If you've ever been scared of a Brain Tumour, I've a couple questions!

[Mrschurchill]

Firstly, I don't want this to be a trigger post for anyone and I hope it's not going to scare anyone!

Basically the past week has been pretty intense for me, I've had a pretty constant headache which differs in feeling (sometimes it's facial pain like sinuses, sometimes it's vice like, sometimes it's icepicks, sometimes it's just behind my eyes) but it's pretty much always been there for a week!

I'm not one for suffering headaches and normally I have a couple of painkillers and it's gone... but not this time. Maybe I'm fixating on it, maybe I'm becoming so tense that it's making it a million times worse in my head (literally).

I'm scared and as noted in previous posts I'm a huge cancer fearer. Brain tumours are terrifying and I want to dismiss it but it's just 'there'.

So if you've had 'the fear', how long did your symptoms last? Did you go to the doctors? Did anything help? (Yoga etc) Have you gotten over the fear and moved onto something else? I'm asking so I can rationalise!

Sorry for the rant and the long post and thanks for reading!

[judipat]

Hello - I posted this on another thread the other day, so have copied and pasted it
Just thought I'd throw my two pennies in!
I've suffered with healthanxiety/panic/depression for over 30 years now. When it first started in my 20's, I was hospitalised for over 4 weeks. I've had some good years in between, but sometimes it rears its ugly head again - I guess I understand it more now and can control it to some extent.
Anyway, I have suffered headaches/migraines all that time - from mild, to excrutiating. About 6 years ago, just before I finished work (was in quite a state!) I had the most awful pains in my head - I had an attack at the doctors - he was so worried (I could'nt talk, speak or move) he rushed made to hospital where they thought I was heamoraging. I was projectile vommitting everywhere! They did every test known to man. To cut a long story short, I was having "crash migraines" I now have to carry special tablets everywhere I go - not nice!.
If you are having to feeling theres something pressing down on your head, or, your head feels like its in a vice - they are typical anxiety heads. Pain on one side of your head is a migraine. Then there are cluster headaches - very painful.
My advice would be, get to know your headches, dont let them scare you, and take painkillers. Also, make sure you drink a lot of water as dehydradation will give you a bad headache.
My headaches were the start of my anxiety, I was convinced I had had brain tumor - very common. I even went to a neurologist, I was that convinced.
Even though you say you dont normally suffer headaches, they are one of the most common symptoms of anxiety and you need to understand and accept that that is was it is (I know its difficult!)dd
Hope this helps a bit - take care x

[Mrschurchill]

Thank you Judipat. It's so frightening and deep down the raional part of me is saying it can't possibly be a tumour but I can't quite seem to push the 'what if' away. It doesn't help I sit at a desk and worry all day! Can feel myself tensing even now!

[Vigilante]

I'm a brain Tumour fear mess too and have been for 2.5 years, after I started getting headaches, they were like yours around sinus areas/facial pain that lasted 12 weeks from the first feeling of having it, then I randomly got other types like crushing feeling/pressure, sore scalp, sore traps. Im pretty much headache free now as it happens just have other "neuro" type symptoms

The headaches would be classified as tension type, co-codamol was the only painkiller that worked on myself.

[Mrschurchill]

Did you ever get the feeling like you wanted to stretch your face! I sit and open my mouth really wide to releive pressure around my jaw etc! My nose tingles to sometimes! I get a sore scalp, sore enough that even brushing my hair hurts!

[Vigilante]

The stretching of face no, but the sore scalp was exactly like that hurt to touch and it tingled too, its basically all the muscles tensed up all the time.

[judipat]

The tension in your jaw is because you are clenching your teeth/jaw (probably subconciously) which will give you TMJ symptoms (I have them all the time - i do it in my sleep). It is all the muscles in your shoulders, neck and head - Try and be aware of this and relax all these muscles, shoulders down and bottom jaw loose.

[RedXIII]

I don't know what was causing all my symptoms but they matched yours perfectly plus some...

Then I noticed red dots all over my skin and the pains in my head, dizziness, wierd feelings, twitches, numbness... all gone.

I had moved on to liver disease or leukemia.

[JMchugh]

Hi I'm the exact same I've been getting headaches that will be at the back of the head (like a dull ache) but might then get one in the top of my head or forehead! It has me completely freaked out I'm convinced I have a brain tumor and all the nausea and vomiting is related to it �� anxiety is the worst ������

[Steve1964]

My headaches are usually at the back of my head, my face will go numb, and sometimes I will get a sharp, mercifully short, stabbing pain in the front of my head.

These are my main anxiety symptoms now, and I worry like anything it is something sinister. I know it isn't, but it doesn't help the worry.

I do not have the nausea and vomiting, thankfully. I will know when I am better, because these blasted headaches will stop.

Keep telling yourself that this is merely the physical result of your anxiety.