Posts by Justin Adams66

Grace Davis77 said:It’s probably your cervical spine, so you should look into physical therapy, working with a PT on specific exercises, acupuncture, or maybe some lap swimming.

Thanks for the input. I actually went to see a specialist, but instead of getting any actual physical therapy, she just sent me off to get my thyroid levels checked. My hormone panel came back fine, and I’m waiting on my Vitamin D results next week. Honestly, it didn't make much sense to me at the time, but she insisted that hormonal imbalances can manifest as pain in the neck and upper back... though clearly, that isn't the issue here. It felt like she didn't even bother looking at my MRI results. We'll see what she has to say once I go back with these new labs in hand. In the meantime, I’m really hoping I can get out to the local pool and do some swimming over the summer.

Hey everyone, I’m looking for some advice here—has anyone dealt with anything similar, or does anyone have an idea of what might be going on with me and how I can actually find some relief? :/
I’m dealing with these dizzy spells almost every single day now, just this constant sense of instability whether I’m walking around or even just sitting down, plus there’s this uncomfortable pressure at the base of my skull and headaches that always seem to trigger from that back part of my head. My neck feels completely locked up, and when I went in for an MRI, they found some early signs of degenerative changes. I actually started doing Pilates to try and work through it, but honestly, I’m not seeing much of an improvement at all. I’ve also been getting massages which help a little bit, I guess, but overall I just feel pretty terrible. To top it all off, my hands have started shaking slightly lately, which is something I’ve never had issues with before. Could this all be stemming from my cervical spine, and does anyone know how to manage this or if anyone else is going through the exact same thing? Thanks. I’m 27, and according to my neurologists, everything looks fine except for a tiny cyst on my pineal gland, which apparently shouldn't cause any symptoms since it's so small. I don't have any underlying medical conditions and I'm not on any medications. My thyroid levels are totally normal too. Thanks in advance!

slytinker18 said:I ended up having surgery to remove a pure pineal gland tumor... under the care of Dr. Josip Paladin... As soon as he took one look at my MRI, he told me the thing had to come out immediately. I got the initial MRI results about five months ago, and by June 24th, I was already in the operating room. I was only 18 at the time—had a craniotomy performed. I spent a total of 10 days in the hospital... I was on Tegretol for about a month afterward, but nothing else since then.
Everything went incredibly smoothly, and honestly, I haven't dealt with any lasting side effects.

Hey there, do you happen to remember how large the cyst actually was, or any specific details from those scans? Did you experience any particular symptoms or issues beforehand? How did you even find out the cyst was there in the first place?
After years of battling constant, debilitating headaches, I finally went through a full neurological workup back in 2015, and it turned out I have a cyst on my pineal gland. The thing is, three different neurologists have looked at it and basically told me the same thing: it’s too small to matter. According to the MRI, it isn't putting any pressure on anything and shouldn't be causing issues. They think there's no reason to check it more than once a year—just keep an eye on it and move on. But honestly, I feel terrible. My ears are constantly ringing, I'm dealing with dizziness and instability almost every single day, I have this heavy pressure at the base of my skull, and the headaches still hit me from time to time. Now, I do have neck issues, so maybe that's what it is, but I'm really curious to know what led your doctor to say you needed urgent surgery. Thanks! 🙂

Hey everyone, does anyone have a solid recommendation for a good neurologist in the Chicago area? I’m really looking for someone highly skilled and experienced—someone who actually takes the time to sit down and focus on the patient rather than just rushing through the appointment. Every time I try to search online or dig through patient review sites, I just get hit with a massive wave of conflicting opinions, and honestly, it’s making it impossible to make a decision. Also, when you go to book an appointment, do you even have the option to request a specific doctor, or is it just a "whoever is available" kind of situation? I need a consultation because they've already identified a clear lesion on my epiphysis. Thanks!