Headaches and Brain Tumours

[Sluggy]

Hi! I've been away from the world of health anxiety from a while now, and while it's always with me, I've been coping relatively well. I'm currently however going through quite the rough patch, and am looking for some advice; what better place to come to than here!

After a shift at work last September I had a horrendous migraine, so I went to bed and assumed it'd all be normal in the morning. Fast forward circa 8 months later and I'm still getting headaches - particularly headaches that get worse when walking up hill, or after physical activity (bending over, coughing etc.). Moreover, I get an awful whooshing sound in my ear in time with my heart beat though this is usually with positional changes, and not all the time.

I of course consulted Dr. Google and am paralysed with the fear that this is a brain tumour. Coupled with the fact that I'm messing up a lot when I write, the black dog of health anxiety really has made a return. I went to see my GP (in the UK) and after explaining the majority of my symptoms, and having a basic neurological exam, I was diagnosed with chronic tension headaches. While having a healthcare professional give me the once over is reassuring, I can't shake the fact that this is something more. I've also had a sudden change in my vision and went to the optometrist and was told that my prescription had changed, but the images of my eye showed no cause for concern.

Just wondering if anyone has had any headaches/symptoms similar to this? For however many years I've had HA now, I still think the best reassurance is a mutual sharing of symptoms and experiences.

Thanks in advance!

[Gothfairy]

Yes I am!

I have never been a sufferer of headaches but have been having a pressurised feeling all over my forehead and when I stand up its horrendous.....the exact same pressure is felt in my head but a lot worse and the sound is like drifting echos, this gets back to normal about 20 seconds later......

I have been to the Dr twice now as this pressure is here all the time and tension band across my forehead, I have been referred for a MRI brain scan....

The Dr was pretty confident its nothing sinister but asked to have my eyes tested.....freaking out so you are not alone!!!

[Sluggy]

I also get odd feelings when I stand up, but this is probably just orthostatic hypotension; it might be with you too!

If you're in the UK getting an eye test is so easy nowadays - I'd forgotten how quick it is to get one booked! I'd never been so nervous for an eye exam before, but as soon as she showed me the image of inside my eye and said it was fine I felt a little relief.

Much like with my previous fears however, I feel like this one will go away with time (granted it is actually nothing serious!)

Hope your eye test and MRI go well!

[Gothfairy]

Thanks - I am very nervous to get my eyes tested - Going Saturday so.......hold thumbs!

[Librella]

Been there.

I seriously thought I had a brain tumor a few years ago, and mine also started with one bad migraine. I had daily headaches for about 8 weeks after that. I went to the doctor and she also diagnosed me with chronic tension headaches. One thing she told me was that brain tumors: a. usually have many symptoms and not just headaches, and b. move quickly, so if it's been a few months, you would probably be dead by now. The second point is a bit morbid but it made me feel better.

It's been years now and I still have headaches 1-2 times a week, but haven't gotten worse, so I have accepted that it's not serious. (plus my HA has so many other things to worry about!)

[Gothfairy]

Been there.

I seriously thought I had a brain tumor a few years ago, and mine also started with one bad migraine. I had daily headaches for about 8 weeks after that. I went to the doctor and she also diagnosed me with chronic tension headaches. One thing she told me was that brain tumors: a. usually have many symptoms and not just headaches, and b. move quickly, so if it's been a few months, you would probably be dead by now. The second point is a bit morbid but it made me feel better.

It's been years now and I still have headaches 1-2 times a week, but haven't gotten worse, so I have accepted that it's not serious. (plus my HA has so many other things to worry about!)

Thanks for this - scary though dont you think? Really panicked about the prospect of being told.....what I know I will hear quite frankly

[Sluggy]

I don't know about either of you, but when I shake my head (relatively quickly) one part of my head hurts. Again another worry for me, just wondering if anyone else has this too.

[Gothfairy]

I turn my head and I swear the pressure is more one sided then and comes back to the forehead and centre!

[Sluggy]

I turn my head and I swear the pressure is more one sided then and comes back to the forehead and centre!

When I had my last bout of HA, I would get something very very similar to this.

Sometimes I'd lie in bed and feel some odd, moving pressure in my forehead - definitely was an anxiety symptom for me.

[Sluggy]

Hi! I'm currently going through a nasty brain tumour fear at the moment, and have some unshakable worries surrounding Pulsatile Tinnitus. I've had a myriad of symptoms akin to a Brain Tumour and was diagnosed as having chronic tension headaches.

I mentioned the whooshing sound in time with my heartbeat in my ear, and my Doctor didn't seem to really touch on it at all. Does anyone else here have it? Mine came on a couple of months ago, and is on and off for me.

Only worried as it seems to be always an indicator of some underlying physical condition. With the rest of my symptoms, I'm struggling to see why my GP didn't feel the need to pick up on the tinnitus with an ENT or the like as this seems to be the standard thing to do when someone shows symptoms of it.