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Can't shake the fear of having a brain tumor. Need reassurance!!!

Posted , 7 users are following.

cara10934
cara10934

Hi. First I wanna apologize for this long post but I wanna make sure I have everything in here. Also, just for reference, I am a 19 year old female.

So it all started about a year ago (it was my first year away at college and I had just lost a good friend of mine. I've never had these problems until after my friend died). First I started out with just having some dizziness for a few seconds when I lay down or turn over. I went to the health center and she said it was positional vertigo (also told her what happened and she said it could definitely be stress related also) and it went away after a few weeks. Haven't had that problem again until about a a month or so ago but again it went away and haven't had the problem since.

But what it really scaring me are these headaches. Now, I get headaches pretty often, I always have. My mom does too. But these scare me because they feel kind of different. Most of the time it is not super painful but more of pressure feeling. It is mostly in the back right side, but sometimes the right side and forehead area. Sometimes it feels like someone is pressing down on a part of my head and I can feel the pressure in my teeth (I have been having upper jaw pain also - I have always had a jaw click, but never caused me any problems) Sometimes I also have pressure behind my eyes or just my right eye. 

I have been to an eye doctor recently (I heard they can detect brain tumors also) and even brought up the situation with her and she did not say anything was wrong (except my prescription doubled). I also had a blood test done about 2 months ago and the doctor said overall it looked good (slightly high cholestorol and triglicerides, and he said my red blood cells and red blood cell distribution width was slightly larger than normal but he wasn't worried about it, and I read that that can be caused by just a B12 defeciency). I also went to my doctor about this problem over winter break last year and she said it is tension and stress, which is what my parents said too.

I have not been for an mri because my parents won't take me because they say I'm fine. This problem also went away almost completely and I stopped worrying about a brain tumor for about 2 months over the summer. Just at the end of the summer to now it has been starting to come back. Not really as bad as it used to be (I used to basically go to bed and wake up with a headache) and that doesn't really happen anymore, except this morning I woke up with a bit of a headache. Sometimes I can go a day or so without really having a problem and some days are worse than others.

It is very frustrating and I feel like I'm going crazy. Any feedback/reassurance anyone can offer would be greatly appreciated!!

0 likes, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • abby56321
    abby56321 cara10934

    Posted

    You are most likely having the symptoms because you are worried about having the tumor. Our minds can make us feel all kinds of different things if we start dwelling on something! I'm sure everyone here with anxiety would agree!

    About 4 years ago when I was 22 I also convinced myself I had a brain tumor. My mom told me if it would put my mind at ease, that I need to go have an mri done. So I did! Everything came back normal! I think I had brought on a lot of the headaches myself by worrying. I also went to the eye dr because I swore something was wrong with my vision, but my eye test was normal!

    Sounds like we've had some of the same worries! I would sit down with your parents and explain to them that you can't shake it unless you have the MRI done. I'm sure they would just want you to feel better again! Good luck!

    • cara10934
      cara10934 abby56321

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply! I know. When I think rationally I know there's nothing wrong and an MRI would just be a waste of time and money, but then I get the symptoms and worry again. I'm sure if it was something serious it wouldn't just come and go as it does and normally when I'm distracted enough and not thinking about it at all I practically have no symptoms or very mild.

  • jon13180
    jon13180 cara10934

    Posted

    I'm not a doctor at all, but suffered with anxiety most of my life, I don't get headaches anymore, bit I did suffer from them a lot front and back of head, I did get an mri scan and was all clear, doc told me there tension headaches which do get painful and last a while, I'm not saying you got them but try googling them

  • borderriever
    borderriever cara10934

    Posted

    Hello Cara

    Are you still at school, it does sound like stress and anxiety so you need not worry.

    You have also seen an Opticion and they have cleared you. you have also had an increase of your medication to control your mood.

    If you do feel the need to see your GP do so, this will further offer you relief in knowing all is ok.

    I suffer headachs all the time due to my Chronic Pain Condition and it is due to the Opiates I take. Please do not worry you will be ok

    BOB

    • cara10934
      cara10934 borderriever

      Posted

      Thank you for your reassurance. And yes I am still in school but I transferred to a commuter school so I'm just not away at school anymore.

  • kim67504
    kim67504 cara10934

    Posted

    I know how you feel.  I will get a physical symptom and start thinking I have a tumor.  I suffer from health anxiety ever since my dad died.   I will try to reassure myself it is nothing and the more i think about it,  the more I have the symptoms.  The only way to get reassurance is to go to the doctor and get a ct scan or another test to show physical evidence that it  is nothing.  That is the only way the symptoms stop. 
  • laura48798
    laura48798 cara10934

    Posted

    Hi Cara, I too have the exact same fear as you.

    I'm a 42 year old single mum so I have the added worry of leaving my children without a mum.

    I have suffered from anxiety for quite a few years but I've always seemed to manage it up until now.

    Recently I was getting neck/head pain which didn't seem to shift, some days it felt worse than others and I've convinced myself I've got a brain tumour or something else serious going on.

    I go into panic mode like you wouldn't believe and today was a really bad one.

    I'm seeing my eye doctor tomorrow and my GP on Friday. I'm also seeing a chiropractor on Thursday to see if the neck/head pain is something they can relieve - I really want this feeling to go away it's taking over my life and really getting me down.

    I hope you are able to get better soon

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