Story about Tarlov Cyst .

Tarlov cyst (S2)

Aug 13, 2017

By: James


My name is James and i have had a tarlov cyst in the S2 region of my spine for roughly 13 years, but i didnt get it diagnosed until June of 2017 after a series of ER visits and a referral to an orthopaedic for an MRI. I have been dealing with various symptoms for the duration of the 13 years. When i was 16, i had fallen off a roof and landed on my tail bone. I have done many other things as a kid that would cause pain to my back just being a kid, but this is the one thing that sticks out most to me. For years, I went with pain without knowing what was causing it. I just knew when i would try to bend forward or lift heavy objects my back would lock up and i would hit the ER or walk-in without insurance and doctors would just tell me my back was spasming, even say to be that just by looking at my back and not touching it. Without insurance i was severely limited in what could be done to absolve the pain or figure out what was causing it, so I would smoke marijuana to relieve the pain. Several times my pain has gotten equal to kidney stones which I have also had experience with. After i got insurance and had my MRI done, they noticed minimal to moderate distention in several points in my back, and i also noticed the tarlov cyst in s2 region. Ive had other cysts throughout my body so it raised my curiosity and started doing research on tarlov cysts. I found out its quite rare in general and subsequently more rare in males which only raised my curiosity more. I asked my orthopaedic about it and he said they dont cause symptoms and i had to correct him that in most cases they dont, where as my symptoms have been spot on and have accumulated over the years. So after my visits with the orthopaedic and a follow up with my PCP I was able to get prescribed lyrica 75mg 3x a day, one in the morning and 2 at night along with tizanidine 4mg for muscle spasms. They gave me this as an alternative to cyclobenzaprine because the cyclos would give me extremely vivid nightmares. Since starting the lyrica i have noticed i am able to move around more loosely and get more stuff done throughout the day, including being able to go back to full time work. A lot of people state that lyrica has a lot of side effects but the only one i have experienced is the increased appetite.

Know someone who should read this story? Share it

0 comments

Login or register to leave a comment


Tarlov Cyst sports

Is it advisable to do exercise when affected by Tarlov Cyst? Which act...

Do I have Tarlov Cyst?

How do I know if I have Tarlov Cyst?

Celebrities with Tarlov Cyst

Celebrities with Tarlov Cyst

Tarlov Cyst diet

Tarlov Cyst diet. Is there a diet which improves the quality of life o...

Tarlov Cyst symptoms

Which are the symptoms of Tarlov Cyst?

Tarlov Cyst life expectancy

What is the life expectancy of someone with Tarlov Cyst?

Living with Tarlov Cyst

Living with Tarlov Cyst. How to live with Tarlov Cyst?

Tarlov Cyst is also known as...

Tarlov Cyst synonyms