Brain tumour fear - numb face, tingling hands

[WorriedOlive]

Hello,

Just looking for some reassurance/experiences with some symptoms I am experiencing. It’s probably worth me mentioning I have a past of pretty bad health anxiety with a tendency to really fixate on symptoms etc. this has recently become worse after the birth of my daughter 5 months ago as I have a real fear of dying and leaving her behind when she needs me.

The symptoms I am experiencing are:

A weird numbness in my face, mainly on the left cheekbone. I’m not sure if numbness is the correct word as it has full feeling when I touch it but it feels tight and heavy like it’s drooping but it’s not. I keep needing to moisturising my face as it feels like my skin is tight. I had this initially during my third trimester 6 months ago and it disappeared after the birth so I chalked it up to pregnancy but it has now returned and I have had it for 5 days.

Jaw and head pressure/numbness. My jaw feels tight and it’s causing a pressure feeling around the base of my skull. I feel like I can’t relax my jaw.

Last night for the first time I woke up around 5 times with a dead arm/pins and needles in the arm of the side I’m laying on. It went away within a few seconds of moving my hand/arm. If this was a serious cause would it only happen in sleep/disappear with movement? This was the cherry on the cake that’s made me go into a panic that this is all caused by a brain tumour.

I have a constant feeling of anxiety, terrible posture and a stiff neck/shoulders. I went to an osteopath a few days ago and it hasn’t helped.

I could really do with some help rationalising this as I’m feeling really fearful.

[Kitkat99]

The dead arm is completely normal in my opinion. I wake up often with dead arms or legs.

The rest of it sounds like TMJ which can be caused by stress. I clench my teeth and probably suffer from it and get symptoms like this.

[ErinKC]

I could have written this myself when I was 5 months postpartum (now 9 years ago!). I experienced horrible postpartum anxiety and mine really got worse in the 5-7 month range. Keep in mind that your hormones are still in flux. It's why a lot of postpartum hair loss doesn't happen for about 6 months. Your body went through A LOT.

After my daughter was born my anxiety had the exact same origin. I was petrified of dying and leaving her behind. I think this is a very normal source of postpartum anxiety.

I had tons of symptoms like yours with the weird numbness and tingling, etc... Your body, especially hips and back, just held a human, birthed that human, and are now getting themselves back into place while at the time same you're under tons of physical and mental stress from lack of sleep, new responsibilities, etc...

I think I always had a bit of TMJ, but I only started getting migraines after my daughter was born and I've always wondered if it was a product of just all the hormonal changes. When you're pregnant your body produces a hormone that relaxes your joints so it can accommodate the baby. But, I'm sure it doesn't discriminate and I wouldn't be surprised if it can affect the jaw as well. Not to mention just clenching your jaw because of stress!

In short, you are going through all the normal things people experience postpartum, but your anxiety is making everything worse. I waited almost a year to start seeing a therapist after having my daughter and I wish I'd gone sooner so I could have enjoyed that time more!

[Angiee74]

I had something similar. Especially after having a baby, your anxiety is crazy I remember I managed to convince myself. I had a brain tumor as well when my baby boy was only a month old out of fear that I would leave him. He is now almost 9 years old. I was so convinced I was seeing spots I was having numbness I was having floaters headaches weird smells, everything brain tumor related weakness. I went to the hospital. I was so scared to do a scan literally took me an hour to get into that tube for a CT then was told everything was OK. Relief of my life.


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