows till behind of left-eye.

Now almost 1 month back, he has been diagnosed by a famous Neurosurgen following with a CT scan reported as Colloid cyst (which after searching on net, we got information about it) but the doctor himself never mentioned any severity, cause or disease and after providing prescription of 2 tablets last month (even following the course, my friend has sometimes noticed that pain was coming into Right side with same intensity), the Dr. has asked to repeat the course for next 3 months.

But still my best friend is facing severe headaches from last 5 days and sometimes not able to sleep well, got tired soon and got irriated very quickly.

I am so concerned about him and really want satisfied words. Please tell me either the approach of Neurosurgen is fine or not. This Dr. didn't mention any dimention (lenght of Colloid cyst on report) nor he spoke anything except writing tabs ( I know he is very famous here) but that should work as improvement for my buddy.

Please help me what do to for his support emotionally and personally.
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Avatar universal
Hello,  I was reading your article on colloid cyst.  My son was diagnosed with one in Dec. 2009. He saw an neurosurgeon and he looked at the CT scan and told him he probably had nothing to worry about.  He wanted him to have an MRI, but because of the cost he didn't follow through.  He has never had any symptoms with this.  Your situation is sort ofencouraging in that your cyst hasn't grown, maybe even has gotten smaller. I know he should go back and get the MRI, but I can't convince him to do so. Does he need to be concerned, or just not worry as the Dr. said. Thank you.
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Avatar universal
I had a colloid cyst, I had a cirgury last August. Thank God everything is fine. My question to the doctor is,  I should still have pain in my head, and memory lost and I have pain in both eyes. Thank you very nuch

Julia
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Avatar universal
I had a Colloid Cyst and had the surgery in 2003. I didnt really have any problems related and was out of the hospital in 5 days and back to work in 6 weeks. I went for MRI's 4 times the last one was a year after the surgery and was told everything was normal. I am now concerned because I am having headaches again and they feel very similar. I want to know if anyone has ever heard of these cysts reoccuring.
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Avatar universal
I am 33. This past sunday, I awoke with a blurred vision out of my right eye. After a ct scan I was also initially diagnosed with colloid cyst on the foramen of the monro , just as you. I am wondering what to do as the blurriness and discomfort on the right eye has not gone away (5 days later)

Did anyone out there experience a similar loss of vision, pressure, discomfort in one eye??

Please help me.
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Avatar universal
I'm 31 years old and I was experiencing constant, throbbing headaches since friday las week. First I was told I pulled a muscle in the back of my neck and that it triggered a migraine. The pain as of Monday night never left. It was only on the right side of my head and it was throbbing and burning at times for 3 days. None of the edications, like Vicodan, Fiorecet or Ibuprofen was taken the pain away. I went to the ER and they told me after doing a CT scan and an MRI that I had a Colloid cyst of the formanen of monro. The neurosurgeon suggested a wait and see approach since it's only 4 mm in size and he thinks it was only migraines. After reading a lot of stuff online now I don't know if that's the best approach.
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Avatar universal
I was diagnosed with a colloid cyst in Oct 2005.  I had MRI scans at six monthly intervals until January this year when I was informed as the cyst had not changed over this period, I would not need another scan until 2010.  Early in Jan 2008 I had a minor stroke, severe headache, vomiting, and loss of feeling down my left side.  There are varying thoughts on the cause of this stroke, my GP thinks the cyst had something to do with it.  Have others experienced strokes with colloid cysts or is it unrelated. I still experience daily headaches, and on some days my balance is definitely off.  It is reassuring to hear others views and thoughts, I am feeling quite unheard by the people managing my case.
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Avatar universal
thanks for the responses, i have some days where my arms and legs are so heavy and weak that i have a hard time even getting out of bed i dont know if this a symptom also i have these sharp pains in behind my left eyeball some dizziness and did wake up on my kitchen floor once, i had an mri done and am waiting to see the dr at the end of sept, i have tried many things for the pain but so far no relief. i also have tingling or numbness on the top of my head, i have tried tylenol, nortryptaline, tylenol 3 with no relief i also have a loud ringing in my head all the time has anyone tried any meds to help with the pain?
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604936 tn?1220058291
I was diagnosed with a colloid cyst in the thrid ventricle in 1991.  It was found coincidentally with an MRI scan.  I am a nurse and was married to a Radiologist at the time. I was having some dizziness and wanted to go to a neruologist, but knew we needed the MRI first.  The lesion was discovered and we knew right away what it was and that it was not malignant.  It turns out that my symptoms were also coincidental and had nothing to do with the colloid cyst.  The symptoms dissipated shortly....I probably had an inner ear infection.  Went to see the neurosurgen, thinking he would tell me just to follow with interval MRIs.  The cyst was only 4 mm.  However, after my films went all over the country to various MD's, it was suggested that I have surgery.  Even though I was asymptomatic and the cyst was small, there was always the risk of hydrocephalus and sudden death.  So, surgery it was.  However, because I had no fluid in my ventricles, they were not able to remove the cyst.  Every time they got close, the ventricle collapsed and was out of reach.  So, after 9 hours of surgery, all they were able to do was put some fenistrations (openings or pathways) between the two lateral ventricles.  That way, if the cyst ever grows or moves and blocks the foramen (opening at the end of the ventricle) there will be an alternate place for the fluid to flow.  Over the years I have had numerous follow up MRIs.  It has never moved or grown, and in fact, the last MRI made it appear as if it had shrunk.  I was fortunate in that I had no complications or side effects from the surgery.

If I can be of further help or answer any other questions, please feel free to ask.
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Avatar universal
Your management depends on the size and your symptoms. Colloid cysts of the third ventricle are often found incidentally on brain scans done following trauma or something similar. If they are considered truly asymptomatic then a watch and wait policy may be adopted which is reasonable. If they are 10mm in diameter or over, or grow to this size during the surveillance period (which will hence involve repeated MRI scans) then surgery to deal with it is usually offered.

The reason surgery may be offered prophylactically is that colloid cysts may cause symptoms due to obstruction of the ventricles and CSF flow. The result is hydrocephalus (water on the brain) and with colloid cysts this may occur in a sudden and very severe form. Hydrocephalus may present in other situations slowly over days or months but hydrocephalus with a colloid cyst is an absolute emergency and needs very urgent treatment, and even someone who knows they may develop it may not have time between onset of symptoms and death to get help. So if headaches (or hydrocephalus) develops with a colloid cyst, whatever size, then surgery should be offered. If the patient has no symptoms then at 10mm surgery may be offered as the reports of sudden death with colloid cysts relate to those at or above 10mm.

Surgery may be to divert the CSF with a shunt (although two ventricular catheters will be needed as the fluid build up is on both sides of the brain and they can't communicate as the colloid cyst blocks the site of communication). The more usual operation is to remove the cyst surgically. This can be done through a few different approaches, and may be done using endoscope-assistance, or just with conventional microsurgery. Some neurosurgeons would use an image guidance system as well.

Good luck.
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