13 mm pineal cyst

Hello,
I am a 25 year old male, 5’11, 190 pounds and have been having a lot of pressure in my head and ears headaches and feel off balance, I wake up frequently during the night this has been going on for years now ( headaches are not chronic but they can get very excruciating), also what seems like simple partial seizures, I had an MRI of the brain which showed a 13 mm pineal cyst and also a smaller cyst. I have seen a neurologist who said the symptoms could be related to the cysts and I saw a neurosurgeon who said that it is impossible for the symptoms to be related at all and that he could blow a ballon up in that area of my brain and I would not feel anything. I was wondering your thoughts of what symptoms pineal cysts cause and what you recommend. The MRI report says: “Incidental finding of close to a 13 mm probable pineal cyst, with some mass effect upon the superior colliculi, likely incidental finding, Suspect small cyst near the right choroidal fissure. There is no hydrocephalus or midline shift (Larkin MD)”.
The Neurologist who I am following up with put me on Zonisamide for the pressure and seizures, the neurosurgeon said no follow up MRI or visits were needed.
I would just like to know if the symptoms could be caused by the cyst as the neurologist said was possible or if you think its something else. I do know that the cyst can disturb the melatonin secretion as I wake up many times during the night, and not getting the proper sleep for years could be causing the simple partial seizures (they start out as deja-vu and then I have intense feelings, tingling, numbness, excitement throughout my body, they end with stomach nausea and dizziness). There is no history of seizure disorder in my family.
Thanks for you time and your help, and any advice will help.
-Ron

[Nassim Abi Chahine, MD]

Dear Ron,
I would like to help you, but can you give me more information about the frequency of the seizure-like episodes!
A pineal cyst could have the influence on a sleep hygiene and your nights may remain disturbed for twenties of years but nothing to do with the deja-vu or the other signs of epilepsy.........  ... headache!? maybe some more than in a normal guy.... :-)
I am finally not too convinced in that great influence of a 13 mm cyst present probably since enfancy, but if you want to be on the safe side do 2 control, 1 control brain MRI after 6 months then another 1 after 1 year, if any change that would be suggestive of a move (any), if no change so then you will be obliged to Forget

[Ron2000]

Hello Dr. Nassim,

I usually do not go longer than 3 months without having them, the deja-vu is something that I have already usually done that day when I have them, and I am back at that time period for some reason, after the deja-vu I have all the fight or flight reactions followed by intense nausea (all signs of simple partial temporal lobe seizures). Some months I have 5 or more some months none so it depends. ( I don’t drink alcohol or smoke, can’t have caffeine will keep me up all night). A glass of wine will cause one of these episodes the next day (they are very intense and scary, I am suppose to do a 5 day EEG).

Also, Since this I have read that true pineal cyst hider the ability of the pineal gland to secrete melatonin and some nights I can get no sleep at all, its something that I have dealt with for years. I read (research shows) the area of the brain that is most effected by sleep deprivation is the temporal lobes, which is what type of seizures are taking place. I have also read that a lot of post on med-help where people that have pineal cyst are having hyperthyroidism or thyroid problems. I have not got my thyroid checked but after taking melatonin I am starting to think that there is a sure link between the thyroid and melatonin ( research also shows that melatonin suppress the appetite and is linked to the thyroid, and also shows that it fights cancer. ).

For a week now I have been taking melatonin supplements  (6 mg) and I have gotten the best sleep in life. I am wondering if you think going this long with out proper sleep and some nights with out sleep at all could be causing these episodes?

Also the neurosurgeon said he didn’t have to but he was going to give me follow up MRI  in 3 months to make sure its not growing. But this was also after I told him that cyst larger than .5 mm are suppose to be monitored as they are rare. I agree that this could be something I have been dealing with since I was born as if it gets slightly bigger it will effect my vision and I will know with out getting the MRI.

So really my question is could this sleep depravation cause these types of seizures ?

Thanks
-Ron

[Nassim Abi Chahine, MD]

Yes, it could cause !!!!
and what you wrote is amazing