philly78
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31069
posted
My PCP just called me to talk to me about the results of some tests. An MRI of the brain and a CT-Scan of the chest.
I am told I have an arachnoid or subarachnoid (can't remember!) cyst. No other abnormalities were noted.
As for my CT-scan of the chest, they found a cyst under my diaphragm on the right side. Apparently, I had a CT-scan done in 2003....which I didn't even remember but I also had the cyst back then. In 2003, it was 2.5cm by 8mm. On this recent scan it is 6.1cm by 1.6cm. So it has grown quite a bit over the past 8 years.
I also have a cyst on my liver and a small left thyroid nodule.
I'm not sure if these findings have anything to do with lyme or not so I'm posting just to get some opinions and feedback.
-------------------- When faced with pain you have two choices....either quit and accept the circumstances, OR make the decision to fight with all the resources you have at your disposal. Posts: 1000 | From PA | Registered: Mar 2011
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
These kinds of findings are common in the general population per my PCP.
When I hurt my back and had an MRI of the back, they found a cyst on the liver as an incidental finding. So, then I had to go get 2 liver scans before they would call off the dogs about the cyst. They found 2 more cysts on the liver by doing these liver scans.
They also concluded that the cysts were nothing to worry about--weren't cancer, etc.
So, I know for sure the liver cysts are common.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Per my doctor, as we get older it is common to form cysts on liver and kidneys. It would concern them if there were multiple cysts on both kidneys and bilobular on the liver growing over time, and/or if you're pretty young, and/or you have a family history of kidney disease, and/or bloodwork is showing decreased function.
As long as your bloodwork shows the organs are working well, they aren't likely to worry about it. My docs said there is no known link between lyme and cystic organs but acknowledges little to no research has happened in that area.
-------------------- ------------ It took 20 years to find out I'm not crazy. New bite in 2010 pushed my body over the edge. Positive for lyme, babs, bart, and myco. I am not a doctor and happily offer only my own opinions. Posts: 357 | From The Beach | Registered: Feb 2011
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philly78
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31069
posted
I'm not really concerned about the liver cyst or the one in the brain but didn't know if it could be related to the lyme or not.
I am a bit concerned about the one that has grown...the one under my diaphragm. My doc thinks it warrants further investigation as well. This is one area that I know very little about though. And for the record, I'm 33 with no other chronic illness or conditions.
-------------------- When faced with pain you have two choices....either quit and accept the circumstances, OR make the decision to fight with all the resources you have at your disposal. Posts: 1000 | From PA | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
Philly, you won't get an answer whether they're related. If you do, please let me know who said it so I can tell my docs to call him or her.
I'm also 30ish, and didn't have any other chronic conditions until a couple weeks ago. (diagnosed, anyway, my cysts were visible in a scan at age over 10 years ago but I was told not to worry about it. We were also looking then for the source of my GI pain, not to mention other tests for migraines, vertigo,joing pain, lalalalalahahahaha)
I'm glad they're investigating it and hope it turns out to be nothing to worry about. I wonder, though, you and I have talked a bit about our respective abdominal pains ... did your doc say the one under your diaphragm could be causing your pain?
My neph said my cysts could be causing the pain from dislocating other stuff. I have hundreds of cysts, the biggest is 7.5 cm, so seems to me that may be causing some of your troubles.
-------------------- ------------ It took 20 years to find out I'm not crazy. New bite in 2010 pushed my body over the edge. Positive for lyme, babs, bart, and myco. I am not a doctor and happily offer only my own opinions. Posts: 357 | From The Beach | Registered: Feb 2011
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philly78
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31069
posted
The doc just said it warranted further investigation because it has grown. At my appt with him, I didn't even mention my GI issues because I was to concerned with the neuro issues and rapid weight loss I was having.
I guess it could be related though. You never know.
-------------------- When faced with pain you have two choices....either quit and accept the circumstances, OR make the decision to fight with all the resources you have at your disposal. Posts: 1000 | From PA | Registered: Mar 2011
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posted
Pretty sure I have read that the liver cysts may be due to bartonella. Hubby has one that has not changed much over the years and his docs are not worried about.
You might want to do some research regarding the one in your diaphragm. When they say investigate further they probably mean they will either try to aspirate fluid if it is in a location where that can be done or otherwise they would want to do a biopsy.
Hubby has bilateral hilar adenopathy and multiple pulmonary nodules. They did a bronchoscopy which only showed inflammation -- cause unknown. Rather than do a surgical biopsy we chose to do a series of PET and CT scans -- repeated every 6 months for the first couple of years and then annually for a couple of more years to rule out cancer.
His nodules have started calcifying and stopped growing and he hasn't gotten any new ones in several years now. His pulmonologist just told us in March this year that he does not need any further follow-up unless he becomes symptomatic.
We always thought his nodules were caused by bartonella or mycoplasma or something tickborne but could never prove it.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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philly78
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31069
posted
Thanks for the response Bea. My LLMD actually thinks I have bart despite the negative testing for it. He has me on Bactrim DS.
-------------------- When faced with pain you have two choices....either quit and accept the circumstances, OR make the decision to fight with all the resources you have at your disposal. Posts: 1000 | From PA | Registered: Mar 2011
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(diagnosed, anyway, my cysts were visible in a scan at age over 10 years ago but I was told not to worry about it. We were also looking then for the source of my GI pain, not to mention other tests for migraines, vertigo,joing pain, lalalalalahahahaha) 
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