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SFAOK
06-06-05, 18:41
Hi there.

I've been suffering from some major anxiety lately following a fight with testicular cancer. Being 24 this came as a huge shock to me, as being my age we tend to think we are invicible or something.

Anyhow, I've pretty much had every symptom going. My biggest worry was a brain tumor. The cancer was caught and compeltely confined to the testicle, with all scans and tests coming back negative. I was given the all clear last week and put on a surveillence program, just in case.

But as I had some terrible symptoms (almost certainly anxiety related), it just sent me deeper and deeper into a spiral of self destruction.

Then I got a headache. Brain tumor. My logical brain kept saying - it was confined to the testicle. Even very advanced cases of this cancer rearly reach the brain! But oh no, the anxiety wouldn't agree to that sort of logic!

The symptoms that CONVINCED me I had a brain tumor include:


Week long headaches.First bout lasted for a week. Subsided after going to my doctor (tension headaches). Came back a week later when results were due. Milder but still present sometimes.

Dizzyness
DepersonalisationThe worst one. Horrible horrible thing.

Flashes of light when eyes are closed
Vision going blurry. Blinking solves it.
Heightened Flurescent light awareness
Couldn't walk straight. Drifted to the left all the time
Arm and Leg went all weak. On the SAME side. Subsided after a few days. The cancer specialist gave me a neurological exam and said there was no sign of anything wrong. Gave me Diazepam.

Hearing things in my head when almost asleep
Horrible gunshot type sound the moment I drift off to sleep.Happened twice. The worst symptom ever.


Now thanks to this wonderfull website, I now see the error of my ways. All of these symptoms can be explained by anxiety. Pitty I let myself get into such a mess. But alas, I'm getting better now (might just be the Valium [:P]).

And now we get to the point of this post! :D

Sometimes (once every two days or so), my vision will darken for a split second before returning to normal. Just like what happens in a house during a electricity drain from a shower being turned on or a storm outside. Now due to my anxiety I am hyper-aware of everything (a bird flying into the corner of my vision can give me a horrible shock sometimes), so I've attributed this vision darkening to me just being more aware of these type of electrical shorts.

But today I was watching TV with the lights off, but with enough light shining through the curtain so that I could see everything. And BAM! My vision darkened for a fraction of a second before returning to normal.

This is the only symptom I can't explain! Iits pretty much the last line of defence this horrible health anxiety trap I've found myself in has before I can kick the damn thing to the curb!

I would be very grateful for any help!
SFA.

EDIT : The only explination I can think of (if its not an anxiety symptom), is that perhaps a seagull or some other big bird flew past the window behind me, darkening the room for a second. Or perhaps I'm just going nuts! [:P]

nomorepanic
06-06-05, 19:32
Hi and welcome aboard the forum.

Sorry to hear about the cancer but I am so pleased that it is all sorted now and you are recovering well.

I have not personally had that problem with your eyes like you describe it but others may have.

I assume you have had your eyes tested and they are all ok?

Nicola

"Nearly all happiness comes into our lives through doors we don't even remember leaving open"

SFAOK
06-06-05, 20:10
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">I assume you have had your eyes tested and they are all ok?
<div align="right">Originally posted by nomorepanic - 06 June 2005 : 19:32:43</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">

Hi there! Well, I had an eye test 6 months ago from the optician (routine contact lense checkup). When I first went to the doctor (about a month ago) after having a 'headband' headache for a week he had a look in my eyes and said there was no sign of any pressure.

When I told my specialist about the further symptoms above, he gave me a full neurological exam (including shining light into my eyes like the other doc did, only more thoroughly). Everything was normal. He said he didn't think that there was a need for any further tests (scans etc), the primary reason being that my headaches dissapeared for more than a week after the first visit to the doctor. He then went on to say that the symptoms I was having wasn't the thing concerning him, but the anxiety. Hence why he prescribed diazepam and gave me the option to see a psychologist or psychiatrist! [:P] (Which I declined for the time being).

nomorepanic
06-06-05, 20:37
Oh well that is good then that they have given you the all clear in that area.

Anxiety does cause some very weird symptoms believe me!!

It may be worth seeing the psychologist - knock this on the head before it gets too bad. Just a thought.

Nicola

"Nearly all happiness comes into our lives through doors we don't even remember leaving open"

SFAOK
06-06-05, 20:59
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">It may be worth seeing the psychologist - knock this on the head before it gets too bad. Just a thought.
<div align="right">Originally posted by nomorepanic - 06 June 2005 : 20:37:57</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
I decided to wait till my next visit to the specialist (3 weeks time) before deciding if I need to see a psychologist or not (he agreed). Since I've accepted that my symptoms are almost certainly completely anxiety related, they've subsided. For example, the depersonalisation frequency and strength has reduced greatly in the last week, as have the headaches.

nomorepanic
06-06-05, 21:00
I am pleased to hear that you have accepted the symptoms are anxiety related so I guess it is just this sight thing that worries you yes?


Nicola

"Nearly all happiness comes into our lives through doors we don't even remember leaving open"

SFAOK
06-06-05, 21:18
<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">I am pleased to hear that you have accepted the symptoms are anxiety related so I guess it is just this sight thing that worries you yes?
<div align="right">Originally posted by nomorepanic - 06 June 2005 : 21:00:36</div id="right">
</td id="quote"></tr id="quote"></table id="quote">
Yes pretty much. Most of them I can attribute to surges in electricity supply, as my friends and family have confirmed that they saw the same thing. There's just a few occasions (always indoors mind you) where I have no logical explination.

One of which happened today (see above), the other two have been when I'm really tired, so perhaps they were just me blinking and missinterpreting them due to my heightened sense of awareness. Or perhaps I'm just cluching at straws!

Meg
06-06-05, 22:15
[quote]The symptoms that CONVINCED me I had a brain tumor include:


Week long headaches.First bout lasted for a week. Subsided after going to my doctor (tension headaches). Came back a week later when results were due. Milder but still present sometimes.

Dizzyness
DepersonalisationThe worst one. Horrible horrible thing.

Flashes of light when eyes are closed
Vision going blurry. Blinking solves it.
Heightened Flurescent light awareness
Couldn't walk straight. Drifted to the left all the time
Arm and Leg went all weak. On the SAME side. Subsided after a few days. The cancer specialist gave me a neurological exam and said there was no sign of anything wrong. Gave me Diazepam.

Hearing things in my head when almost asleep
Horrible gunshot type sound the moment I drift off to sleep.Happened twice. The worst symptom ever.


Ok lets see what we can find that may help continue to reassure you..

Dizziness
Spaciness (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2696)
Light Headed (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2951)
dizzyness (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3062)
Jules31 (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=310)
Light Headed (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2951)
Very dizzy (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3743)
help :( (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3742)

DP
D/Personalisation (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2304)
derealisation/depersonlisation (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2512)
Hi new member mom w/ panic and dp/dr (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1239)
Disassociation (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2732)
http://www.depersonalization.info/main.html
when will this feeling leave? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2971)

Light/ vision
Visual Disturbances (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2128)
eye trouble with a difference (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3069)
I am so glad I found this forum (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3513)
FLOATERS (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2211)
problems with light (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2390)
HIGH CEILINGS AND FLOURESCENT LIGHTS?? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3088)

Unsteady
Numbness in arm (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2671)
walking funny, head rushes and dizziness (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3610)
walking funny, head rushes and dizziness (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3610)

Head zaps
Head Shocks! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2754)
Weird Head sensations and Panic (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3547)

sound
Is there a woodpecker in my ear? (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1454)
Buzzing sound in right ear (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3635)


Hope these continue to reassure you

You've done really well with the cancer, now to recover from this anxiety too..









Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Watch your thoughts, they become your words...
Watch your words, they become your actions... Watch your actions, they become your habits... Watch your habits, they become your character... Watch your character, it becomes your destiny...