Brain tumour fear - please help

[EmmaF]

I am 29 years old and this current flares of HA started a month ago when I started getting very mild headaches which I never usually get. I started worrying and stupidly looked on google and convinced myself I have a brain tumour. Since then I’ve had a whole host of other symptoms: headaches still mild but still there, body twitches in different areas, my arm/hands go numb and tingly sometimes but the symptom that is worrying me most is about a week ago I started hiccuping just the one hiccup every half an hour or so. More pronounced after eating but occurs throughout the day too. I’ve also just had to have my ears irrigated as they were completely blocked with wax.
I have absolutely convinced myself I have a brain tumour and I spend all day every day worrying about it. Whenever I wake up at night I hiccup once and then go back to sleep so now I’m even more convinced there is something majorly wrong with me.
I had an opticians appointment back in March and all was ok. These symptoms started at the end of May.
I’ve been to see 2 different GPS and both said anxiety but how on earth are hiccups brought on by anxiety?! I have another appointment booked for Wednesday.
Can anyone offer some kind words or advice? I have a 2 year old and I just want to cry when I look at her at the moment it’s compeltely taken over my life :(

[RadioGaGa]

EmmaF,

Our stories are very familiar - my brain tumour fear started *SIX YEARS AGO* (and has been relatively constant since). I started off with vague, tension-like headaches. Began to read about BT and then became more and more convinced. I'm always worried I have a BT, but I don't think I do, if that makes sense? :winks:

Nothing you've said sounds anything like a BT, and especially if you've been seen by your doctor, I'd rest assured.

Believe me on this: Anxiety exacerbates and creates "symptoms". I didn't believe that when I was in my teens, but now I most certainly do.

With regards the hiccups: I am a person prone to hiccups, and in my case, we believe GORD (heartburn) is what's causing it. Have you had any heartburn symptoms?

[EmmaF]

RadioGaga - thank you for your reassurance. Sorry to hear you’ve been struggling with this for 6 years now. It’s really awful isn’t it?

I have a brain tumour (or MS) so engrained in my head now I feel like the only way I’m going to calm down is if I have a scan. It’s totally taken over my life.

Re the hiccups - I have had heartburn on occasions but not frequent and not really severe, since this anxiety flare started but I don’t have any other symptoms of that, only these singular hiccups every half an hour or so.

If they were hiccups relating to a tumour would they be continual like every 5 seconds? That’s what I keep telling myself but I’m not sure if it’s true or not.

[RadioGaGa]

Hello again

It is a terrible affliction (health anxiety and, of course, brain tumours!). I'm so familiar with the condition now, I'm constantly worried I'm about to have a partial seizure. For example, if I walk into a room, I panic I'm getting jamais vu (the opposite of deja vu), but I realise I'm not, its just anxiety causing it. I could go on for days about what "symptoms" I've literally imagined.

I see what you mean about the scan - you could look into it. I believe (this is a ballpark figure) that a private MRI is around £250. HOWEVER, many people who get a scan for BT will settle and calm down for a few months (at best) before worrying the scan missed something/a tumour has grown since then. Yes, by all means get referred for/go privately for a scan, but remember any reassurance it provides will probably be temporary.

And yes, the hiccups when caused by a brain tumour are constant. This a very rare presentation of a BT, but there was a case report where a male had hiccups *continually* for 48 hours. They were at intervals of 2-3 seconds!!

[fma11122345]

I to and scared of a bt for the past 8 months of my life. It started out with vision getting worse back in October (was a HA suffer prior tho) and then I started to get headaches and dizziness on and of for a while. This lasted a few weeks and went away, I've had attacks here and there the last few months 2 vertigo attacks back in April along with the return of the dizziness in march and in the end of June my eye started to twich and now has spread all over my body. And for the past few days I've had a bit of eye pain which scares the hell out of me along with sharp temple pains that are about 3 seconds long. I have a eye appointment this week so maybe I can feel better after they tell me no ICP and it's just my anxiety. Thanks for hearing me out.

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[GiantMogwai]

Eye appointment is a good idea. Good luck!

[EmmaF]

GiantMogwai - could a brain tumour come on since March when I had my last check up?
I will call for another tomorrow I think. I have another GP appointment on Wednesday.

[GiantMogwai]

I have someone I know who is known for her hiccups. They do it so often but are OK. I get hiccups if I eat or drink too quickly. Sometimes I do this more when I have anxiety. Sometimes changing seating position can trigger a round of hiccups. You don't hiccup literally the whole day do you?

[EmmaF]

GiantMogwai - right now I am hiccuping once every 30 minutes or so throughout the day, then when I wake up during the night (my 2yo still wakes up twice) I hiccup once upon waking and go back to sleep.

[GiantMogwai]

Neither of the sites I check for symptoms list hiccups as a symptom. Be careful which web sites you use or you will get unnecessarily freaked out. As a rule for physical health I will only ever check NHS web site or Mayo Clinic.

Many years ago I looked up my symptoms and was convinced I had something everyone was talking about then realised I was on site for female menopause. I am male.

Someone I know burps every evening before she falls asleep. Weird hey but ok.

---------- Post added at 16:37 ---------- Previous post was at 16:33 ----------

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hiccups/#when-to-get-medical-help

[EmmaF]

I think I saw it listed on cancer research uk under brain tumour symptoms :(

[fma11122345]

Its is, but it would have to be continuous. Not here and there :)

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[GiantMogwai]

Yes you are right but there are a whole lot of other symptoms too.

[Fishmanpa]

Cancer is in uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It doesn't come and go nor does it stop once it starts.

Positive thoughts

[GiantMogwai]

Without many of the other symptoms try not to worry.

[EmmaF]

Thanks all - this is the thing though I feel like I have a lot of the symptoms, headaches, body twitching, hiccups, feeling of tingling and numbness in arms, clumsiness. The symptoms all started after googling on a load of websites but still I can’t be sure if they are caused by worrying or they are real.

I appreciate everyone trying to help calm me down though, it has worked a little :)

[GiantMogwai]

Emma - tell your doctor and ask them to send you for scan. However if it helps, I can definitely tell you I once had all these symptoms together and it wasn't a brain tumour. It was a mixture of things including anxiety, and anxiety is just as real.

[Fishmanpa]

The symptoms all started after googling on a load of websites but still I can’t be sure if they are caused by worrying or they are real.


Read the above a few times. That and the fact you're posting in an anxiety website. What is it you're sure of again? :winks:

Positive thoughts