waiting on MRI results but no symptoms

[tlm23]

Hi everyone -- happy to have found this community. I've been in a tough situation these last few months and am hoping for your words of advice or encouragement.

A few months ago, I went to an optician because I was noticing some strain on my eyes when I use the computer. While there, she felt that my optic discs were a little blurry on her photographs, so she sent me to an ophthalmologist. He took more photographs and did an ultrasound on my eyes, and said my optic nerves are raised. He wanted me to have an MRI to rule out that any swelling in the brain (which, in my anxiety I translated to BRAIN TUMOUR of course). I've had my MRI now and am anxiously waiting on results, sick with worry.

The worst part of all of this is that I have hardly any symptoms. I've had some small headaches in the afternoon on and off, but as a PhD student who works on the computer all day, it doesn't seem out of the ordinary. I also had some tinnitus in one ear during hayfever season, but that's been gone for weeks. I feel like I'm being pushed through the hospital system and put through months of anxiety when I don't even feel like anything is wrong. Has anyone had any similar experiences?

[white1989]

Hi there,

Noticed your post and just wanted to share a similar experience which will hopefully reassure you!

Earlier this year I had to be taken into hospital for a brain mri scan as I was having prolonged severe headaches. like you, I obviously feared the worst and convinced myself I had a brain tumour. until I spoke to the specialist, I was actually unaware that a brain tumour very rarely presents itself with just a headache. the doctor told me that the headaches usually wouldn't start until the disease was very advanced, and the patient would have suffered a host of other symptoms that they would probably have seen a doctor about well before they started getting headaches. he told me that brain tumours sometimes present themselves with things like weakness in the legs and arms and balance problems, e.g falling over frequently and banging into things, and dropping things easily (although those symptoms can relate to various conditions and DEFINITELY aren't a sure-fire symptom of brain cancer), and I see that you haven't noted anything like that in your post. the fact that you say you haven't really had any noticeable symptoms is incredibly reassuring in itself. The fact that you work in front of a computer a lot is a much more likely cause to your headaches.

I really hope everything works out ok for you and your results are fine, and by the sounds of things I think you have very little to worry about! having been through a similar situation I totally sympathise with you and know how harrowing that period of waiting is!

I hope that helps a little, good luck and fingers crossed everything will be fine xx

[countrygirl]

The waiting is the absolute worst but your opthalmologist was right to send you for the brain scan as then you can totally be reassured you do not have a brain tumour. A brain tumour is just one reason for swelling of the optic nerve but obviously its the one they really need to know about!

I have two close friends dealing with brain tumours at the moment so its a bit close to my heart at present.

Let us know your result and remember there is more chance of it being perfectly normal result than not.