Having a terrible day

[cattia]

I'll keep this brief. I've had one sided headaches almost every day since June. I have a tender spot on my forehead that is tender to touch, pain from the back of my head to behind my eye all on one side. I've avoided mentioning it to the doctor because I'm actually terrified I have a brain tumour and I'm scared of getting a diagnosis which is obviously ridiculous because if I've got one I have to find out. My husband has lost it with me and said I need to go to the doctor straight away because he's sick of me going on about it. It's made me so anxious because he's said all along he thought it was nothing serious now he's saying I should book an emergency appointment. I'm absolutely terrified of doing this because I've been putting up with this since June and I'm worried I've left it too long.

ETA I have been in therapy a year now and been doing way better but this has set me back. Most symptoms go away when I don't rush to the Dr but this has persisted for four months now.

[Carys]

You know, sometimes (and I've had this myself) our partners and loved ones get fed up - they don't know what else to say, they've run the course, they are frustrated with the 'brick wall' that is HA. They reassure and reassure, and eventually get so frustrated that they say 'go to the doctor/see a consultant'. It doesn't mean they believe there is anything wrong, at all, but what else can they say to stop you worrying, as you said yourself 'hes sick of you going on about it'. He hopes that a doctor will take this mantle on and sort you out. Imagine being on their side - where day after day they try and reassure and it gets nowhere, so they try a different approach. I know this is painful and tough for you too, but we all should remember the pressure it puts on partners having to deal with HA.

So, to be honest with you, why not go and mention it to the doctor? (It sounds very much to me like a tension headache, which years ago I also had for months exactly as you describe, on one side, behind the eye and at the point of the temple. The tension of muscles in that area can be referred all over the head)

[Worriedwellornot]

Hi Cat
Sorry you are having a bad day. I’m struggling as well at the moment after having a few ‘Health Anxiety ‘ free months over the summer. I’m worried about the BT fear as well after weeks of headaches and dizzy spells. I went to my GP and she has referred me for an urgent MRI to rule out anything sinister. Of course I’ve spent the whole of the holiday worrying. You and I have similar personalities and I know my husband is fed up with me catastrophising. Happy to PM to support xx

[jojo2316]

Sorry you are having a hard time at the moment Cattia. It’s not a brain tumour - you know that your symptoms would not have remained stable since June if it was. But for some reason you have had a set back and that does need to be addressed. Are you still in therapy?
Hope you feel better soon!
Jojo xx

---------- Post added at 13:33 ---------- Previous post was at 13:32 ----------

Ps. The pain you describe sounds like occipital tension. I’ve had the same thing - that also lasted months....

[pulisa]

The sternocleidomastoid muscle can cause this pain, cattia. A physiotherapist or osteopath could help you with this but get the all clear from the GP first because you sound really distressed and anxious xx

[cattia]

Thank you everyone and sorry for offloading like this. I know muscle tension is the most likely cause but somehow I'm jumping to the worst case scenario with this, probably because I've had it so long, mostly without freaking out too much and it hasn't gone away. I have a routine Dr appointment at the end of November as I'm seeing my Dr every six weeks now to manage my anxiety. I don't know whether to leave it until then or not. I am definitely up for seeing an osteopath or chiropractor but I know I should see the GP first. Jojo, I'm still in therapy and it's helped a lot but definitely I'm struggling these past couple of weeks. I am not seeing my therapist for a couple of weeks now as I have my slot on a Thursday and I have a couple of weeks coming up with stuff on at work which means I can't go.
Worriedwellornot, I was thinking about you recently and I'm sorry to hear you've had a setback too. I will PM you fir a chat.

[zippy]

I am going through a similar thing now. Headache every day on the left, left temple, around left eye etc. I went to the opticians and told them i feared BT and everything was fine. I thought it would reassure me but NO it hasnt. I seen my gp who looked at my eyes and said i will send you for an mri. I said i will worry now and she dont because im not ��. Everyone keeps saying if it was a BT the eye test would have picked something up.

[jray23]

Could be a type of migraine too. A lot of benign possibilities besides a tumor.

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[axolotl]

Health anxiety is such a difficult thing to be around. I got so horribly self-absorbed by mine, and our loved ones are saints. It's no wonder they snap at times. I read your husband's response as exasperation that he can't do anything and a doctor may "talk some sense" into you. If he genuinely was worried about a serious physical ailment he'd have packed you off ages ago.

Hopefully if you do see a doctor you talk about the health anxiety and how it's affecting your life. Good luck.

[cattia]

Thank you.I think my husband finds it impossible to understand my anxiety, plus he has issues of his own which makes him less patient than he might be. I have focused a lot on my anxiety when seeing my doctor over the past twelve months and now I'm worried that I've dismissed a real physical problem in an attempt to manage my anxiety! I wish I'd said something about it at the beginning of the summer when it stated. I don't have ut all the time but it does come on most days.

[Carys]

HI again Cattia,


I have a theory, that if someone actually has something they can't explain (health wise), that really is concerning, they just somehow know inside and tell their doctor. I've had something majorly wrong in the past, and although I've had HA in my distant past, this thing 'deep down in my gut' didn't feel like anxiety, and it wasn't.

There are many many posts on here, the vast and huge majority that say 'do I have' 'could I have', and my personal feeling is that if you doubting and wondering and not mentioning to a doctor, and instead asking on a forum, then it's probably something you aren't convinced of yourself in reality. I don't know if this is making sense, I hope so. Something that 'comes and goes' and isn't constant, that you haven't mentioned to a doctor, to mind mind means that you are probably deep down wondering if it is your anxiety causing it.

Why not just GO and mention it, finally once and for all. He/she will do a few basic tests, look in your eyes, have a squish about in various places and appease your fears (if you do finally leave it at that !:winks:) Yes, there are people who leave things, and don't react to symptoms, and it is found to be something.....but I bet that's people who don't have HA, as those people are hyper aware of anything being really wrong.

[Fishmanpa]

I don't have ut all the time but it does come on most days.

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


There are many many posts on here, the vast and huge majority that say 'do I have' 'could I have', and my personal feeling is that if you doubting and wondering and not mentioning to a doctor, and instead asking on a forum, then it's probably something you aren't convinced of yourself in reality.

Spot on. It's a combination of their HA and Dr. Google as well as a desperate need for reassurance.

Positive thoughts