View Full Version : Brain Tumor/MS/Panic Panic Panic.....
Could do with some help regarding some ongoing symptoms that seem to be unexplained and even doc cant give a definite diagnosis and im convinced its a tumor and when I convince myself its not then I think I have MS.
Symptoms have lasted over 6 months and seem to vary:
Started with strange neck pressure and tense Jaw
Then moved onto pins and needles in hands and feet
Strange vision problems (ongoing) with a decrease in visual acuity in right eye (words etc... look distorted/wavy through right eye) but no loss of peripheral vision - I have had an eye scan and nothing was detected - should I take that as positive?
Gradual increase in eye floaters (ongoing)
Tension/pressure in neck when turning head
Upper right arm aching/tingly
Right leg feels 'strange' - hard to describe but just doesnt feel right - not numb but strange:weep:
Blood tests showed positive ANA but negative on everything else
Doc says dont worry - neurologist also was unconcerned afer detailed investigation although I did panic during MRI and was unable to have it!
Could do with some reassurance that these symptoms should be nothing to worry about as im going crazy with worry.
Thank in advance
Doc
Amysunshine
05-05-12, 00:30
I have a lot of those symptoms actually, but never really added them all together. If the doctors dont seem worried, I wouldnt worry, they know what they are looking for. x
hi i have had all those symptoms and my mum has ms so it made me worry i was more likely to have ms i had the tingly arms n eye floaters n vision disturbances really bad all day everyday i had my eyes tested and was told the eye floaters r nothing yo worry about n just about everyone has them and they aint linked to ms at all this made me feel alot better n shortly after the tingles n pins n needles disapeared also so its def just anxiety. the aches n stiffness ur talking about is also from ur anxiety i presume as you will be stressing and causing muscle tension. try to relax and not think about it to much i know easier said than done but ur symptoms sound exactly yhe same as mine were and very common anxiety sympyoms. hope this helps x
Thanks the reassurance does help but as you know ...... It won't be long before I convince myself again with the symptoms. I also have constant muscle jerks/twitches/flinches which again I'm sure is a sign of anxiety but also fits perfectly into the Tumor/MS jigsaw ....... My mind would have been put to rest completely had I not had a huge panic attack in the MRI scanner and make them cancel it .......
can you not re book im positive its anxiety as that sounds like nervousness but just for ur own peace of mind x
I'm waiting for a new MRI date. Seeing the neurologist again in 2 weeks
let me know how you get on.
Thanks will do. Just come back from a walk into town and leg felt funny all the way back so I'm back to flat out worry!! So frustrating. It's strange to describe its not like being unbalanced it's just a weird heavier feeling, same as arm. I've not had any headaches at all and my eye scan at the hospital came back normal so would you say it's highly unlikely I have anything sinister?
i cant say for sure as im no expert but i think your paying to much attention to it n therefore makin it worse. i get strange head sensations n dizzyness n i find myself thinking about it constantly n if it aint there im waitin for it to happen. plz try occupy urself with something to take ur mind off it. im sure its anxiety x
baileydalm
05-05-12, 21:14
Hello,
I have had lots of these symptoms. Do you suffer from TMJ. These are very common symptoms of stress and anxiety. I went to the chiropractor and he sorted me out. I also have done TMJ exercises (Search Youtube videos they are very helpful). I grind my teeth and apparently doing this can cause all of these problems especially tingling in fingers. I have numb fingers sometimes and wake up worrying but the jaw puts pressure on nerve running down to fingers. only 100,000 people in the UK have MS it is very unlikely that you will have this.
Floaters are really common just spliting of cells in the eye and people get more as they get older. Eyesight problems are probably due to anxiety and lack of blood x Hope this helps
It is refreshing to read your post. I share many of your concerns.
I don't know why this happened, but on Good Friday I had a nap and awoke to find that I had a stiff jaw and perceived that I had no sensation on the back third of my throat when swallowing. I thought I might have had - or was having a stroke - so took myself to an A&E. In the exam they could not elicit a gag on the left side. The doctor came back and said 'you have something on your brain stem' Very comforting. The weekend was utter agony. Couldn't concentrate. Went to my GP on the Tuesday who elevated the matter so I could see a neurologist. In the meantime I had a private brain stem MRI. Came back completely normal. Went to neurologist appointment and she assured me that I didn't have MS (which is what my GP had suggested might be the case) and elicited a gag on both sides. Now have the sensation on right side of throat back ...
BUT two weeks ago yesterday I started to feeling muscle tightness/spasms in my arms. As if my muscles were being strangled. That moved to my thighs. Even showed my flatmate my muscles pulsating beneath the skin just to reassure myself it wasn't in my head. Have had pins and needles - I sense around my ankles. In the mornings I always awake with some sort of numbness and dry mouth. Had blood tests and my Vitamin D rating came back with a 'insufficiency' - e.g. 32 - as opposed to an outright deficiency. On my GP's instruction I have started taking supplements. Don't know how long this takes to kick in.
Decided to have second MRI on brain - just to put my own mind to rest. Did so last week. Don't think the neuro-radiologist EVEN LOOKED AT IT. Came back with the same report about the para-nasal pathways being clear ... Those pathways are in the brian stem NOT IN THE BRAIN. Feel totally fobbed off and resent having paid for it.
This has led to another weekend of anxiety. Now I feel as if the bone in my right buttock is stiffened ... but I am trying to ignore this ...
Perhaps writing this will help me. Blessedly I can still type .... even though my fingers can sometimes feel week.
Is this ALL in my head??????? I am willing to consider the possibility ...
One thing I DO know ... I wish it would all JUST GO AWAY ...
Whatever else, you are not alone ...
Hi,
If you have already been referred to a neurologist and your symptons are still continuing, you can always request that he/she sends a sample of your blood to the Prion Clinic in London, they specialise in testing for prion & neurological diseases, maybe for peace of mind they could arrange this for you it is free of charge, and you can download the form etc from the prion clinic website. Hope this helps.
Thanks so much, Greekgirl ... Much appreciated ... Will pass this along to my GP.
What I'm going to try to do is to find a neuro-radiologist who will ACTUALLY read my brain-scan ... and look at the C-spots ...
Then I'm going to read a book on Overcoming Health Anxiety I have just ordered from Amazon.
Hi Chris - I could have wrote this thread myself. Everything you are going through is exactly my story too. I've been doing so well lately but this past week all my symptoms are back in full force with some new ones! I switch between MS & tumours and today feel like I have both! I've been so dizzy for 3 days now & it's starting to freak me out a bit. My head feels full & I have a twitch & pressure in my right eye. I also have neck, ear issues so I'm not sure where the dizziness is coming from. I'm not one for going to doctors but I'm getting afraid that something is very wrong. Im petrified of being told I have to go for a scan but I don't know what else to do! Its so frustrating!
It's good to know its it just me but I know how you feel ..... I'm gripped with fear again today as foot has felt tingly all day again and right arm and leg have that odd heavy feeling again ...... And the pressure round my face is bothering me as well :(
I'm trying to reassure myself because my eye scan was competer clear. If your really concerned you need to go to a doc though so they can check you out.
hartleysjam
07-05-12, 19:04
Ditto I have had all these symptoms too at one point my fingers clawed up to the point I couldn't set them right for ages and was reffered to a neurologist and it turned out to be Anxiety.
I hope you feel better soon :)
Thanks it does help to hear about all these strange symptoms being anxiety related. It's a vicious circle though as I'm anxious about the symptoms and the symptoms are most likely caused by anxiety ..... It's strange though as even when I'm not feeling particularly tense the symptoms are all still there :(
Snap! I've been quite relaxed lately but the symptoms still hang around. I don't get it. I was last at the doctor about 8 weeks ago because I didn't understand what was going on. My anxiety came on very suddenly 3 months ago & I had no idea what havoc it caused! I passed all neuro tests without the scan & she assured me I didn't have any neuro nasties. It took weeks before my symptoms went but they come & go in phases. I just want to feel healthy again. I have the same problem with my right foot/leg - it feels like I'm dragging it sometimes & like I have a lead weight in my foot. When does it end!!!! X:wacko:
The neuro was unconcerned after my appointment and he did all the usual strength/prick tests etc..... He did schedule an MRI because I had simultaneous problems with my vision in one eye but I freaked out when they put me in the MRI tube so they couldn't run the scan. .... I'm so annoyed with myself as this could have all been over if I had the scan and would have a final answer as to wether I have a Tumor/MS :(
I think you would have to sedate me to get in one of those things. I don't blame you for freaking out. My dizziness has eased alot this evening so I keep telling myself tumour symptoms do not come & go like that. I worry more about determining a real symptom from an anxious one...... how would I know! I've never been an unhealthy person but these past few months have been hell & my mind & body are exhausted! X:doh:
Snap!- mine literally hit me overnight and I went from a normal healthy mental state to an anxious mess and I'm totally unable to work out if all my symptoms are anxiety related or they are the presenting signs of some neurological time bomb!
Same here Chris. I really hope you get some answers soon. It's no fun is it. I can't believe how much I've changed in a short space of time. Gone from being happy, care free & confident to... Well, the complete opposite! Get days when I feel like me again but those nasty symptoms are always lurking & ready to hit me at any time. Like today!
Hey Chris ...
Got an email from my neurologist ... She told me that my B12 was 'low' ... How low she didn't say. Said I should have injections ... which makes sense with ALL my symptoms. (So glad this wasn't ENTIRELY in my head.) I went to my GP and I'm having my first injections at 5.30 pm today. Full recovery HERE I INTEND TO COME.
Just wondered if you'd had your B12 checked. Might answer many needs for your good self.
Just a suggestion.
All good wishes.
Thanks - I had full set of bloods and Vit B was fine - only slight concern was I had a midly positive ANA result but doc said it was meaningless as everything else was negative. In a small breakthrough though I have just come back in from the Chiropractor - full neurology check AGAIN and everything totally normal - although she has detected some fairly severe compression/tension on right hand sight of neck where the joints are basically stuck and squashing the nerves - this is being made worse by severe tension across shoulders - all of which she said could create my tension/pressure symptoms as well as pins and needles and the 'off balance' feeling. All a product of HA which just shows that it's a vicious cycle of symptoms causing symptoms causing symptoms !!!! ..... Now was that a twinge in my chest???..... Time to move onto heart attack ;)
Hi Chris,
I'm so pleased that you have some new options.
Vis a vis the B12 .... I'd had the standard serum test and I, too, came out normal in that. However, my neurologist very kindly had a sample of my blood also given for an MMA test and I tested high there, which means (as far as I understand it) that in terms of the most 'active element of B12' I was deficient. It was for this reason that I'm being given the injections.
Just wanted to interject that ... LOL.
Here's to your full recovery VERY rapidly.
All best wishes.
After all the medical tests prove inconclusive, then if I were you I would see a cranial Osteopath. They seem to be able to help very well with stress relief.
I can say this because I am one (no - I don't want your business as I want to remain anonymous).
The symptoms you describe sound very similar to a lot of things including MS, space occupying lesion of the brain, Anaemia, Diabetes and thyroid disorders (usually over active), but more commonly (as has been posted here) you may just have a simple case of tension and nerve entrapment.
An MRI will serve to confirm this (along with appropriate blood tests), so you must make sure that the next one goes ahead and that you do something like meditate (or whatever you want to do - sing a tune, whatever) whilst there to calm yourself.
Once it has been confirmed that you're ok, then proceed to the cranial Osteopath who should be able to work some magic on you. Just make sure they are registered with the General Osteopathic Council.
Hope this helps.
Could do with some help regarding some ongoing symptoms that seem to be unexplained and even doc cant give a definite diagnosis and im convinced its a tumor and when I convince myself its not then I think I have MS.
Symptoms have lasted over 6 months and seem to vary:
Started with strange neck pressure and tense Jaw
Then moved onto pins and needles in hands and feet
Strange vision problems (ongoing) with a decrease in visual acuity in right eye (words etc... look distorted/wavy through right eye) but no loss of peripheral vision - I have had an eye scan and nothing was detected - should I take that as positive?
Gradual increase in eye floaters (ongoing)
Tension/pressure in neck when turning head
Upper right arm aching/tingly
Right leg feels 'strange' - hard to describe but just doesnt feel right - not numb but strange:weep:
Blood tests showed positive ANA but negative on everything else
Doc says dont worry - neurologist also was unconcerned afer detailed investigation although I did panic during MRI and was unable to have it!
Could do with some reassurance that these symptoms should be nothing to worry about as im going crazy with worry.
Thank in advance
Doc
I have read through the list. All are anxiety symtoms. You have been checked out by the doctors and they have given a clean bill of health. The MRI was unnecessary and was only offered for reassurance.
I had all of your symptoms, yes all of them. I had CBT last September and have been fine ever since.
The stiff neck is your muscles tightening up to protect your spine from a sabre-toothed tiger. The tingling is hyperventilation (you can do it quetly) and/or muscle tension.
The eyes are playing tricks on you because you are scanning for that sabre-toothed tiger. Tension isn't symmetrical btw.
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