Scared - Acoustic Neuroma - Tumour - Symptoms

[AnxietyLauren]

Morning All

I'm back on this forum after a 5 year (ish) break. I used to have extreme health anxiety after my first born that spiralled out of control but I did manage to get better – hooray!:yahoo:

The past 6 or so months, I have had a variety of symptoms that are worsening. See list below:



Feeling my heartbeat in my right ear/hearing a whooshing noise.
Corner of my mouth and cheek keeps intermittently going numb.
Throat muscles closing up intermittently.
My blood pressure drops dramatically when I stand up (tested by Drs, and apparently really uncommon for my age – 27).
Fatgue – more than ever before.


Anyway, I was at the hospital last week as was referred by my dr for the low blood pressure etc and they basically said they are checking for an acoustic neuroma and sent me straight for an MRI of the brain and ear. My anxiety has been really good lately, until I had my scan and now the dreaded health anxiety has come back.

What if it is an actual massive tumour that is secondary cancer and spread and I have two months to live etc. Sending myself into a state of panic.:wacko:

Can anybody help reassure me/been through the same thing?

Thanks very much

Lauren x

[Carys]

Hiyer Lauren,

Its hardly surprising you are feeling HA again, only this time it isn't the hypochondria type really is it - it is anxiety about true symptoms which you are getting. So, its not HA, but anxiety about your health issues. Does that make sense ? OK, look, I'll be honest I've never heard of acoustic neuroma, so I looked it up. I read multiple sources and have to say it is the word 'tumour' that is clearly freaking you hugely. However, tumour doesn't mean cancer as not all tumours are cancer, and in this case it entirely doesn't. Acoustic neuroma is actually benign, yes it causes symptoms, but it is treatable with surgery (apparently) and possibly just monitoring at first to see how slow-growing it is. So, as for this being a secondary cancer - no, its not a cancer at all. I know this will still be frightening, as nobody likes to find out that there may be something they have that needs treating but acoustic neuroma isn't life-threatening from what I've read. Sorry not to be able to share an experience which would help you, but I do hope it at least helps you to know that they suspect something benign.

[AnxietyLauren]

Hiyer Lauren,

Its hardly surprising you are feeling HA again, only this time it isn't the hypochondria type really is it - it is anxiety about true symptoms which you are getting. So, its not HA, but anxiety about your health issues. Does that make sense ? OK, look, I'll be honest I've never heard of acoustic neuroma, so I looked it up. I read multiple sources and have to say it is the word 'tumour' that is clearly freaking you hugely. However, tumour doesn't mean cancer as not all tumours are cancer, and in this case it entirely doesn't. Acoustic neuroma is actually benign, yes it causes symptoms, but it is treatable with surgery (apparently) and possibly just monitoring at first to see how slow-growing it is. So, as for this being a secondary cancer - no, its not a cancer at all. I know this will still be frightening, as nobody likes to find out that there may be something they have that needs treating but acoustic neuroma isn't life-threatening from what I've read. Sorry not to be able to share an experience which would help you, but I do hope it at least helps you to know that they suspect something benign.

Hi Carys.

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond to me.

You are totally correct. The health issues have caused my anxiety to get worse I think.

I got my results yesterday and my MRI was all clear which is great news so think they are going to just do some other tests to see what could be causing all of this but I do feel a bit better now thankfully.

Lauren x