Brain Tumour fear

[CoraB]

I'm so scared I'm living my last few days right now I just don't know which symptoms are real or from anxiety or which came first the symptom or the anxiety.

I feel like I am always off balance, have pains in my neck and around my forehead and eyes. My eyesight is worse than ever I keep looking at things and thinking it's definitely not as clear - like now I am creaking out in the bathroom and I can see the mouthwash but I'm sure I could read the writing on it before but now I can't or it's more blurred.

Feel like I should go to the hospital then again I can see them just saying take paracetamol and sending me packing as I already told te Dr all this and he checked me eyes with that weird light thing.

I'm going mad 😞

---------- Post added at 18:33 ---------- Previous post was at 14:45 ----------

OMG now i am also worried because it feels like the top of my spine / bottom of my neck is swollen when i put my head back. My husband says its not and quite frankly is getting a bit annoyed with me but I honestly think I am on the verge of complete mental breakdown with this. I can't do anything normal like housework I just keep feeling so tired and thinking whats the point.

[skn123]

Hey! Firstly, don't worry!! It's okay to have this fear
One of the main symptoms of a brain tumour is seizures. Actually, most people are diagnosed with no other symptoms but sudden seizures.
Anxiety is a stress on your mental health, and the mind is the most powerful tool, ergo if you think you have something - your body might try and mimic something that isn't there. You are in control of your mind

Have you visited an optician to check if you're in need of glasses? The symptoms you're describing sound synonymous to weakened eyesight and astigmatism which is so common these days
The swelling of the spine/neck is probably a bone you've never noticed before

I'd say, don't bother with the hospital because they never give peace of mind - visit your optician and your GP!

I've had this worry before, checked every single person for the same bone on the bottom of the head and went to the opticians to even look for a retinal tumour! I know how difficult it is to subside the fear. But just remember, you know your body best

Hope I help!

[CoraB]

Thanks so much for your reply it made me feel better reading it. I have resisted looking up symptoms for fear it will make me worse but the seizures thing is reassuring as i definitely don't have them.

I don't feel in control of my mind at all. In some ways this scares me the most, the thought of losing it completely due to some mental or physical illness. I'm at the GP next week and I'm going to book an eye test like you suggest.

Woke up with the headache again though and its worrying me. It's not really bad but I feel disorientated and like there is weird pressure on my head. The pain is on my forehead and around my eyes. It's like a constant low level headache.

What made your worries about this subside? Was it after you got checked out or did you manage to realize it was anxiety?

[Blonde123]

Hi, my headache is like this. I've had them before and they last for days. It feels like pressure behind my eyes and around my head. I do get shooting pains which also occur in my ears. They're not painful enough for paracetamol but the longer it goes on the more worried I become. Mine started about 2 years ago. I hit 40 this year and feel like since I was 38 it's all going wrong!

[CoraB]

Blonde123 I get the ear pain as well! I've been putting drops in as was wondering if they were blocked! I booked an opticians appointment today but they can't get me in for over a week, they said i'm not due a check until later next year so that's made me even more worried about the blurriness.

Looking around the room now there feels like there is a haze and around my eyes hurt. This can't just be anxiety can it? I just know if i google I am going to end up having a complete meltdown :-(

[skn123]

Thanks so much for your reply it made me feel better reading it. I have resisted looking up symptoms for fear it will make me worse but the seizures thing is reassuring as i definitely don't have them.

I don't feel in control of my mind at all. In some ways this scares me the most, the thought of losing it completely due to some mental or physical illness. I'm at the GP next week and I'm going to book an eye test like you suggest.

Woke up with the headache again though and its worrying me. It's not really bad but I feel disorientated and like there is weird pressure on my head. The pain is on my forehead and around my eyes. It's like a constant low level headache.

What made your worries about this subside? Was it after you got checked out or did you manage to realize it was anxiety?

Hey, glad to have helped even by a little bit!
All the symptoms you've described are very synonymous to needing glasses, it's possible you're having migraines or tension (stress) headaches which would be from the anxiety or strain on your eyes. Headaches can also be caused from lack of correct nutrition, dehydration or lack of sleep, you've got to let your mind rest! I know it's difficult, but your body needs it

My worries went away after going to the GP and her telling me it's bone on my neck not a tumour and that the symptoms would be obvious, and the fact I've been a glasses wearer since I was 5 so I know those related migraines and headaches can pop up!

[Shrimp eye]

Hi Cora

I've not posted here before (despite lurking on and off over the last year or so), but I've just read your post and if it's of any consolation, over the last week in particular, I could have written what you wrote word for word, to the very last detail (I even momentarily did a double-take to check I hadn't and forgotten!).

It's horrible to experience isn't it? If I'm being completely rational about it I'm fairly sure (in my case) it's highly likely to be related to allergies, congestion, posture etc (all of which I know I do have and have had for years) and possibly then all those symptoms being accentuated by HA (and round we go). It just feels so otherworldly and 'not normal' at the moment that it's very hard to keep believing nothing more sinister is wrong. But as we all know, rationality doesn't always come into it otherwise this would be a fairly empty forum!

[CoraB]

Thanks for replying Shrimp eye that does give me some hope. I know with some of it i'm being irrational but then suddenly I feel pain here or an ache there and it starts me off panicking like mad.

I'm just so so worried about it all each day I feel like i can't go on anymore but i somehow manage it. My neck and back are really playing me up today and the headache is pretty much on and off all the time plus my vision also feels a bit foggy.

Do you work? I'm so worried about going back to work after the Christmas break because I feel so bad with it all and I'm going into panic at the drop of a hat and having all these strange symptoms.

[Shrimp eye]

No worries - yes, I work full time. At first I found that hard (coping with HA while trying, or needing, to concentrate on work) but lately I've actually been finding the routine of work quite helpful and now find the weekends harder (so it's completely switched around for me over a matter of months). I've recently had to throw myself into work more (more responsibility) and don't actually dread work like I did a few months back (effectively, forced distraction).

Also, your phrase of living your last few days completely resonated. I feel like that most days and have for the last 18 months...!

Hope you are doing ok today.

[AdamE]

Are you in front of a computer monitor a lot? I've had a ton of symptoms I've been dealing with for the past 5 months. Back of the head feels heavy at times, head pressure, face goes a tad numb at times, blurred vision but I've been through the ringer with MRIs and ultrasounds. I'm squeaky clean. I'll be getting my eyes checked out today even. Starting to convince myself that I have a problem but my anxiety cranks up the issue and adds more X 200. But I've noticed when I'm sitting behind a monitor or sometimes even driving my heavy headed feeling awakes. Thinking it could be my vision. Hope you find out your issue!