sarainadream
19-11-14, 20:06
Hi everyone,
I made an account after reading many msg boards about brain-tumour anxiety.
The story starts four years ago when I was getting one-sided headaches everyday. My doctor made me try sinus medication, pain-killers, physical therapy, chiropractor, massage therapy, dentist, eye-doctor etc. before sending me to a neurologist. I had an MRI and nothing stood out, so they said it was tension/stress. Between then and early this year, I was fine except for a normal headache here and there.
Move now to January 2014. One night before bed, I was struck with the following symptoms:
-Dizziness/equilibrium off
-Nausea
-Rushing sensation in head and heaviness, then extreme pressure
-The feeling of hot dripping into the back of my head
-Weakness in my legs
Of course my stress skyrocketed and I had trouble breathing normally. These sensations, mixed with vertigo and one-sided headaches (same side as 4 years ago) carried on. I went to a chiro and my neck/back was fine, went and got new glasses, tried anti-vertigo medication, got told it might be an ear virus, that I had ear crystals, etc. Nothing helped. I missed a ton of work as I could not drive. I could not go into stores or malls; I would immediately feel like I was going to pass out from dizziness/head sensations/spiking body temperature. I went to the hospital where they refused to do an MRI since I had one 4 years before so they gave me fluids and sedatives.
I finally saw a neuro who got me off pain-killers (thanks rebound headaches) and diagnosed me with chronic migraines. I started on 25 mg of Elavil and am now at 100 mg per day, 8 months later. They made me sleep which I was unable to do before due to head pressure and nausea. I still have daily headaches that range from stabbing pain to burning and throbbing. My "attacks" hit me less often but I feel slightly off balance 24/7 (if I close my eyes, it feels like I am bobbing my head). I had another hospital visit in August when I felt like my head was filling with water and I lost the feeling in my legs. It felt like I was going to faint and had to keep throwing cold water on my face to not pass out. The hospital tested my blood sugar and it was very very low which didn't make sense as I just ate. The ER doc said I may have an endocrine disorder as I don't have diabetes or a thyroid problem (I have had many blood tests).
Otherwise, I am a totally healthy 26 year old female and this has made my last year horrible as I never know when it was strike. A few times I have had to run out of stores or am trapped in my car until it passes.
No one has said its anxiety, except when I panic about an attack. I am in the most stress-free condition I have been in years so that's why it does not make sense. My dad suffers from health-stress, OCD, depression and anxiety so I don't know if I am more likely to as well.
Many days I was convinced I would drop dead from either the tumour (despite my neurologist doing physical tests on me every 2 months with no worries) or a brain aneurysm (especially when my scalp feels wet/cold/warm sensations). I also Google my symptoms (bad I know) but this site makes me feel a lot better.
Long story short, anyone experience anything similar? My doc says you can get migraines without the pain (sensations only but no aura) and this is different from my chronic headaches (they dont happen at the same time).
I made an account after reading many msg boards about brain-tumour anxiety.
The story starts four years ago when I was getting one-sided headaches everyday. My doctor made me try sinus medication, pain-killers, physical therapy, chiropractor, massage therapy, dentist, eye-doctor etc. before sending me to a neurologist. I had an MRI and nothing stood out, so they said it was tension/stress. Between then and early this year, I was fine except for a normal headache here and there.
Move now to January 2014. One night before bed, I was struck with the following symptoms:
-Dizziness/equilibrium off
-Nausea
-Rushing sensation in head and heaviness, then extreme pressure
-The feeling of hot dripping into the back of my head
-Weakness in my legs
Of course my stress skyrocketed and I had trouble breathing normally. These sensations, mixed with vertigo and one-sided headaches (same side as 4 years ago) carried on. I went to a chiro and my neck/back was fine, went and got new glasses, tried anti-vertigo medication, got told it might be an ear virus, that I had ear crystals, etc. Nothing helped. I missed a ton of work as I could not drive. I could not go into stores or malls; I would immediately feel like I was going to pass out from dizziness/head sensations/spiking body temperature. I went to the hospital where they refused to do an MRI since I had one 4 years before so they gave me fluids and sedatives.
I finally saw a neuro who got me off pain-killers (thanks rebound headaches) and diagnosed me with chronic migraines. I started on 25 mg of Elavil and am now at 100 mg per day, 8 months later. They made me sleep which I was unable to do before due to head pressure and nausea. I still have daily headaches that range from stabbing pain to burning and throbbing. My "attacks" hit me less often but I feel slightly off balance 24/7 (if I close my eyes, it feels like I am bobbing my head). I had another hospital visit in August when I felt like my head was filling with water and I lost the feeling in my legs. It felt like I was going to faint and had to keep throwing cold water on my face to not pass out. The hospital tested my blood sugar and it was very very low which didn't make sense as I just ate. The ER doc said I may have an endocrine disorder as I don't have diabetes or a thyroid problem (I have had many blood tests).
Otherwise, I am a totally healthy 26 year old female and this has made my last year horrible as I never know when it was strike. A few times I have had to run out of stores or am trapped in my car until it passes.
No one has said its anxiety, except when I panic about an attack. I am in the most stress-free condition I have been in years so that's why it does not make sense. My dad suffers from health-stress, OCD, depression and anxiety so I don't know if I am more likely to as well.
Many days I was convinced I would drop dead from either the tumour (despite my neurologist doing physical tests on me every 2 months with no worries) or a brain aneurysm (especially when my scalp feels wet/cold/warm sensations). I also Google my symptoms (bad I know) but this site makes me feel a lot better.
Long story short, anyone experience anything similar? My doc says you can get migraines without the pain (sensations only but no aura) and this is different from my chronic headaches (they dont happen at the same time).