BrainTumour/Epilepsy

[lele19]

I'm seriously terrified.

In June 2016 I had a strange episode where I was washing up and then it was like my brain fell asleep - I didn't fall down, but I remember nothing until a few moments later. My partner was trying to speak to me during this time and couldn't rouse me. I then came to and felt very detached. This happened again on Sep 3rd 2016 and this week it has happened 3 times. Yesterday it happened when I was on a bus, I looked at my phone and the next thing I know I've zoned out completely, missed my bus stop and remember nothing that happened in the last few minutes. When I come to I feel very confused and disorientated for at least 10 - 15 minutes.

This morning I went to see my GP who is that concerned that she has emailed my information across to the neurologists at the hospital.

I'm terrified I have a brain tumour and what I'm having are 'absence seizures' as I genuinely have no memory of what happened for a least a minute or two. My depersonalisation and derealisation has been absolutely dreadful since this first happened in June and I am so so scared this is due to a problem with my brain and not my anxiety.


- I had an MRI brain scan on Sep 11 last year. So 13 months ago - this was for unrelated concerns, and it was clear.
- I had an eye test after the first strange seizure type episode in June of this year and it was clear.

[Gary A]

I'm seriously terrified.

In June 2016 I had a strange episode where I was washing up and then it was like my brain fell asleep - I didn't fall down, but I remember nothing until a few moments later. My partner was trying to speak to me during this time and couldn't rouse me. I then came to and felt very detached. This happened again on Sep 3rd 2016 and this week it has happened 3 times. Yesterday it happened when I was on a bus, I looked at my phone and the next thing I know I've zoned out completely, missed my bus stop and remember nothing that happened in the last few minutes. When I come to I feel very confused and disorientated for at least 10 - 15 minutes.

This morning I went to see my GP who is that concerned that she has emailed my information across to the neurologists at the hospital.

I'm terrified I have a brain tumour and what I'm having are 'absence seizures' as I genuinely have no memory of what happened for a least a minute or two. My depersonalisation and derealisation has been absolutely dreadful since this first happened in June and I am so so scared this is due to a problem with my brain and not my anxiety.


- I had an MRI brain scan on Sep 11 last year. So 13 months ago - this was for unrelated concerns, and it was clear.
- I had an eye test after the first strange seizure type episode in June of this year and it was clear.

It's unlikely to be anything sinister given the relatively recent MRI. To be perfectly honest these do sound like absence seizures, but it's important to note that episodes of derealisation are not that uncommon with prolonged and intense episodes of anxiety.

Seizures don't tend to last that long, they tend to be 2-3 minutes at most. It's probably best to be evaluated by a neurologist through. Epilepsy is almost always diagnosed as the actual problem, rather than being a symptom of an underlying problem. This can be treated quite easily if it is the problem.

My mother has epilepsy. At age 40 she suddenly started having grand mal seizures, completely out of the blue. She was evaluated and there was no obvious cause. She just had epilepsy. She's been seizure free for well over ten years since starting treatment and lives a perfectly normal life.

[lele19]

I'm really at a loss - to have gaps in my memory which confuse and panic me completely, and then to be told I may have a tumor in my head has just floored me.

[Mercime]

Who told you that you might have a brain tumour?

[lele19]

GP said it's a possibility with these symptoms and she needs to rule it out

[Mercime]

Did you ask her if it was a possibility that you might have a brain tumour because of your symptoms?

[Imasnamkcih]

This happened to my mum. She has 2 absence seizures then a couple of weeks later she has a seizure overnight and had tests done which all came back clear. She then had another 3 fits in her sleep and they have now diagnosed her with epilepsy. Shes fine and takes medication with no issues since.