And the Brain tumor anxiety returns....

[Andromeda]

okay symptoms;

constant head pains / INTENSE HEAD pressure 24/7 that i get no relief from . over the past few weeks when i've been waking up it's been getting worse .
My eyes have gone completely out of whack , they don't adjust properly when it's really bright out ! double vision / blurred vision / spots in vision / dizzyness so bad sometimes i have to hold on to things when moving about .
Moments where i feel really nauseous out of the blue .
constant feelings of unreality , don't recognise myself in the mirror anymore , feel completely detached from everything and all emotions .
my walking has gone all funny now - when i try to walk in a straight line my left foot goes to the side .

- so pretty much every symptom of having a brain tumor , but i'm wondering if my anxiety is making these symptoms up - like the walking thing for example , am i over-thinking the symptom and as a result making my body recreate the symptom ?!?!?

either way i'm pretty much convinced i have a brain tumor .
every time i've been to my GP / or any of the doctors/nurses i've seen on my many trips to a&e , i tell them all this , and they just brush me off - anxiety !!!!

what to i have to do , in floods of tears BEG my doctor to send me for a scan ? because telling him i'm scared of a brain tumor hasn't done anything .

as soon as i say "i suffer from anxiety" any symptom after that immediately gets brushed off , i understand that all of this is more than likely my anxiety , but isn't it better to be safer than sorry ?

i feel so frustrated , everyone keeps saying 'it's not a brain tumor' but it might be . i haven't had a scan so they don't know!!!
i think my family are sick to death of constantly having to reassure me , and i'm sick to death of constantly asking them if i'm okay .

and then if i do have a scan , my anxiety will probably just move to another part of the body and i'll have a new thing to worry about :weep::weep:

i'm on the waiting list for counseling at the moment so until then i guess i'm just going to have to suffer !
One of the nurses in A&E told me about anxietyuk and how you can get CBT with them within 2 weeks - but there's a membership fee and i'm literally a penniless student right now - i can't ask my parents for anymore money as i already feel like a cling on and a moocher thanks to my constant anxiety .

eurgh , trapped .

[gypsywomen]

could your prents help to get you scan privete ,your docter must have checked all your vital signs bp etc,were they ok ..if i was you may be suffering from migrane whitch can cause a lot of your symtoms..hang in there,,

[Anonybrit]

Could I ask your age OP? If you are under 50 the chances of you having a brain tumour are absolutely insignificant. They are there but the other causes of all your symptoms are vastly more probable. Remember, a malignant growth in the brain isn't even the most common form of brain lesion, let alone most common cause of your symptoms.

That said, if you want confirmation then you need to condense all your worries into those which most convince you that you have a brain tumour.

Morning headaches
Nausea
Double vision & visual disturbances
Mood changes
Difficulty walking

Whilst it is very easy for a hypochondriac to worry themselves to the extent that they perceive, or actually experience, these symptoms, those are also signs that a doctor will have to follow up with tests.

So if you want the test to put your mind at ease, condense all your worries into a list of symptoms, answer any questions the doctor has, and ask him if it would be possible to arrange tests.

And for the sake of your own anxiety, keep it all in perspective, remember that it is not a coincidence that hypochondriacs fixate on just a few specific conditions - brain tumours are classic concerns among people with health anxieties because being a neurological condition, the anxiety itself can replicate almost every symptom.

Good luck!

[Typer]

I understand. Its taken me nine months to get a 24 hour monitor. Surly its cheaper for the NHS to give you a scan that for you to turn up at the docs often or A and E. Even if its to reassure you. I agree, list your symptoms as above and insist on being referred to a neurologist, if only to put your mind at ease

[SarahN]

Hi Andromeda,

I am identical to you. I have all the same symptoms. I wake every day with a headache, severe dizziness and terrible vision. I have had this on and off for 3 years now. It all started after a very stressful period in my life. My doctor told me I was suffering from migraine but I just wasn't convinced. I used to suffer migrane many years ago and this time it felt so different. I tried different migraine medication but nothing helped. I went back to my doctor and demanded I be refered to a neurologist. Luckily my husband has private healthcare through his work otherwise my appointment would have cost me £140 for half an hour! He checked me over and said that it was all down to muscle tension and refered me for physio. This did help but it wasn't long before my symptoms came back. I went back to the neurologist and he gave me amitriptiline(?) which I had to take for 3 months. This did help to some degree but I didn't take it for the full 3 months as the side effects were quite bad. I saw the neuroligist for the third time and was so worried that I asked for an MRI. He told me that he really didn't think I needed one but I could have one if I wished. Had the MRI, convinced I had an almighty tumor and Nothing - it came back all clear! Since then I have had more physio seen a chiropracter which really helps but my symptoms just keep coming back. I know now that my problem is pure anxiety. I had a whopping panic attack about 12 years ago. I was carted off in an ambulance from my office and although it took me a while to get over, I did and made a full recovery. However the last 3 years have been very stressful and my anxiety feelings have come flooding back. I saw a lovely lady doctor recently who was very understanding and I'm now on my first week of taking citalopram. I'm praying that this works for me as living with constant headaches and dizziness is absolutely exhausting.

I hope this helps to put your mind at rest. I know what it feels like to have daily headaches and it is very hard to understand or think that it could be anything other than a tumor. However, headaches aren't the main symptom of a tumor, and anxiety manifests itself in so many different ways.

Please try not to worry.
Hope this helps,
Sarahx

[Peter_Scott]

okay symptoms;

constant head pains / INTENSE HEAD pressure 24/7 that i get no relief from . over the past few weeks when i've been waking up it's been getting worse .
My eyes have gone completely out of whack , they don't adjust properly when it's really bright out ! double vision / blurred vision / spots in vision / dizzyness so bad sometimes i have to hold on to things when moving about .
Moments where i feel really nauseous out of the blue .
constant feelings of unreality , don't recognise myself in the mirror anymore , feel completely detached from everything and all emotions .
my walking has gone all funny now - when i try to walk in a straight line my left foot goes to the side .

- so pretty much every symptom of having a brain tumor , but i'm wondering if my anxiety is making these symptoms up - like the walking thing for example , am i over-thinking the symptom and as a result making my body recreate the symptom ?!?!?

either way i'm pretty much convinced i have a brain tumor .
every time i've been to my GP / or any of the doctors/nurses i've seen on my many trips to a&e , i tell them all this , and they just brush me off - anxiety !!!!

what to i have to do , in floods of tears BEG my doctor to send me for a scan ? because telling him i'm scared of a brain tumor hasn't done anything .

as soon as i say "i suffer from anxiety" any symptom after that immediately gets brushed off , i understand that all of this is more than likely my anxiety , but isn't it better to be safer than sorry ?

i feel so frustrated , everyone keeps saying 'it's not a brain tumor' but it might be . i haven't had a scan so they don't know!!!
i think my family are sick to death of constantly having to reassure me , and i'm sick to death of constantly asking them if i'm okay .

and then if i do have a scan , my anxiety will probably just move to another part of the body and i'll have a new thing to worry about :weep::weep:

i'm on the waiting list for counseling at the moment so until then i guess i'm just going to have to suffer !
One of the nurses in A&E told me about anxietyuk and how you can get CBT with them within 2 weeks - but there's a membership fee and i'm literally a penniless student right now - i can't ask my parents for anymore money as i already feel like a cling on and a moocher thanks to my constant anxiety .

eurgh , trapped .


Hi OP,

I can hear what you are saying and know where you are coming from, as I am going through much the same as you.

My history of neuro symptoms have been going on for about 6 years, but have been not constant but have been chronic yet remitting. I am having a very bad time right now with daily headaches with weekly or worse complicated migraines.

When this sated years ago I saw a neurologist who ran many many tests and scans MRIs MRAs and CTs all clear.

Then last year he ran them again and a legion was picked up near my brain stem, I had no headaches at the time, but did have numbness and twitching. He is a very well respected Dr in his field and he felt the legion was nothing to worry about and was not causing my symptoms.

I am non the less very concerned that the legion has now grown and causing my daily headaches, I can not afford further testing and my GP will not help.

Now I have found a solution to my muscle spasms and othe neuro problems, (not headaches) what works for me is large doses of Vit B12, it has to either be Methyl B-12 or injections this is the only B12 your body can easily absorb, you may have to buy it from the USA I could not find it in the UK, 1000mg a day. Now it may not work for everyone, but I know if I stop taking it that in a day or so my twitching and numbness returns.

Anxiety does make my symptoms far worse I now know that, and I have had health anxiety for many years, talk to your neurologist, I am not a medical person, but complicated migraines sounds like a possibility, it maybe running this by your neurologist. I know it is easy to panic about a brain tumour but there are many more likely reasons for your symptoms.

Peter

[ladybird64]

Is it wise to buy vitamins or medications over the internet?

I have heard so many scary stories, how can you be sure that what you're getting is the proper thing?

[Peter_Scott]

Hi ladybird64, Yes you do have to be careful, It is important that you buy from a respected site and buy a recognised brand. I am not allowed to add links to posts but if you are interested PM me and I will send you a link to the company I use. I have used them for years.
Peter

[Lou 1]

Andromeda - ur post is so simialr to mine that i posted today. I have the same symptoms as you. my head just feels so tight and heavy! i also mentioned about feeling fobbed off by doctors as soon as you mention anxiety or they see you suffer from it. I have asked to be refferd to a neurologist now because i too am convinced its something bad.
Its hard to beleive doctors, but my parters step brother is a doctor and he said that doctors cant just fob u off, they have to be sure otherwise they could lose their jobs as they are liable for you - still doesnt make me any less worried but i guess it should :/