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Still convinced it's a brain tumour

Posted , 9 users are following.

Hollymayshipton
Hollymayshipton

Hello,

i've recently been diagnosed with health anxiety and have been put on sertraline which is making me feel less panicky but I am still having wierd symptoms in my head and neck. My glands in the neck are swollen and i have a headache every day and also get strange feelings on the top of my head like burning, shooting pains and tingling. My neck constantly aches and is tender. The doctor has done general blood tests that keep coming back fine but I want more than anything to have a brain scan so I can move on, but the doc doesnt think I need one! I've been feeling like this for around 4 months. Has anyone else been through a similar thing, especially with the wierd head sensations? thanks, Holly

0 likes, 23 replies

23 Replies

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  • Dkw41127
    Dkw41127 Hollymayshipton

    Posted

    Did the doctor look into your eyes with a light/microscope over his eyes ?, this is a pretty fast way of diagnosing if a growth is going on, as your optic nerve will push out as the brain tumor expands, or any inflammation is going on, thus if he did look at your retna/ optic nerve and it was normal their would be no point in MRI'ing or ct scan's at this point
    • Hollymayshipton
      Hollymayshipton Dkw41127

      Posted

      They have looked in my eyes and I had an eye test around 2 months ago where they took an image of the back of my eye and they said all was healthy 
    • Dkw41127
      Dkw41127 Hollymayshipton

      Posted

      Yes I suspected as much since they are not interested in doing a mri or ct, the next thing is to make a appointment with a neurologist or go back to see your pcp and ask him for a refferal, 
  • Tinkara
    Tinkara Hollymayshipton

    Posted

    Hi Holly,

    I had similar problems with my head and neck. They lasted for almost a year. The headache was horrible and I couldn't move my neck normally without feeling the pain. The pain in my head wasn't always the same and sometimes I felt so weird that I was sure I was gonna die, because it didn't seem normal to experience something like that. I did all sorts of tests, but nothing seemed to be physically wrong. The doctors advised me to stay away from stress as much as possible (easier said than done), exercise more, eat healthier... It slowly got better. It was really scary and I thought for sure that nobody can have headaches like that and survive. Well, it turned out I was wrong. Amazing what anxieties can do to you... Are you drinking enough water? I'm wishing you the best of luck and I hope you feel better soon xx

    • Hollymayshipton
      Hollymayshipton Tinkara

      Posted

      Thank you of your reply. I can deal with having a headache it's just the wierd burning and tingling that's freaking me out sad I try and drink as much water as possible and I sleep a lot too xx 
    • Dkw41127
      Dkw41127 Hollymayshipton

      Posted

      Be SPECIFIC what kind of burning and tingling do you have? where? exact locations, and any other symptoms at all no matter how small ?
    • Hollymayshipton
      Hollymayshipton Dkw41127

      Posted

      I have burning and tingling right on top of my head on the crown and it feels like pins and needles sometimes and others it feels hot and burning like the sun is shining on it 
  • dinky_dee
    dinky_dee Hollymayshipton

    Posted

    HI I've had a bit of this too, although maybe not as bad as you describing. I was thinking of seeing a chiropractor. I suffer with GAD (health, relationships, work, life in general) & SAD has hit me now, always does in November. Been getting alot of tension headaches too. I've put mine down to anxiety but will go see a chiropractor just to check on my neck. I've been getting burning pains in the hips too. 
  • simon04792
    simon04792 Hollymayshipton

    Posted

    It sounds mostly like health anxiety. It cud also be tmj. Look up on it its amazing what tmj is and does. Hope this helps
  • cara10934
    cara10934 Hollymayshipton

    Posted

    Hi. I know this is an old post but I have recently been having very similar symptoms as well, and they have been going on for about 4 months. I have headaches (sometimes it feels like a band going across my forehead and other times it's pain/pressure in random spots - mostly on the back right side near the crown) and I have neck pain as well basically everyday for most, if not all day. Although some days I don't notice it much or at all. Taking aspirin or aleve or anything like that usually doesn't help. I've been very worried about it. I've had a routine eye exam a few months ago and I've been to my doctor and she said its tension, but I still worry a lot about it. And I feel like I hear or see the words brain tumor a lot which makes me think it's a sign. Very concerning. Has your situation gotten any better?
    • emzay39790
      emzay39790 cara10934

      Posted

      Hi ,

      I have the same symptoms as what you are experiencing rightnow. it feels like my neck is very tight and sometimes there's a tingling sensation on it and like you are carrying heavy things on your shoulder. i've been suffering almost 5 months now. i got already my MRI, blood test, nerve test, xray and came normal. hoping to discuss more with you

    • cara10934
      cara10934 emzay39790

      Posted

      Hi. I'm glad to hear everything came back normal. I've never had this problem before until a few months ago. It all started after a friend of mine died, with me feeling like I had vertigo and then about 2 months later after the vertigo went away I started having the head pain/pressure and neck problems. It's not as bad as it was a few months ago when it first started but it's still there and very very scary. I've had a blood test before these symptoms started and nothing came back abnormal and I had an eye test about a month after the symptoms started and the eye doctor didn't mention anything suspicious. I've had a neck x Ray that came back normal. I really want to have an MRI done since that is the only thing that will ease my nerves but my doctor nor my parents think I need one. The most distressing thing is that I keep seeing or hearing things that I take to be "signs" and it really scares me. I know I'm most likely just being paranoid but I can't stop the scary thoughts
    • emzay39790
      emzay39790 cara10934

      Posted

      You are not alone. Same thing with me except for seeing things. Maybe for that cause by your pannick attack. Try to calm yourself as what i am doing. Exercise often, as what i am doing right now. And it feels good. Theres still a pressure i can feel what doing exercise like walking nad jogging lessen my burden.. and avoid thinking for the worse.
    • cara10934
      cara10934 emzay39790

      Posted

      Thanks. I'm trying to do different things to keep myself calm. Also, when I'm busy doing things and have myself occupied I don't really notice it as much, but it's like as soon as the thought creeps back into my mind it's all I can think about. Like last night my right leg went kinda numb and felt weird for a bit which of course worried me. I am gonna try therapy because I've heard from some people that it can help, but I also still wanna get physically checked out again. Not sure how easy that's gonna be though since my parents think I'm just overreacting. I'm only 19, this is definitely no way to live. It's comforting to know that other people feel the same or similar though and they are all fine. Not that I wish this on anyone, but just makes me feel less alone
    • erica85
      erica85 cara10934

      Posted

      I am also having the same issues burning tingling sensations on top of my head plus pressure the weird part is that it comes and goes but still steady there. I so need a break from this also my teeth have been hurting so bad as well as my neck nose pressure oh my this is the worst ever. Also another pleace is under my left rib in between my shoulder blade pain of pins and needles with pain. This sucks. i got blood work done they say its normal i got a mri of brain and spine when i was 7 and half months pregnant anout 4 months ago they said it was normal i am trying to tell my doctor i need more test but he says for what.. Smh!##
    • cara10934
      cara10934 erica85

      Posted

      I know, it's very frustrating when people don't take us seriously. I feel the same whenever I talk to my parents and they say they won't take me for an mri cuz I don't need one and my doctor as well. I don't have the burning, teeth, or rib problem but occasionally I do have jaw pain and my right leg or arm sometimes goes numb or tingles or just feels weird. Very scary and very frustrating
    • emzay39790
      emzay39790 cara10934

      Posted

      Yes they dont care because they dont feel it as we do.. and sometimes its kinda amnoying because they dont care. as i noticed with our condition the way we think for the worse it triggers our condition..
    • cara10934
      cara10934 emzay39790

      Posted

      Yeah I'm sure our panicking and overthinking doesn't help. It's just so unpleasant to feel this way all the time and not know why and not have anyone take us seriously. I'm making an appointment to give therapy a try as I've heard that helps and hopefully it will and get me feeling better and my mind off of the fact that I'm probably never gonna go for an mri
    • claudia51624
      claudia51624 cara10934

      Posted

      Hi Cara! I am a very hypochondriac person. This happened to me in 2005. Literally I started getting a headache from May until September, so about 4 months. I was 19 at the time. I felt headaches daily, weird sensations in head, and I was sure I had a brain tumor and was going to die. The more I read online, the more depressed I got. 4 months into my headache I got a brain cat scan. It came out clear! No tumors no nothing. I believe sometimes symptoms come due to our anxiety. Since I was 9 yrs old I've suffered from different diseases (in my mind lol!) Sad to say even if I know how I am, every time I have symptoms I'm sure I have a disease even if I've been thru this about 20 times in my life. I'm back here because now I'm convinced I have heart disease. It is truly I debilitating problem but at the same time I feel like I have a short time remaining to live . hope we get better rolleyes
    • cara10934
      cara10934 claudia51624

      Posted

      I'm glad to hear everything turned out good for you when you went for the scan. You were my age when this fear happened to you (it seems most people with this fear are around the same age). The fact that all these other people with similar symptoms have gone for scans and came back normal is the only thing keeping me somewhat sane as I have not had a ct or mri done. I just had an eye test, neck x Ray, and blood test (but that was before my symptoms started). My parents think I'm just crazy and overreacting so they don't think I need an mri (I practically begged them to take me for one - no luck) I hope your current fear of heart disease gets better. I'm sure since you are a hypochondriac like me it is just anxiety. Crazy what anxiety can do to a person
    • claudia51624
      claudia51624 cara10934

      Posted

      Yes anxiety sometimes causes all these symptoms. A brain tumor would show other symptoms, for example nausea, vomiting or seizures. It also depends on area in brain, sometimes it might affect vision. If its only pain and tingling its very unlikely its a tumor. I not only felt pain, but sensations as if my head was sore, very weird. Fast forward 11 years and I'm still here and have 3 kids already! Hang in there I'm sure your fear will subside soon. When my cat scan came back normal my headache just went away on its own lol...
    • cara10934
      cara10934 claudia51624

      Posted

      Yeah I try to be rational and tell myself how unlikely it is for me to have one. I've been pretty healthy before and this never happened until after a friend of mine died so I have to think that's not a coincidence. I also heard brain tumors that cause headaches are usually worse in the morning, wake you up, and are worse when bending down, coughing, etc and I have none of that and I don't have blurred vision. Just the random pain/pressure and occasionally numb/tingling arm or leg. Thank you for that reassurance though! It's reassuring for me to hear that people who had the same problem, or even a worse problem, are still here and doing fine smile
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