Hi there everyone,

I have recently learned that I have an Arachnoid Cyst in the left frontotemporal region of my brain. I suffer terrible pressure type headaches, foggy vision in my left eye and a lot of mental and psychological problems. I have not felt like myself in a few years and figured it had to do with my PTSD or the depression associated with it. I suffered many head traumas while in the Military from Helicopter crashes, vehicle collisions and crashes. I have lost relationships with friends and loved ones, and most recently watched my girlfriend walk out on me due to my manic depression and mood issues, I get angry at times for no reason at all and have become socially withdrawn over the years, having always been a happy friendly person this all has troubled me and literally ruined many aspects of my life. I attend group therapy for my PTSD and until recently hadn't had an MRI of my head in several years. The Cyst was detected just last week leaving me upset and saddened that this has been ruining my life and relationships, I know I should be lucky that I now have a definitive answer as to why I have felt and acted the way I have But I can't get over how I have hurt people and myself it seems this Cyst is a direct cause but I know I still must take responsibility for my actions. Since all I really have is my dog and though she knows something is wrong with me she is unable to help me cope with this and I am worried I mean when the DR told me I needed endoscopic brain surgery all I heard was BRAIN SURGERY!?!? I am getting scared and worried, and only hope I can find comfort in knowing what has caused my problems.
Thank you kindly everyone for taking the time to read/respond to this, much love.

Welcome surfer769.

Hi surfer,

Welcome to the NeuroTalk Support Groups.

You could try posting in
General Health Conditions & Rare Disorders Forum

There are many posts and thread regarding arachnoid cysts scattered in various different forums here.

You could find them by doing a full forum search with the link below
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/search.php

There is a
PTSD forum
here too although somewhat quiet.
Our sister site PsychCentral has a PTSD forum as well.
The link to that if you ever need it is at the top of the NeuroTalk PTSD forum.

I'm really sorry that you're dealing with this right now and your fears of surgery are understandable however keep trying to think of the positive outcomes once it is over.

take care there.

surfer,

Hello and welcome, happy to see you have come to be with us, it a great place to be. As you can see we have a great number and caring fellow members here, where you have find a supportive and relaxing place. Have fun looking into the different forums. Our shoulders are here for support in many ways.

Please keep us up to date on your condition. Again welcome, looking forward to seeing you around. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Darlene

Hi Surfer,
I, too, have had an arachnoid cyst show up on an MRI last month while my Consultant was looking for causes of another visual problem. This explains the emotional rollercoaster I have suffered for years, but unlike yours, I have become as unstable as a 13 yo girl - embarrassing for a 53 yo ex biker!.
Brain surgery of any kind is terrifying, but medical techniques today make them as safe as possible… and everyone on here will be rooting for you. Has your Consultant discussed the possibility of the cyst recurring after surgery?
Finally, don't underestimate the power of the love you share with your dog. I lost my Bullmastiff, Bobby, to cancer several years ago but still get my endorphine fix from Jasper, my daughter's Collie, every month.