Hello again.
I haven`t been on the site since I posted, so I didn`t see the responses made. Thank you for your replies & good wishes, they are much appreciated.
Since my initial post, my situation has worsened. I'm experiencing an increase in symptoms, along with some newer ones. I cannot now lie down. The pressure inside my head is too great. The feeling is of a pressure cooker about to explode. I think that the hormonal chaos of menopause has caused some growth or other changes to the arachnoid cyst.
I went to my GP and told him that I wasn't happy about the neurosurgeon's dismissal of my condition as "asymptomatic", in fact I found it farcical, & he said he would ask her to see me again. Fortunately, it was a different Neuro who saw me on my return visit, so I was able to go more fully into my history. He agreed that it was likely that there had been growth of the cyst, & he felt it was likely putting pressure on other parts of my brain. He has arranged for another MRI scan, this time with a cerebrospinal fluid flow scan included. Unfortunately, he told me that as the cyst is so large, it cannot be removed since it would leave a gap the size of half a brain, which would rapidly fill with cerebrospinal fluid & leave me worse than when we started, if not dead. The alternative would be to attempt some kind of fenestration in order to help relieve the pressure, but he was candid that in my case it would be rather a risky undertaking. There would be the possibility of one or more of the following: blindness; deafness; stroke; paralysis; loss of mobility; personality change, & other equally unpleasant things.
So much for something being "asymptomatic"!
I'm due to have my scans on March 5th, & will follow up on here about the results & my decision re surgery.