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December 22, 2003 - Mary I have a 17 year old daughter who started having dizzyness, severe headaches, loss of focus/concentration, loss of the ability to read after about 7 minutes about a year ago after a bout w/a mono like illness. She is currently in a Vision Therapy program which seems to help w/the vision portion. All of the other symptoms persist. She had an MRI earlier in the year and has a 3-4mm pineal mass. The doctors (have been to about every specialist know to man) are certain that these symptoms are not related to her pineal item. After reading all of your comments and how closely related they all are, I am convinced that this has to be connected. I would be very interested to know what others are taking for their symptoms. She also seems to have a reaction to sugar and carbs, which she never had before either. I find it VERY frustrating to keep hearing that there is nothing quote "wrong" and no diagnosis but just about every specialist wants her to go on some kind of heavy duty medication.
December 16, 2003 - Monica Hi, my name is Monica and I was diagnosed with a pineal gland cyst about 3 months ago after having taken an MRI because of headaches. My family doctor referred me first to see an Opthalmologist because he believed that the headaches may be related to my vision problems. As a child I was diagnosed as having a lazy eye, but after visiting the Opthalmologist, he found it to be something called Persistene 6th nerve palsy. (I can not turn one eye outward, but have good vision.) He believed that the headaches were a result of having to strain the other eye, but recommended an MRI. MRI showed the growth, which neurosurgeon diagnosed as the pineal gland cyst. He says that I was more than likely born with the cyst, but says that the 6th nerve palsy has nothing to do with the cyst. I am also unsure if I've always had the cyst. There were about 3 or 4 times, in my twenties, that I broke out with severe hives, which doctors had no idea what they were or why I got them. I am curious if maybe they were from initial growth of cyst. I did some research on my own and strongly disagree. I think the cyst caused the eye problem (which has gotten worse as an adult) plus a lifetime of vertigo (slight at times and as an adult more severe including nausea and a feeling of drunkedness), which family doctor diagnosed as allergies and prescribed Allegra D. The neurosurgeon prescribed Periactin for the headaches, which makes me extremely hungry since it is used to cure Anorexia! He said that the cyst is too small to do anything about, but wants me to come in once a year for MRI's to monitor. I am not taking the medication because my husband and I are trying to conceive a child. Any non-medicinal suggestions for headache tension? And does anyone out there have the same problems? Oh, and also I am always so tired, especially after I eat. Open to suggestions or just anyone who feels the same way as I do.
November 19, 2003 - Anonymous I only read about half of the comments on this board, but I can identify with almost all of them. I have just recently, in the last two weeks been diagnosed with a pineal cyst/cytoma. They haven't specified which as of yet. Of course it's going to take another two weeks to talk to anyone about it. My doctor was completely insensitive and the neurosurgeons are booked for a month at a time. How do you tell someone that they have a "mass" on their brain, send them for an MRI, and then tell them they have to wait another month to find out what's going on. I am having headaches for the first time in my life. They have been so excruciating that I have had to get morphine from the hospital. Today, my doctor told me that I was having migraines. When I asked if it could be related to my "mass" she said, "No way." Everything that I have read online suggests that is not true. Needless to say I will be finding a new doctor! Augh! I could go on for an hour about my fears and confusion. Why won't someone help?
November 19, 2003 - Dana I developed an 8mm pineal cyst right after having my mercury fillings drilled out last summer. (I had an MRI done eight months prior, which showed no pineal cyst). I think they are connected to mercury poisoning and dental toxins. Mercury accumulates in the pituitary and pineal glands. Mercury is also in vaccines (which may be why children get these cysts), and is linked to autism. I think the reason your doctors tell you that it is "all in your head" is because doctors (and dentists!) are afraid of litigation. Hal Huggins, DDS, wrote a book called "It's All In Your Head", which is all about mercury poisoning. My advice: find a holistic dentist and stay away from mercury. Mercury is highly neurotoxic, and once it gets in your brain, it doesn't come out. Root canals are carcinogenic. They contain chloroform. It's never too late to pull root canals.
October 18, 2003 - Heidi I don't sleep at night and I have lots of headaches. I have had hyperthyroidism for 3 years and my recent radioactive iodine treatment has made me hypothyroid since 7-2002. I now have severe headaches daily and this started intensly in April of 2003 and now its 10-2003 and I have a neurologist who says a cyst is benign and he is not recommeding anything. I feel so distraut, confused, tired, and disgusted at my treatment. I feel a cyst in your pineal gland is serious, what do yall think. I need advice.
September 24, 2003 - Sheila I'm a 37-year old female who recently found out that I have a 10 x 10mm pineal cyst within the pineal gland. I found out after having an MRI for a persistent spot in one of my eyes. Come to find out, the cyst has been there for at least 2 1/2 years. I had had an MRI ordered by my GP 2 1/2 years earlier because I was having problems with speech & memory -- I'd be talking, thinking, right in the middle of doing something & all of the sudden I'd stop -- just for a couple of seconds & when I got back "with it" I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out what I was trying to say, or do, etc. My GP called me back & told me everything was fine -- nothing abnormal. NOT! Because of 2 on-the-ball eye doctors I found out I have this darned cyst. I'm going to see a well respected neurologist in 2-days for further info. I, too, like the rest of you, have frequent headaches, bouts of insomnia, bouts of lethargy, light-headedness, ocassional tingling sensations in my fingers, hands, & arms, & problems with balance sometimes. I also have a bleeding disorder (VonWillebrand's Disease). From the little I've been able to get for info on this subject, one of the potential complications is having the cyst hemorrhage. Whatever info and/or guidance anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated. My Mom has had 9 major strokes and more than 100 TIAs & would be extremely interested to see if there are any possible links between the two issues.
September 19, 2003 - Melanie About 1 month ago I suffered a concussion from accidental head trauma. I was sent to the emergency room to get a CT scan and they found no internal bleeding or fractures associated with my injury. Although they discovered a small mass in the middle of my brain but could not tell exactly where it was located. I was then sent to another hospital to have a set of MRI's done (which was a very horrifying experience because the technician messed up and I am mildly clostrophobic). I then received results from my family doctor, who has been practicng for close to 55 years and has a D.O., and she informed me that I have a pineal cyst or tumor that is 1.5cm x 2.0cm. They are still not sure if it is a cyst or a tumor. She has refered me to a neurosurgeon because in all of her years of practicing she has never heard of a pineal cyst. I'm starting to wonder if they have just overlooked them or if she is trying to dig in my pocket more. It seems to me that there are too many simlarities within these posts. So far what I have gathered is we are all females, and most of us suffer from severe headaches, nausea, vertigo, vison problems, tingling sensations, menstrual irregularities, blackouts, memory loss. When the doctor asked me if I have had any sudden problems as far as symptoms were concerned I told her about my headaches, but not the other things because I have grown so accustomed to the nausea, dizziness, and tingling sensations. The first irregularity I had (that I can recall) was about a year ago when I had to go to the emergency room because everytime I stood up I would have extreme vertigo and vomit. I vomitted 24 times within 3 days. They tried to accredit to the fact that I hadn't had a period for 3 months and did a pregnancy test.(negative) By the way I have never heard of morning sickness that severe. The only reason this was ever found was because I hit my head rather hard on my headboard. My former family doctor never considered having tests ran to find the root of my migraines. I am seriously starting to lose faith in our healthcare system and those who work throught out the system. It seems to me that with all of my symptoms that this should have been discovered a very long time ago. Please if anyone has any information or you are located in the Indianapolis, IN area please contact me and maybe we can help each other through this. TYVM for your time Melanie
September 12, 2003 - Dolly My 13 year old daughter has been having debilitating headaches, so severe that she can not get out of bed, and when she does get up to go to the restroom, she has to hold onto the wall to brace herself to walk. She was diagnosed with 1/2 cm penial cyst, that is all that has been found. Of course the doctors say that she is having migraines and they are unrelated to the cyst. One doc even told me that she just does not want to go to school. This is an Honors student who has never been in any type of trouble. I don't believe that theory. I can't find a doctor to take me seriously. I am trying to get a referral to Children's Hospital, but my primary care doc says that there is a 3 month waiting period for an appt, because this is not an emergency. It sure feels like an emergency to us! My daughter has not been to school yet this year because she cannot get out of bed, it hurts too bad. Please leave any advice, and/or if you know of any good docs to listen to me in the New Orleans area. Thanks
September 12, 2003 - Sindie My 31 yrs old husband was complaining of very sharp pain in the back of his head. I took him to the doctor and they did an MRI and found that he has a small pineal cyst measuring 0.8cm. He was referred to a Neurologist and the Neurologist told him that this cyst should not cause him any problems and sent him home. He still has sharp pains everyday and it is starting to interfere with his work. This cyst must be causing his pain. Does anyone know of any good Neurologist in the Houston, TX areas that may be familiar with this? Any information you have will help. Thank you.
September 11, 2003 - Della
September 05, 2003 - Doris I'm a 42 yr old lady who was told in 1999 that I too have a pineal gland cyst. It has filled the whole area of where the pineal gland is. I know what it is to have memory loss as well as chronic migranes. I too suffer from depression;and being constantly tired. I hate life so bad I just want to die but I can't give up. These numbskulls can't get it thru their minds that we need help now not later. However they did give me a nerveblock it has helped a lot. But you know we can never give up. They have to come with a cure.
August 21, 2003 - Kathy I'm a 27 year old mom who just found out I have a subcentimeter pineal csyt. I too have all the symtoms mentioned minus seizures. I got the results via mail so I couldn't talk to my neuro. For 3 years now I've been having weird and painful sensations on my body and scalp. Insomnia and fatigue are a part of my life. After being diagnosed with neurolyme and autoimmune disease, I wonder if it's not the cyst causing me such misery? Does anyone know what "subcentimeter" means? Also, does anyone forget things and blank out?
August 21, 2003 - Christine Hi everyone. I too have a pineal cyst. It is 1 cm as far as they can tell. In the last month, I've had headaches 24/7. Before this, I've had 4 headaches in my entire life that always went away with a Motrin. I also have dizziness/light-headedness, hard-to-focus/blurry vision, and am fatigued all the time. It seems to get worse when I do a lot of activity. It is interesting about the hormone part because six months ago my periods stopped when they were regular as rain for six years. My neurologist is a great person and she's concerned, as is my primary doctor. However, I have also been diagnosed with insulin-resistance which they think could cause the menstrual cycle/light-headedness, although not the other symptoms. The neurosurgeon said he's almost certain the headaches aren't from the pineal cyst. My neurosurgeon thus is doing a LP (spinal tap) to test for two more conditions, but what is going on here? I've had to defer from starting college because the symptoms are horrible. I've been in the ER to get pain shots because the I can't stand the pain, and I'm truly not a complainer. There must be some connection or something, that this is more than just a "nothing." Maybe it's "nothing" in many cases, but doctors need to take a better look at this. Does anyone have advice? I would love some help
July 29, 2003 - Lisa I share most of your symptoms/problems. My doctor has now told me my pineal cyst of 1.5 cm has dissapeared. Does anyone know if this can happen, or are they not telling me the truth anymore? I still feel really bad; if it really has gone, I can't wait for all my problems to follow it. I feel sane again, finding so many people in the same position. love lisa
July 11, 2003 - Brandy I think of Candi when writing this (the 36 year old female). I am 27 and in Jan 03 I had a stroke. The MRI couldn't tell much because I have braces. It did show a 1.7 cm x 9 mm cist on my pineal gland. I have a good doctor and he plans to continue to keep an eye on it. So far it has not grown but I always have head pain, tiredness, and dizziness. If I continue with these problems he is willing to refer me to have the cyst drained. You need to find the right doctor that will understand and be more willing to help. If you request pain meds a lot they feel that is all you are there for and will not believe you nor give you the help you need. Please, stay away from narcotics. I am on ultraset and it helps just as good as any narcotics that I have been on. My stroke was caused by thick blood they just happened to find the cyst. Hope you all find the help you need. I know what you are going through. Just keep looking for the right doctor.
July 11, 2003 - Barbara My name is Barbara and I HAD a perfectly healthy 8 year old daughter. She was playing in our front yard on Saturday, May 3, 2003 and she suddenly collapsed. She was not breathing and was life-flighted to Children's Hospital and pronounced dead. Keep in mind we had no idea that there was anything wrong with her, no symptoms of ANY kind. We ordered an autopsy because the ER doctors could not find any reason for her death. The autopsy found that she was healthy in EVERY way except for a cyst on her pineal gland that measured 7mm x 6mm x 5mm. The pathologist told me that this was a very large cyst for a child and that was the only reason that he could find that she died. The cyst had blocked the ventricle flow of fluid which caused her brain to swell, and this in turn caused her brain stem to herniate. I have never heard of such a thing and neither had my pediatrician. He is ordering an MRI to be done on my two younger sons, who are 6 and 3. I am trying to gather any information that anyone can share with me about anything like this ever happening. I am scared to death for my other children, because they appear to be healthy to me as did my daughter. Please understand that my daughter did not exibit one single symptom in her 8 years of life. She was an excellent student, soccer player, baseball player, and she never even complained of having a headache. Please share any information with me that you know. Thank you.
July 07, 2003 - Tanya This is a note to Della the physician! I hope you know for a fact of what you are stating. I have had these symptoms since I was four and I only say four because that is as far back as I can remember. I only hope your daughter does not have the same problems and go through all of the various medications I have been on, due to this (not related cyst) that I have had to endure. Thanks to all of the unwilling and under-educated doctors in the world who are afraid to discover something new, or take a chance on getting to the root of the problem regardless of what they were taught to believe. Prove to me that this cyst being the only thing found in my body to be abnormal is not the root of the problem. If you cannot and do not have any idea of what we are going through, I suggest you keep your blind comments to yourself. I would hate for you to be spinning your wheels when your daughter has no one there to help her and have doctors say it is all in her head. Talk to me in about 3 years when she is able to let you know what is going on and the severity of the pain that is all in her head. It is not only the pain it is the complete disarray of your life that these symptoms create in it. I am a 29 year old female and have had migraines to the point of wanting to cut my head off. The loss of breath, nausea, vomiting, sharp stabbing pains and the impairment of my vision. Had a CT done and a pineal cyst was discovered. I have had these problems since as far back as I can remember, the age of 4. I can remember my first episode and so does my family that have been trying to find out what is wrong ever since. In all these years nothing has come up abnormal in any tests run and no medication has been able to subside or cure the problems and believe me I have been on many newly invented meds. So, this leads me to believe that the cyst is the problem and it was probably overlooked all these years or as the physicians say it could not possibly be the cause of the problems so they just happen to not tell me because of the little significance it has to my complaints. I WONDER! Maybe one day someone will figure it out. Good Luck and I will keep you posted. Thank You
June 29, 2003 - Tish I am 36 year old women who has been resently diagnosed with a possible pineal blood clot or pineal cyst (June 2003). I will be going for MRI testing July 2nd. I was told by the neurologist, that he did not want to follow up with me on the MRI and the MRV that he order unless it is a true blood clot. It was like I was a waste of his time. I told my family doctor that I refused to follow up with him either way. I suffer from severe dizzyness while walking, I feel like I am unbalanced (vertigo), hearing loss in my right ear, like it's muffled, If I bend my head down I will get the pressure build up as I do with my headaches. I suffer from headaches daily, anywhere from a dull pain to let me know it's there to extreme pressure that feels like someone is squezzing by brain, Fatigue, blurred or double vision, muscle weakness mostly in my right arm and right leg, upper neck pain. I cannot believe in this day and age some physican cannot find a link between these symptoms and the pineal cyst. It must be related in some way. All of us have similar complaints and all of us have pineal cysts, granted they vary in size but we all on this cyst have one. I fear the word Cancer/Tumor. Every Doctor I have seen tells me this is nothing and it effects nothing. I don't buy that. It's not supposed to be there and it is, so it must effect something. I have extreme fatigue, I have to take 2-3 hour nap during the day just to be able to get through the day. While trying to work full time, I am exhauted when I return home, yes, to take a nap before cooking supper. I am scared. It's seems as though no doctor understands the pineal gland. Please if there is any information or suggestions you could give me, please do. I am at the very beginning of my diagnosis.
June 19, 2003 - Darlene My 7 year old Daughter had a CT scan in 2001. The results came back with a enlarged pineal gland, so they did a MRI. The results came back with a cyst in the pineal gland. She had her follow-up MRI Monday and they said it has not changed at all, and that she did not have to go back for anymore MRI's. She still has headaches, but the doctor said that if tylanol worked then it was not the cyst. But she get's them on average 2 times a week, that can't be normal for a 7 yr old. It's been 3 yrs since the headaches started. I should buy stock in tempra and tylanol. Darlene
June 16, 2003 - Vicki I have a 5-year-old daughter who was just diagnosed as having an 11-mm pineal gland cyst. She had a severe migraine, and I took her to the emergency room for an evaluation. They gave her 3 mL of morphine, told me there was nothing wrong with the brain CT, and sent me home. The next day the doctor called and told me that the brain CT actually came back showing an 11-mm cyst and masses. She has to go to have an MRI on Thursday. What do they do for treatment of this in children? Does anyone know?
May 29, 2003 - Sarah I am 20 years old and have recently been told I have a pineal cyst 1 cm in size. The cyst was discovered when an MRI was done to help determine a cause for the daily headaches I have experienced for the last 3 months. My headaches have generally been mild, with occasional piercing headaches in the same spot of my head (back lower left). I have also experienced mild balance problems and strong olfactory auras (similar to visual auras experienced by migraine sufferers). My headaches have been controlled through a regime of a low dose of Amitriptyline (Elavil), but my balance problems and olfactory auras have not. My neurologist told me the cyst is in no way related to my headaches, but after reading everyone's comments I am beginning to wonder if I need a second opinion.
May 28, 2003 - Betsy This is in response to the April 16, 2003 post from Kylee. Finally! I thought I was the only one. Hello Kylee - I am 38 years old and have suffered from migraine headaches most of my adult life. I too have a pineal cist that was detected through an MRI back in 1997. I also was told by several doctors that it is no big deal and is not the cause of my migraines. I have tried numerous medications, herbs, relaxation techniques, allergy tests, acupuncture, etc. My migraines are ruining my life. My job of 13 years is in jeopardy because of my attendance, and even though I'm covered by the FMLA, my employer has demoted me twice (nevermind my flawless performance reviews the past 13 yrs) and continues to treat me as if I am to blame for my migraines. I am so stressed out and have become so depressed, I now take an anti-depressant. The past 3-4 months have been especially hard on me. I have had a migraine EVERYDAY for a month 1/2, and am at the end of my rope. I have come so very close to just packing a bag, hopping in my jeep along with my dog, and drive away from life. I am so glad your post was the first one on this web-site. Now maybe I can cancel my trip! Thank you Kylee! You are in my thoughts.
May 27, 2003 - Julie To all of you out there, especially the woman who sees pineal cysts all the time and feels they don't cause problems, she obviously lives in the same world as some of these, what I call not up-to-date doctors, to the ones suffering who are not finding help, I have found that you and only you are your own hope. I am only 30yrs old and have been through more than some could in a lifetime. I tend to get the "rare" syndromes or problems that are not often seen yet, until me. It has happened twice, once almost costing me my life. I too complained and was seen as a hypochondriac but in the end I did receive all the apoloigies that I deserved from a local hospital. Their nurses and doctors as well and in the process taught a medical college about a new syndrome. Since 1995 I have had many of the symptoms others here have had, but many more as well. In 2001 a test showed something wrong with the central part of the brain but it was non-specific. And of course the same nerologist was at a loss nothing more to do, now May 2003 they find a pineal cyst. No problem, abnormal ENG (something isn't sending signals to my brain) but of course this isn't the neurolists department so we go back to the ENT and of course this isn't his department. So with all the problems I experience, and tests that show "non-specific" things, I have found I think the answer to my problems. Of course my doctor doesn't like me trying to diagnose myself but I am very confident I am going to be right about 1 diagnosis. Something called dystonia, or a form of torticollis. But this I don't feel has something to do with the pineal cyst, but that might still be a possibility. My point is this again is a new not well known condition that only certain doctors are familliar with in my area. I found only one! I demanded (to my doctor) this is who I want to see, this is what I want ruled out. What would it hurt? They have been at a loss for years and I am suffering. Do you think they go home at night thinking about you and focusing on just you and do research about your problems? No, no ,no. Some, what they learned in the past will say no that's not it, nope, not that either. Well nothing that fits this one individual so it's no big deal or they are just hypos and you again are left alone. It has happened to me not once but twice. I am very tired of apologies and am becoming very frustrated and I will not wait for them. I know how I feel. I live in this body and I know when something is wrong and this is not going to happen to me a third time! If they can't help me I am on my way to the Clevlend Clinic where I've already done my research and feel someone there will find my answer. Again, not sure if the pineal cysts cause problems or not, that is just another "new" problem I have encountered with all my symptoms. Please, everyone, take care of you, always make yourself #1 when it comes to your body. Only you know best. Do research online with every symptom or test you have had done and insist to your doctor what you want or who you need to see. There are so many new things that arise that maybe they'll learn from you. There's always that first time for something, conditions, diseases, syndromes, etc. I am proof of that. If they are stuck in their own ways and not willing to explore the possibilities of new things or symptoms, then that doctor is not for you. Find someone who is willing to really help and is not afraid to admit they don't know it all! Please take care. We all suffer together. Do it yourself! It's the only way to get things done!
May 23, 2003 - Ryan I was scheduled for a MRI of the brain in 1998 after experiencing severe headaches "including sharp pains" mostly on the right side of my head. I had already been diagnosed as schizophrenic at this point because I was having delusions as well as memory loss. They found a 1cm pineal cyst that was pressing upon the underlying tectum. They said it was nothing but I have been dealing with headaches psychosis and memory loss for the last 6 years. Sometimes it is very painful not to mention my life has been a living hell since all this started. The neurologists and doctors who have seen the MRI scans have said that the cyst is not causing any of my symptoms and I have been stuck being labeled a schizophrenic. People wonder I am angry depressed and not very social. I wish someone would tell me if they know something different than what I have been told. Does anyone know of a website with more information on pineal cysts? I want my life back if it is possible, and if my symptoms are related to this cyst.
May 22, 2003 - Teri I am a 37 year old female and have been suffering from migraine-type headaches, nausea, dizziness, loss of focus, memory problems, extreme fatigue, and have felt on occasion that I would pass out. To make a long story short, I was given a CT scan in the ER a couple of weeks ago which indicated a 10mm (1cm) pineal cyst. I know this will come as a shock to all of you, but the doctor informed me the cyst was an incidental finding and that my symptoms were not related to the cyst. I was simply suffering from migraines. Do they read this out of the Physician's Desk Reference? All doctors use the same terminology - "incidental finding." Anyway, I had an MRI done and was referred to a neorologist. After reading many stories like ours I expected that, at the very least, the neurologist would want to monitor my cyst with a subsequent MRI in 6 months or a year. Instead, I was given migraine medicine and dismissed. What you may find really interesting is that the neurologist had only the CT report - no CT film, no MRI report, and no MRI film. I know there are neurologists out there that take pineal cysts seriously and at the very least monitor them for growth. I sure hope I can find one, I am now waiting for a second opinion. In my research I have found that UCLA and Stanford have physicians in the neurosurgical department who give appropriate concerns to pineal cysts. If my second opinion is a repeat of the first, I will be heading in that direction. As with most of you, I am extremely frustrated and shocked that doctors haven't recognized the obvious link between symptoms and pineal cysts.
April 28, 2003 - G. T. It started about seven years ago, when I had a stroke. Since the stroke I was left with a burning sensation on the right side of my head, also there is pressure behind my right eye, like something is trying to push it out, nausea and blackouts. None of the headache medicaton I have seems to work. I end up going to the hospital, where they give me a shot of phenergran, demerol for pain. It just works for the moment. Just this past Friday I had to go to the hospital for the same symptoms. They did a CT scan on me and found that I have cysts growing on my pineal gland. What causes this? Since medication doesn't stop the pain. What alternatives do I have? Can I die from this if it not treated? Please help me.
April 16, 2003 - Kylee I am 19 and have had headaches daily for 9 years. The doctors and neurologists have been unable to diagnose me with anything. Medication is not helping. I had a CAT scan in 2001 which found I had a cyst called a "calum veli interposti". I had a MRI last month and it shows that I have an arachnoid cyst and a pineal cyst. I have also been told that they and my pineal gland have enlarged since my CAT scan in 2001. They all said it has NOTHING to do with my headaches at all, but I'm finding so many other people with the same problem.
April 11, 2003 - Tonya Well it all started in October of this year, I started to have blackouts, headaches, fatigue, nausea, and fast heart rate. I went to the doctor where I live and they did every kind of test you can think of. I pretty much got the run around. I would go to one doctor and that doctor did not know what was wrong so he would send me to another doctor, etc. Well at age 22 I had a neurologist and a cardiologist and all I could think is I am too young for this. Well the doctors here ran an MRI and found that I have a pineal region cyst in my brain. They keep telling me it's no big deal, but it kind of scares me especially when I am having severe headaches and blackouts. All I can think of is maybe the cyst is causing my headaches and blackouts. Well my doctors here where I live sent me to UCLA where I was admitted. They could not find anything wrong, but then again they thought I was having seizures, which all of my EEG's have been normal. So if someone can help please post with some info.
April 02, 2003 - Susan I have a pineal cyst with no symptoms. The MRI was done because I had a seizure. I have had epilepsy for 30 years. Many of the symptoms I've read are typical of Behcet's Disease, an autoimmune disease that mimics MS and is a subsidiary of lupus. There isn't a specific test to determine whether you have it. It is more common than originally believed.
April 01, 2003 - Jennifer In March, 2002 I was taken to the emergency room with a terrible headache that was worsened by migraine medication. In the past 3 years prior to this finding I had major bouts of nausea, vertigo and debilitating dizzy spells. My physician told me it was sinus and middle ear related. Upon having scans done I was admitted after the finding of a 4 1/2 inch arachnoid tumor in the back of my brain, later to find after more scans, I have a pineal cyst as well. In May 2002 I had a craniotomy to remove the 4 inch mass, but still have extreme fatigue, what I feel is quite significant memory loss, dizziness and constant headaches. Most meds don't even touch the pain. In my opinion if your doctor is turning away then you need to find the top doc in your nearest major hospital. In April, 2003 I go to discuss the next step. If your doctor is doing nothing then you need to find a second opinion. Does any one know how these things come about?
March 27, 2003 - Nicole I have been suffering from extreme headaches now since January, 2003. Since then I have not had a day where I have not had some form of a headache, whether it be very severe or just noticable. I went to my doctor because of the headaches and he refered me to have a CT scan done. After having the scan completed it showed an irregular spot on my brain and he thought it looked to be a stoke. He then referred me to a neurologist. The neurologist requested that I go and have a full stroke work up completed. After the ultra sounds and MRI it was determined that I have a cyst in my pineal gland the approximent size of a nickel. The doctor cannot tell me if this is in fact causing my headaches or not but I have also been suffering from other side effects. I often have dizzy spells. I sleep for days at a time where I am able to comprehend if I am being talked to but I am not able to get out of the bed. But other days I am awake more than I would like to be and I too have to take medications to go to sleep. I am very irritable. I work for the telephone company in an office with 80 other people. I hate that they are getting used to me coming into work with a baseball hat, sun glasses and ear plugs on. I have been on medications and they do not touch my headaches. I have been referred to a Neurosurgeon and I am afraid that they are going to tell me that it is nothing. But if it is nothing how come I can't take certain over the counter medications. If any one can help please let me know. I know that I am not going crazy and it is nice to know that there are others out there also with the same symptoms. Hopefully someone will be able to help us with out telling us it is all in our heads. I want my life back!
March 25, 2003 - Karen I had an MRI done last week and a Pineal gland cyst was found. I have ice pick Migrane that runs from the left temple down to the shoulder which is fast, painful and gone within seconds. Lately I have started headache pains that feel like ink spotches, they have a center and spread, these head pain-aches happen fast on the right side of my head. Almost like cluster headache pains. I will start on a low dose Nortrypilline and hope this stops this.
March 25, 2003 - Donna My daughter (age 21) has been diagnosed with a pineal cystic lesion measuring 2cm by 2.5 cm After a complete workup of her entire endocrine system and finding of no other cystic lesions, our area neurosurgeon and the Mayo Clinic have both suggested monitoring with MRI's every 3 to 4 months. So far there has been no change in the size or the intensity of the cyst. But she has not been symptom free during the last 9 months. Some of her symptoms are the same as a lot of your posting. Dizzy, a feeling of fainting, eye problems, headaches, tired, a hard time focusing, cold, neopathy in the fingers,tired. She keeps a very good attitude about the wait and watch both teams of neurosurgeons have suggested and doesn't read these posts. She's too busy trying to finish her college degree. I do in my search for what is going on and what will be the best treatment if they would suggest surgery someday. I believe all of you and your symptoms. I really do think they are related to the pineal gland. Have any of you ever tried the light therapy to reduce the amount of melatonin the pineal gland produces? Good luck in your search for answers.
March 24, 2003 - Tracy Ann I am a 33 yr old woman who has an 8mm cyst/lesion on my pineal gland. It is interesting that my research states the direct opposite of what your neurologist is saying regarding pineal cysts. A search provides you the symptomology and it is dead on with headaches. I see my neurologist for a second read on my MRI. I am much like Candi, as I have all her symptoms and this could have more serious implications. The dismissive nature of your doctors comments is troubling, maily due to the research I have conducted on my own. Have any of you had your ATF or beta hCG levels checked in your blood? The pineal region also regulates hormones and skin. Have any of you had extremely dry or wrinkly skin or a decrease in your menstral flow? What about your tryptophan levels? Look at the symptoms of Pineal Tumors [or pineal cyst] and the symptoms are: headaches, nausea, vomiting, increased pressure in the head, Parinaud's syndrome [inability to look up], vertigo [or balance problems] look up the website for Chicago Institute of Neurosurgery and Neuroresearch.
March 19, 2003 - Teresa I too have a pineal cyst of size I'm not certain as I do not see the neurologist until May. Investigations started as a result of vision problems, pressure in the eyes and severe migraines. The opthamologist requested an MRI and the cyst was discovered, I now am waiting to see the neurologist. My headaches/migraines do not respond well to medication and are worsening and becoming more frequent, also I have suffered with extreme fatigue for years now, where I can sleep for 24 hrs or more and beleive it is linked to this. I have been told that there is no connection between the headaches, the other symptoms and the cyst but find it extremely hard to believe after finding this site and reading the posts. If anyone has further information that may be of interest I would be greatful, just so that I can take it with me to the neurologist and show them that I'm not going mad!
March 17, 2003 - Eden It is nice to know I am not alone. I am currently seeking a second opinion. I also have the same symptoms that you all have mentioned. At last count my cyst measured at 1.2cm x 1.5cm x 2cm. in diameter. Do any of you have trouble in cold weather to the point where your bones hurt and you feel like you have the flu? I believe mine started when I was 17 and had a bad case of mononucleosis. Is there anyone that can associate with this? I hope all of you find the help you are looking for.
March 08, 2003 - Patrick When you sleep your body produces the hormone meletonin. Meletonin does many things. It works as an anti-oxident to fight cancer and other problems. Sleep is a very important thing, very important. Do not deprive yourself of sleep!
March 05, 2003 - Candi I am a 36 female who was diagnosed with a 7mm pineal cyst in Nov. 2002. I have had trips to the emergency room with tingling on my left side and weakness in my left arm. I have had episodes of dizziness, lightheadedness and strange sensations tingling up the back of my head. I have pressure behind my eyes and when I look up quickly my vision is blurred and I get dizzy. I can not think of a day in the last 6 months that I have not had a headache and the fatigue is ruining my life. I have had every test you can think of, MS, stroke, lupus, blood clotting disorders and the list goes on. Only thing they have found was a 7mm pineal cyst during the MRI. The doctors assure me this is an incidental finding and has nothing to do with my symptoms. I now sit here and read posting after posting of cases that sound like my own and wonder. Has anyone found a receptive doctor who reconizes the obvious fact that there is some connection to the symptoms and the cyst? I, like others, have been forced on anti-depressants and made to think it is all in my head. Well, it is isn't it? Its a pineal cyst.
March 04, 2003 - Chrissy My symptoms began for the most part in the fall of 1999 and went on for a year. I had always had migraines and headaches, but I suddenly was dizzy all the time, felt faint, felt a 'fullness' sensation in my head, was extremely weak and tired. After putting up a fight, I finally got an MRI which showed an 8mm pineal gland cyst. Like everyone else, the neurosurgeon told me it was unrelated to my symptoms and classified me as a hypochondriac. Gradually my symptoms got better (not great), so I was able to graduate and work at my new job. Recently all the symptoms are back. Anti-anxiety drugs help but are not a cure. I take celexa. Basically I feel as though I am going through the motions of life in some fog and am really getting sick of it. Have many people seen relief in their symptoms following surgery for the cyst?
March 04, 2003 - Suelynn I am 33 year old women who has been diagnosed with a pineal cyst in 1997. Since then I go for MRI testing every 6 months. Unfortunately, my cyst is growing, its now at 8mm. It again time for my scheduled MRI and I am very nervous. I do not feel the neurologist, ENT or my family doctor I see fully understands what I am going through. I suffer from severe vertigo, ringing in my Left ear. I have neuropathy in my hands and feet. I get dizzy even while lying down. I see stars if I turn my head all the way to the right or left. Headaches daily, Fatigue, blurred or double vision, shortness of breath, muscle weakness, muscle spasms, neck pain, back pain,light sensitivity, poor sleep habits and finally I have chronic anemia. I cannot believe in this day and age some physican cannot find a link between these symptoms and the pineal cyst. It must be related in some way. All of us have similar complaints and all of us have pineal cysts, grant it they vary in size but we all on this cyst have one. I fear the word Cancer/Tumor. Every Doctor I have seen tells me this is nothing and it effects nothing. I don't buy that. It's not supposed to be there and it is, so it must effect something. I am lucky if I get 5 hours sleep a night. I am tired very tired just unable to get good night's rest.
February 27, 2003 - Elisa I am a 39 year old female. I was diagnosed with a pineal cyst approx. 1 cm. I have been ill now for over 2 years with no real diagnosis. I have not seen a neuro yet, but after reading all of these comments, I am sure I will probably run into the same road blocks. I read through everyone's comment and can identify with the symptoms of each and everyone of them. My biggest complaint is the pressure and the noise in my head, the extreme discomfort and pain in the upper left side of my body, and the overwhelming need to sleep my life away. I have printed out all comments so that I can be armed when I do visit the next physician.
February 25, 2003 - Della I am a physician, specifically for pediatric cancers. My 11 month old daughter was diagnosed with a pineal cyst by CT scan which was done for other reasons. Pineal cysts are VERY common - up to 40 % of people have them on routine autopsies, and a substantial percentage of people have them found on CT or MRI studies done for other reasons. It is very RARE for them to be associated with any symptoms. No physician in their right mind would recommend having something done about a small cyst in the brain because you would have to have some form of BRAIN SURGERY to do this! There are always significant risks with any surgical procedure, especially with such important and sensitive areas. There are less than 100 people in the world who have had significant symptoms related to pineal gland cysts. If the physicians don't believe that the cyst is related to the headaches and other symptoms, they're probably right. Obviously having something in your brain can be terrifying - and I see brain tumors in children all the time - but if the appropriate studies are being done, and follow-up is happening with your physician, you will probably not have any further problems related to these cysts. Thanks for listening.
February 12, 2003 - BRI I am a 22 year old female and have recently been told that I have a penial gland cyst. It seemes to me that this mainly happenes to young females teens to thirties. It is a very painful thing to have and the headaches are not like normal headaches and they are triggered by things as simple as breathing too deep. turning your head, sneezing or coughing, and they cause you to be very dizzy and sensitive to light. I was just told that I had this 2 1/2 weeks ago and I havent had a good day since. How do I cope with this, and how can I work, when I keep getting this unbareable headache. any advice as to relief would be helpful.
February 05, 2003 - Sue I had 3 bad episodes of dizziness in one day. It felt terrible and scared me so bad that I went to the doctor and he diagnosed me with vertigo and sent me for a CT scan. They stubbled on a penial mass, then sent me for a MRI and found it was a penial cyst. The doctor did not seem to worry, but is sending me to a Nuro. I am so scared that I am going to get cancer from this and it will be mis-diagnosed. I have had a lot of the systems described in the other comments. When I get the diagnosis from the Nuro, I will share it with you. Any advice for me is welcomed.
January 31, 2003 - Debra My 22 year old daughter has been recently diagnosed with a pineal gland mass. It was found when a MRI was done when she was suspected of having Multiple Sclerosis. She was found to have the lesions present in the brain for MS and is now on Interferon injections. Her neurologist referred her to a neurosurgeon whose specialty was the Gamma Knife. The surgeon did not feel he had enough experience with that type of case so she is being referred to another doctor. After reading the radiologists report we were all frightened but the surgeon stated that he did not agree with the radiologist that it was cancerous. About 5 years ago she started to have some problems that I associated with normal teenage angst. We sought family counseling and she was put on antidepressants. She also had some other medical issues that seemed to lend itself to an endocrine problem such as a lack of menstrual period, weight gain, moodiness, etc. She was put on birth control and the doctor seemed to think she had poly cystic ovarian disease. She had been a straight A student and Merit Scholar with a most promising academic future. Suddenly she went from that to barely being able to complete her senior year. After finding out about the pineal mass I began to wonder if the problems she started around 17 were indeed related. She has finally started to turn her life around and now with this diagnosis I am afraid of how it will impact her life. She is currently in school far from home and I worry about her endlessly. Of course like any Mom I want to just pack her up and bring her home. She of course wants to maintain her independence and I realize how important that it is. The MS component makes things difficult let alone the worry about the pineal mass. Any other information that anyone can give would be greatly appreciated.
January 30, 2003 - Carrie On January 20th, 2003 I went to the ER with unexplained loss of feeling and control to the left side of my body. I also have had twitiching and muscle spasms in my left side of my face. I suffer from migraines for about 5 years now. I get them 2 to 3 times a week. The day in the ER I got a headache that lasted 10 days and pulled me from work. None of my migraine remedies worked, not even any of the newest prescriptions. I am 33 and they tested me for stroke, menegitis, MS. In a CT scan for damage from a possible stroke they ran across a cyst on the pineal gland. Nothing to worry about but let's send you to get an MRI. My cyst was confirmed and it is 11 mm in size. I feel like my visit to the neurosurgeon will be fruitless, but I will go and listen. If anyone finds out any good news about these cysts or a good doctor please write to me. I will travel for peace of mind and an answer to my pain and episodes.
January 27, 2003 - Mariana I am a 30 yr old female. In April 1999 I began to have some severe headaches, completely disabling, I felt like my head was being wrung like a towel. I first had a CT-Scan to rule out a particular kind of sinus headache; that ct-scan showed that I had a pineal cyst. An MRI was immediately done which showed that the cyst was about 10 mm. My neurologist referred me to a neurosurgeon who told me that the cyst was an "incidental" finding; that it was not the cause of my headaches; that they were "tension" headaches; that I just needed to sleep; gave me some painkillers and a sleeping pill (Ambien). Thankfully, my uncle sent a duplicate copy of my MRI films to a neuroradiologist at Mass General Hospital in Boston, MA. The doctor saw the films and had me immediately fly up from Puerto Rico. The same day I saw the neuroradiologist I had a consult with a top neurosurgeon. He disagreed completely with the first neurosurgeon; told me that the size of the cyst was significant; that it was most likely the cause of my headaches because it was pressing against some veins in my head; and that he recommended resection. After consulting with the neurosurgery panel at MGH, he confirmed both his diagnosis and recommended treatment. I had a resection of the cyst on May 5, 1999; had some significant post-surgical complications with bleeding, but the headaches are gone. Get a second opinion. I hope this helps someone.
January 23, 2003 - Corey I'm a 23 year old male who was recently diagnosed with a 7 mm pineal gland cyst. It has been a year since I originally got sick. It started in February of 2002 when I caught pneumonia. Since then I have been feeling in a general slump. I am very fatigued, dizzy, get headaches often, have difficulty breathing, difficulty concentrating, I am now having vision problems, and a pushing sensation behind my eyes, with an inability to look up without feeling like im going to pass out. I have had CT scans all over my body and an MRI of my brain that showed the 7 mm pineal gland cyst. I have been to a neurologist and a neurosurgeon, which both have told me that it is not the cause of my problems. This all seems too routine with every other post I've ever read on this subject. I'm starting to feel like they really don't know much more to say, because they themselves are inexperienced in this area. I am posting to see if anyone else is having any progress with their cyst, and if so how did you go about it? Surgery? Chemotherapy? Did anyone's cyst turn into a tumor? Did depression drugs ever help anyone? Did anyone ever find out the reason of all their symptoms if it wasn't the cyst? Please I am desperate for any answers. This is ruining my relationship,and my career. I would love to talk to anyone about this, and maybe swap information. Please write. And good luck to everyone. Best wishes Corey
January 19, 2003 - Rebecca I am a 34 year old mom. I have 4 children and have been told I have a enlarged pineal gland. I have migrane headaches, memory loss, my arm and hands tingle, I get mad so quickly, and I feel so tired all the time. I used to be so hyper and I never wanted to stop and relax. Now I wish I could be the old me. My doctor just wants to wait and see. I feel helpless. They just keep changing meds on me every 2-3 months. help?
January 19, 2003 - Sandy After experiencing severe vertigo symptoms, I had the million dollar workup and a pineal cyst was found. The cyst is 1 cm in diameter. The ear, nose & throat doctor said the two are not related and diagnosed me with benign positional vertigo. He gave me some ratical head exercises and said my symptoms should be gone in 2 weeks. 4 months later, I still have the episodes. The Neorologist said I was probably born with the cyst and there is really no reason where it came from and it will probably go away. She will monitor me and check for changes in the size. She doesn't recommend removal or drainage and said that a neorosurgen will tell me the same. I find it interesting that many of the posts on this site have all the same symptoms. Just thought I'd share.
January 18, 2003 - Karola I too am a 38 yr female, and was diagnosed with a pineal glad cyst when I was 22. I am still fine. I have however opted for other kinds of treatment and they work wonders to eliviate symptoms. Wholistic medicine. I am a Reiki Practitioner, as of this year, which no doubt helps me a lot. I found back then that not many people were talking about the "symptoms" and or the problem. I moved to another country, Australia when I was thirty and found a wonderful woman there who helped me with my symptoms. I have been headache free for almost 8 years, and no side effects at all. I don't take anything, and I sleep like a baby. I do however reccomend not to dwell on the situation because worrying about it will no doubt consume you, as it did me for a while before realising I can fix it myself. MIND over matter. Feel free to respond, and I will help you to understand the symptoms as much as the diagnoses. Good luck and remember, we can over come! Blessings Karola
January 11, 2003 - Andrea I was just diagnosed with a penial cyst yesterday. This diagnosis in a way came as a shock. However, I have been suffering with severe headaches, dizziness, tingling/or loss of sensation in my arms, hands, and fingers, as well as severe nausea all of the time. I am going to consult a neurosurgeon this week. It seriously bothers me that all of us have the same symptoms, and due to these symptoms we feel that we can not have fufilling days without constant worrying about a cyst in our most important organ, or just ill well being that ceases to subside. Why is it that these doctors out there do not seem overly concerned about our conditions? Monitoring with MRI's every few months in my opinion simply does not cut it. Let's see these doctors walk around with substantial cysts in their brains equipped with several annoying and painful penial cyst attributes, and let them tell us how we over react. Most likely they won't! It seems to me this area of medical lack of expertise is obvious. Perhaps these doctors and or specialists have not fully come to understanding these cysts and future problems they might hold. I am nervous as hell that my cyst will gain too much liquid, and eventually leak. Then what? I feel everyone's pain, and to those of us that have this, I wish you the best of luck, and much health!
December 30, 2002 - Deanna I am a 31 year old female who was diagnosed with having 2 pineal gland cysts 3 years ago. The only reason they found them was I have balancing problems and dizziness. I had a spinal tap (negative) and MRI's every 6 months to 1 year in time. They say now that the dizziness is not caused by the cysts. Has anyone ever had elevated levels of HCG's? I have missed a period but have high levels of HCG's and read that there could be a corelation. I spend everyday worried about these cysts - I am consumed by what could happen - what if its cancer, have they been there forever - any encouraging news out there?
December 13, 2002 - Jessica About 6 months ago I was told that I have a cyst on my pineal gland. It is really hard for me. My doctor is certain that my migraine headaches are from something else. I've been in physical therapy thinking it was soemthing with my neck. Spent about a thousand dollars to fix my TMJ and am going to have an MRI tomorrow. I am just scared that they are going to tell me it got larger. Thats my biggest fear. Has anyone had the surgery to have it drained? If so, did it work and how long was the recovery?
December 03, 2002 - Chris I too have been diagnosed with a pineal cyst. Aside from tiredness and requiring a lot of sleep, I have had some balance problems. Has anyone had their cyst removed? If so, has it grown back?
November 24, 2002 - Sheri My 8 year old daughter was just diagnosed with a Pineal cyst. I am a nursing student and was so shocked when the doctor told me this, that I didn't even think to ask the size of the cyst. Last night she fainted and I checked her vitals and gave her a quick neuro test, which all seemed fine to me, but I carried her to the ER anyway. Her head CT showed a pineal cyst. The doctor said the dizziness and fainting episode had nothing to do with the cyst. I really feel it must be a symptom of the cyst. The nurse later came to discharge us, and she too had been diagnosed with a pineal cyst after fainting. I was wondering if anyone had more information on pineal cysts. I have to wait to Monday before I can follow up with her Pedriatrician. I am sure we will be referred to a Ped. Neurologist. I have not been able to find very much information on this condition in my books or on the Net. It would be appreciated greatly.
November 23, 2002 - Gabby I too have a pineal cyst. I however, had surgery to drain it. Removal would cause brain tissue to have to be removed so my surgeon opted for draining. My symptoms were just episodes of double vision. They began in September 2000 and got increasingly more frequent until May 2001 when I had the surgery. My surgeon and doctor were concerned about rupture. The MRI showed a gray area where the cyst was causing pressure causing my doctors to feel quite confident that the cyst was the cause of my symptoms. After the surgery the double vision was much shorter in duration and no real pressure behind the eyes during it. However, the frequency did not start to decrease for almost a year. My last MRI showed the cyst was almost back to the same size but no pressure was being exerted on surrounding tissue. I think this goes to show that sometimes cysts are the cause of something and sometimes not. My doctors said all along that it is not uncommon to have a cyst but it is uncommon for it to be causing symptoms like they felt mine was. I still feel like I need a lot of sleep and that is why I found this web site. I don't know if the two are linked. I just started thinking aboout this link so I haven't asked my doctor. I don't go back for a year.
November 21, 2002 - Kathleen I'am 26 years old and about 5 months ago I was diagnosed with a cyst on my pineal gland of about 10mm. The doctors say I've had it since birth, but I highly doubt it. You see, about 7 months ago I stopped menstruating with no warning whatsoever and now the doctors have me on hormones to try and restart my menstruation but so far has been unsuccessful. Also, my testerone is extremely high. Also, though I haven't had these symptoms in about 4 months, I was having episodes where I would get a severe headache and then sort of "black out", not literally, but to where I couldn't concentrate even if I tried. I'am not a doctor, but I can tell you that if you're having symptoms like these and have been diagnosed with a cyst that the doctor says has "always" been there, get a second opinion.
November 18, 2002 - Andrea About 16 months ago, I began to have migraines. The first one lasted 9 days and I was in the emergency room twice. About 4 months ago they began to increase in frequency, from 1 a month to 6 a week. I went in for 3 different MRI's, and the doctor told me that I have a penial cyst 1 cm by 1.2 cm in size. He says this has nothing to do with my headaches. However, the migraine medicine I am on does not always make it go away. I am going to see a headache specialist. I have to wait 2 months to see her. The constant headaches, nausea, and fatigue are really affecting my ability to work--I am a teacher. Has anyone been to a specialist and learned anything?
November 08, 2002 - Jane Lyn - I am responding to your email of August 10, 2002. I ALSO have an autistic daughter who is 17 with endrocrine problems and she had an MRI of her brain done in October, 2002 and she ALSO has a cyst on her pineal gland. She also has Tourette's Syndrome and migraine headaches. Migraines run in my family --hers only just started. Her neurologist and endrocrinologist are saying that a cyst on the pineal gland is a common abnormality, but I do not see how this can not be a problem in some way, esp knowing the function of the pineal gland. Did you find out anything since you posted? Anyone got any opinions or information? Thanks
October 30, 2002 - Ann My 40 year old son, who lives in Anchorage, Alaska, had an acute depressive episode peaking on Oct. 23, 2002, the day of the 6.7 earthquake outside of Fairbanks. The quake occurred at 3:57 am and my son awakened with strong suicidal ideation that morning. He had been getting progressively worse during the 2 weeks prior, during which there had been around 300 small to medium earthquakes in the Fairbanks/Anchorage area. He admitted himself to a psychiatric ward "which was packed" that day, and I have speculated that the intense electromagnetic activity during October in that region triggered his depression and possibly that of many others. I was looking for something on the web that might substantiate this and came across your article. Since coming to Alaska in 1996, he has been having significant problems with depression. I feel the electromagnetic field disturbance in the earth has been disturbing his own, exacerbating his illness. Can you respond to this? Thank you.
September 10, 2002 - Rad resently i have found out a few very interesting things about the pineal gland that may not sound that amazing, but as a regular recreational drug taker i asure you that it is! the pineal gland secreats meletonin into the body, meletonin is so important as it controles our body clock, wen we sleep, also the aging proses and how to heal the body. the pineal gland controles our emotions by releaseing chemicals such as meletonin, seritonin, but also a chemical called DMT but the pineal gland only releases DMT when you our born and wen you die. DMT is not only found in the human brain, it is also found in every liveing organism and different types of DMT can be collected from sertain plants and either smoked or ingested. this then brings on an intesensly amazeing phycedellic trip, where in the user is freed from the phisical body and catipulted in to a different dimention of energy and thought. is this a peek at death? shamanic use of DMT is wat many of the erliest civilisations where built on. these people saw the importance and usefullness of tripping (haveing the above chemicals in your brain) to develope contiousness, and with a higher contiousness you can see the universe and all of us in terms of energy, and the senter of a humans energy is the penial gland, this was said by the hidus thousands of years ago (the third eye, the seat of the soul) and now is proved by science, the release of DMT went you die is the chemical/physical sign that your soul is leaveing.i know this has not got much to do with this site, but buy meditation, mind exercising and all the spiritul healing such as rakki, maybe some of you could find it helps, also a dose of magic mushrooms every few mounths will keep you healthy in your body and mind. repies welcom! p.s smokeing canibis is a great natral pain killer. i hope you all find a solution to your problems, but believe me, exercise your brain, use it and it will look after your body
August 16, 2002 - Kim I am a 34 year old with many of the same symptoms posted in this section. headaches, pressure behind the eyes, tingling in both arms and neck. I have also been tested for MS. The only abnormalty found is a 7mm peneal cyst, which I am told is not the problem. The only recommendation is antidepressents. Is there anyone here who has any answers?
August 10, 2002 - Lyn I have an 8 year old daughter with a pineal cyst, autism, and endocrine difficulties. The doctors do not think the autism is involved with the cyst but the endocrine problems are. I am always looking for more answers. Since the cyst was discovered it has not grown any but we were told it is "larger than average".
August 05, 2002 - Heather I am 24 years old and a few months ago they found a pineal cyst in my brain. I also have severe headaches and I am always tired. The doctors tell me not to worry about the cyst and just have an MRI done every six months. They also say my problems are not caused from the cyst and that it was an incidental finding. I am not worried about the cyst. I probally have had it for many years. I do not even remember it is there until someone talks about it. Of course every time something happens the question in my mind is could it be the cyst. But to anyone who has one, don't worry these cysts are actually quite common.
June 08, 2002 - Tracy My 2-yr. old daughter was diagnosed with a cyst in the pineal gland. She has constant headaches and is tired a lot. The doctor says it is nothing to worry about. But I see my daughter suffer, and want answers if anyone can tell me what to do to help her please do.
May 13, 2002 - Brandi I am a 19 year old female and have recently been diagnosed with a pineal cyst. At my age, it is very difficult to maintain my daily activities. The cyst is 16mm x 11mm and is impinging on my left cerebellar artery. The doctors say that it is asymptomatic and has nothing to do with my nausea, vertigo, blackouts, migraines and so forth. I've had these symptoms for the past 7 years and, of course, have been passed off to many different doctors. I am working for a chiropractor, and together we are trying to figure out what we can do to relieve my symptoms. In the mean time, if any of you have suggestions as to what I should do for my everyday pain, please write.
April 27, 2002 - Jan I'm 26 yrs. old and have a lot of the problems that you all have. Two years ago I began to have headaches, nausea, vomiting, vision problems, memory problems, always tired, etc. Through MRI's and CT Scans they "incidentally" found a pineal region cyst. Over the last year it has grown, but not much, but enough to make me want to be fixed. I was diagnosed with seizures, and my arms and legs go numb, and tingle a lot. My head normally feels like it's going to explode. My doctors have bascially said the cyst is doing nothing, you're just depressed. Well one would think I would be, however I do have my sense of humor. The doctors don't appreciate my opinion and suggestions on test and researching here on the internet, is just bologna they say. This thing is ruining my life and would love to find a doctor to get rid of it. Any Suggestions? My last MRI showed it was 9x8x8mm, my first MRI showed it at 7x5x6mm. I too have had all kinds of blood work to rule out MS. If anyone has any thoughts please drop a line. Thanks.
February 27, 2002 - Valerie I have been recently diagnosed with pineal cyst approx. 8mm. Over the years I have been diagnosed with migraine headaches and assocaiated seizures. I have had several MRI's, CT scans, EEG looking to rule out MS and other diseases. My physician states I shouldn't worry about this cyst, just have an MRI every 6 months. I am now 34 years old and continue to have seizures but all MS work-up has been negative but with no spinal tap done. I had a physician tell me not to worry about an abnormal heart valve. Now, I have to watch that every six months also. Any suggestions?
November 21, 2001 - Corrie In Jan of 1997 I was involved in a motor vehicle accident. After that time I developed manic-depression, anxiety and mild phycosis. This condition continued to get worse and by Nov 1997 I had to leave work on a disabilty (I am an x-ray technician: day hours). My condition has continually grown worse. I am unresponsive to medications and shock therapy and my sleep patterns are highly erratic. I had undergone an MRI in Oct 2000 and a cyst was discovered on my pineal gland. I forget the size; sorry my disability now severely limits my memory. I do not know if I had the cyst before the accident. I am wondering if this cyst can have a connection with my mental disability? Thank You
October 09, 2001 - Whitney I have a penial gland cyst that is 1cm in size. I have had headaches for some time, but my doctor seems to think that the cyst is not causing my headaches. I am beginning to think that I may be experiencing vision changes too. Can anything be done about this?
August 21, 2001 - Cindi I was diagnosed 2 years ago with Hashimoto's disease, then I was diagnosed with Pituitary insufficiency with growth hormone difficiency. I always have had migraines; they started when I was 14yr. I am now 30 and in 1999 I had an MRI of the brain, just to make sure I did not have a pituitary tumor. My doctor told me every thing was normal but I just got a copy of my report and it stated that I had a pineal cyst. I also have bad vertigo and also have suffered from sleep paralysis. Should I get a second opinion?
August 21, 2001 - Trish I have recently been diagnosed with a pineal cyst. I have been told I have had it since birth, which can be quite common. But I have been told that there is fluid and protein in it and I will have to go further tests. Is this a form of cancer or can anyone tell of similar experience? I don't understand the severity of these findings.
July 18, 2001 - Sharon Where can I get more information on this subject BENER 15054? Does this mean a person with a pineal gland cyst shown on MRI, could determine a connection between seeing bright lights since Oct. 00, 24 hours, 7 days a week (nonstop)? Thought maybe aura migraines without the headaches? Please help, Sharon
June 21, 2001 - Lisa About 2 years ago I had a lot of sudden medical problems. There was arthritic pain, stiffnes in arms, foot pain, some type of idiopathic muscle movment (arms legs neck and head), vertigo/bed spins when I lay down at night, facial palsey (mostly my left side). The most scary though was this increasing head pain (unlike headache it was more of short pains that lasted anywhere from a few seconds to hours). These got so bad I could not lay on the side that was hurting, nor could I even lay a heating pad on it. I had a multitude of blood work, spinal tap, brainwave tests, EMG's and a big set of MRI's which reveled a 3mm pineal cyst. I would like to more about this cyst. My neurologist said it was just probably there when I was born, but it seems strange to start having all these problems now. I am 33, female, and I have had arthritis since about age 10 but never even really had the need to take ibuprofin or anything until about the last 5 years. I also have just started getting floaters in my vision that drives me nuts. I returned to work lately and the head pains are increasing again. Anyone know anything about this pineal cyst in my head? I don't know how fast they grow. If they can burst or if they cause damage or symptoms if they are enlarging. Thanks Lisa
January 23, 2001 - Name Witheld My wife had had severe vertigo problem few years back, whan all conventional treatmnet failed , she was refered to a specialist in NY city, who conducted many blood test and finally recommended to take "Folic acid'. she cntinueed on that therapy for more than a year and fully recovered 9now I fell to that prey last week) I may contact the same specialist if situation does not improve.
October 16, 1999 - Kathryn I was in a bad accident in 1997 and substaind head truma at that time. MRI's were taken and found ear and head truma no mass matter no lesion. Months go by with real bad headaches, so I was sent for a follow-up MRI in 1998. There I was found to have a pineal region cyst 8mm in dimater so we know a year before it was not there. It had formed because of my head truma. Now I live with headaches speech problems, vertgo, etc. I have had surgery on my ear to correct the vertgo, it did not work. Any time I look to the left, lean to the left, lay on my left side I spin with vertgo. My thought is the cyst is the cause of my vertgo.
September 14, 1999 - Joan I have an Identical twin sister and I have a Pineal Cyst. I wonder if there is any link between the two. We have had the same things wrong with us over the years. She has never had an MRI to see if she also has a Pineal cyst. Any comments would be appreciated.
February 01, 1999 - Debbie Can there be physical/mental telepathy between identical twins through their pineal gland? Also, can there be an EMF connection of the pineal gland between identical twins?