Hi Jim, I'm curious if the doctors said your pain could be from your tarlov. Also how large is your cyst?
I am new here also. I was diagnosed with a tarlov cyst about 8 years ago after 3 orthopedic doctors said they couldn't find anything wrong with me. I was having an expeirience where I felt like hot water was runny down my lower back and I went right into the doctors office and told him what was happening. He was a new doctor and thank God he knew what a tarlov cyst was and he sent me right away for an exray. When he looked at the results he said I had a large mass in my lower sciatica area and I need to have an MRI to see what it was. I was really scared when I heard that. After the MRI I was diagnosed with the cyst.
I was just like you and in ver good physical health I had managed a heath spa for years and then here I was in a position of not being able to do anything. I started searching on line and found a message board where I met many people who were going through the same as I was and some were a lot worse. I did learn that my diet is very important when it comes to living with a tarlov cyst, we really have to watch our PH. I started eating and drinking only good PH food and drinks and after a couple of months my pain was gone but the numbness and tingling never went away I just learned to live with them. Everything was doable until now. Just last week I started with the numbness and tingling in my other leg so now it's in both legs and feet. I think it has happened because the cyst has filled again and is sitting on more nerves.
I was quite sick for a few months this year and had to take many antibiotics and nexium. I believe these drugs have thrown my PH out of order and my cyst is now symtomatic again.
I saw my GP today and she has ordered a nerve conduction test and a MRI to see what's going on. I have the nerve test on Friday. In the meantime I am being very careful with my diet and hoping this gets better.
It's been many years since I had to deal with this cyst and I found this site yesterday and it looks like a pretty nice board to get information and the people here seem very concerned and helpful. Maybe we can try to help eachother. If you hear anything new about treatment for these cyst please let me know and I will do the same.
I would be careful when exercising. I had to stop the last time I had mine because bending from the waist seemed to agravate my cyst and cause more pain.
There aren't too many doctors that treat or operate on tarlovs' because of the sensitivity of the area near the spinal colum. Eight years ago there were only about 7 doctors in the US that operated on the cyst. I'm still searching for someone in my area. The newer doctors know about them but don't have enough knowledge to treat them.
Hope I answered some of your questions and hopefully someone here might have some information we can use.
Hope all goes well for you.
Katt