Hello Anndav,

I am sorry to hear you have this awful disease too. The symptoms you are having can be a direct result of the Tarlov Cysts. I do have some of those same symptoms. My response to you may be a bit long, but I want to be as detailed and as thorough as I can be in regards to my condition and also based on extensive research and several consultations with physicians.

I don't know what tests and images you have had done, but it would be safe to assume the 1 test that has been performed is a CT or MRI scan. This is the only way to diagnose Tarlov Cysts. I don't know how the diagnosis came about? Was it a accidental find-the doctor ordered a scan looking at 1 specific thing and during the scan also came across the Tarlive Cysts? Or, Were you having these symptoms you had listed above and went to a physician as a result to find out what the problem is?

My personal experience was the latter. I was having excruciating back pain along with sharp burning to stabbing pain in my sacral area down the leg into the foit that would also cause weakness or numbness sometimes.
I have had several instances where I am fine walking without any pain or problems. Suddenly out of nowhere I would end up with the kind of pain and numbness that you are describing without warning. Based on all I have read this is common for most who suffer with symptomatic Tarliv Cysts. Its very unpredictable and is not just painful, but frustrating too.

Over the last couple of months I had 2 seperate instances that scared me.
1) I was getting ready for the day and was heading to my bathroom to shower. I didn't even make it halfway to the bathroom and I suddenly had the excruciating pain just in my right foot. I couldn't walk any furrher to the bathroom to shower. Instead, I had to turn back around and limp back to my bed. I knew at that moment I couldn't balance my body weight on both foot to stand to take a shower.
2) I was feeling ok this 1 evening and walked outside to roll the garbage can to the street. As I was walking back towards the house, my leg suddenly became numb like my leg was gonna buckle on my from my knee down. I barely made it back inside my house before I could no longer stand with all my weight on my leg.
Its instances like these that happen without warning. I don't have this kind of pain or numbness constantly. But, in the times it does occur, I have to rest and be lazy for a day or 2 before my body has calmed down enough for me to resume my daily activities again.

I have multiple Tarlov Cysts in my sacral-lumbar spine all the way into my thoracic spine. The ones in my thoracic are not xausing me any issues. The ones in my sacral-lumbar spune are. I have bilateral cysts that measure 1.5cm in my L4-S1 that is compressing the nerves atvthose levels. I have had a couple of instances that it has impacted my left leg also. It would feel like a electric shock.
I'm not sure where exactly the cysts are located in your spine or the measurements. Typically, 1.5cm or larger is classified as a large cyst.

You asked me about Dr. F in Texas. Yes, I know who he is and he is 1 of the physicians I consulted with. He along with the few neurologists here in my state of Georgia have all said the same. There is no guarantee with having any surgery to drain the cysts. There is a great chance the cysts will grow back and be even larger than prior to any surgery to drain it was. That time frame can be the same day of surgery to a few weeks, months, or possibly years. Every body is different. Becayse of this fact, there is a big chance you will need to have multiple surgeries after rhe first one to drain the cysts again. There is also a big risk of having a spinal fluid leak which is a medical emergency and requires surgery too. Because of these factors, all of them will not perform surgery on me. Even Dr. F said he wouldn't be comfortable performing surgery on me for the simple fact I have bilateral cysts that puts me in a higher risk category of having a spinal fluid leak.

I will also say personally, I am not comfortable taking suck risks right now even if I were to find a surgeon who would be willing to perform surgery on me.
Please understabd me, do not allow my personal decision or what my ohysicians have told me to make your mind up not to have surgery or to consult a physician about surgery as a possibility. You must weigh all options that is specific to you. Please do not allow anyone to make this personal decision for you either. You and only you and your physician can make this decision. Please do your research and please remember this, if you still want to have surgery make sure the neurosurgeon you are seeing has wxperience with Tarliv Cysts. There are only a few in the United States that have experience with Tarlov Cysts.

My decision to not risk it, I chose to be put under oain management instead ro help manage it until it no longer can. And possibly then I may reconsider surgery again. What I know personally for myself at this time its not a option. Please do not mistake me suggesting you go down the route I chose to go down either. That too is a personal decision. But, if you choose this option, do not allow anyone to shame you about choosing it. Remember, nobody else is experiencing what you are experiencing. My guess would ve that none have Tarliv Cysts either to understand what it feels like to you. In case for arguments sake that someone in your circle does, they still are not you or in your body to make that judgement.
There is the option of having epidural injections to help manage the pain. But as I had stated earlier, this too can exacerbate your condition. I hope this helps explain my personal experience and knowledge of this disease. If you have any other questions or need to just vent, don't hesitate to ask me. I will help answer any questions you may have or be a ear to vent to. I'm praying for you.

Best wishes,

Diamond Tiger<3