Help.. did I contract T. Solium?

[Brittany1982]

I am a 27 y/o female and currently have cysts over my spine. I can feel two (rounded, squishy, size of a dime), and there is an area over my spine between my shoulder blades that feels like it has swelling around/on top of my spinal cord. The cysts don't hurt. I can sometimes feel them when I turn just the right way..it feels like a muscle pinch. Sometimes my upper back muscles feel a bit tight, but not painful. I don't feel bad. I have energy, no numbness anywhere.  
I think I might have a bad infection of T. Sollium because:
-Went to Jamaica on a mission trip in the summer of 1996.
-Two weeks after returning, noticed white things in stool (didn't do anything about it).  A year or so following, I had stomach and bowel issues, but didn't see a doctor.
-Started noticing floaters in my vision in 1998.  Went to have them checked out in 2000, the doctor didn't see anything.
-Went to a doctor in 2002 for heart palpatation, lots of tests run, no reason for the palpatation found.
-In 2003, started noticing flashing in vision of left eye with lots of floaters (that look to me like circles and worm looking things).  Went to a retinal specialist, diagnosed with a torn retina.  Had surgery to repair it.  He never found the reason for the tear. (I was not hit in the head.)
-In 2004, I noticed a lump in the fat of my lower back, my Gyn referred me to a Gen Surgeon who felt it and assured me it was a lipoma.  I had (and still have) no pain associated with it.  It hasn't grown or shrank.  I can do sit ups and jog and all that stuff and it doesn't bother me.
-Had a very normal pregnancy and natural delivery of my daughter in 2007.
-In March of this year, I noticed the cysts that I am worried about now.  I didn't have health insurance at the time but I finally have it and have an apt with my gyn tomorrow.  I will be asking her to refer me to someone who can tell me what is going on with my back ASAP.
So what do you think?  Any info would be appreciated.

[Philip D Parks, MD, MPH, MOccH, FACOEM]

Hello Brittany,

Do you have an update on your concerns? Did your obstetrician/gynecologist make a referral for you?

So, it sounds like you have had cysts/lipomas since 2004. Have you noticed new cysts since that time? Are the new cysts of the same texture/consistency as the ones you noticed in 2004?


~•~ Dr. Parks

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice. The information presented in this posting is for patients’ education only. As always, I encourage you to see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

[Philip D Parks, MD, MPH, MOccH, FACOEM]

Brittany,

It is very likely (but not certain) that the "cysts" on your back are also lipomas.

A primary care provider (either an internist or a family medicine practitioner) could likely make the correct diagnosis. I would say that it is very unlikely that the cysts are consistent with a parasitic infection.

~•~ Dr. Parks

This answer is not intended as and does not substitute for medical advice. The information presented in this posting is for patients’ education only. As always, I encourage you to see your personal physician for further evaluation of your individual case.

[Brittany1982]

Thank you so much for your reply!  My gyn couldn't feel the cysts on my back.. I just don't think she was pushing hard enough.  She didn't seem worried about it and didn't refer me to anyone.  She said she gave me a thorough back exam and couldn't find anything of note.  

The cysts I noticed in March of this year (not sure how long they had been there as there isn't really pain associated with them) feel about the same in texture as the lipoma, and they do move under my skin.  They are about the size of a dime.. maybe slightly smaller.  They aren't connected to the lipoma or anything.. the lipoma is in the fat just above my right buttocks and it is larger than the cysts but moves around quite a bit.  It hasn't changed in size or texture since I first noticed it at the end of 2003 or beginning of 2004.  The cysts (I think there are 2 or 3) seem to be over or just to the side of my spine.  They don't seem to be connected to the tissue of my spine or anything, but I thought it was strange that they were all so close to it.

I do have an apt with an internal medicine dr in September (I wanted to establish care in my town since I have never really had a PCP since moving here,).  I asked my gyn if she thought I needed to go see anyone before that and she said she didn't think so.  I am keeping the Sept apt and will bring all of this up with my new dr.  Do you think I need to go to someone before Sept?  If so, what kind of dr should I see?  Does this all sound consistant with a parasite infection?  I have just been connecting the dots on my own and it seems like it would be worth testing for.  What is your opinion?