Something is going on with my brain and I'm a bit worried

[Beebityboo]

Let me start by saying I am going to try to see a GP next week. I've been putting it off in the hope I'd just feel better and am a bit scared of going to a GP office at the moment due to a disability that makes me vulnerable to Covid.

Two weeks ago I was sat on the couch reading on my phone when suddenly the room went spinny and I felt like my brain had been electrocuted and my ears started ringing. The zap feeling only lasted about twenty seconds but I haven't been right since. The ringing in my ears hasn't stopped and I'm having periods of pain in my eyes and dizziness to the point where I just have to lie in bed. I also occasionally get a weird pins and needles feeling across my scalp. Not painful exactly but very odd.

Obviously I googled it like an idiot and I've terrified myself into believing I have a brain tumor. It's so unlike any illness I've ever had before.

I'm under huge amounts of stress but I'm not sure that could result in such severe physical symptoms.

Any ideas on what this could be that aren't terrifying? Could really use some reassurance.

No, no medications at the moment and haven't been for a while and no dietary changes either. Slightly more alcohol than usual but nothing crazy. I'm quite overweight though and have had quite serious mental health issues over the last two months due to some trauma. Things making me jump easily and not being able to regulate my heart rate for ages afterwards, panic attacks etc.

I'm 33 so would think probably not menopause but I did have a weird, out of the blue period after not having one for two years (on the implant) that lasted about eight(!) weeks.

Anxiety and panic attacks suck. And the way 2020 is going, it's a perfect breeding ground for stress and raised anxiety levels.
Stress makes my body do all sorts of weird things. So it's possibly just that that is happening to you.

I've also had an ear infection which gave me shooting pains up the back of my head and headaches for over a week. The day I went to the GP over them, the infection came out in the form of swelling behind my ear. I was prescribed antibiotics and pretty much back to normal in 2 days. The GP thought the infection caused swelling internally and the swollen area was pressing on a nerve.

Dr google almost ALWAYS says cancer!

It sounds to me more likely to be an ear infection with referred pain, migraine, neuralgia, sinusitis or a dental issue (Yep they can present pretty weirdly! My impacted wisdom tooth presented as severe earache for a year!)

I'm under huge amounts of stress but I'm not sure that could result in such severe physical symptoms. au contraire! The mind is HUGELY powerful and can even result in blindness and paralysis in extreme cases of stress = psychosomatic illness

Migraine is a very common symptom of stress! As is most pain. It very commonly presents without headache.

When we're stressed we tense up, that tending of various muscles and overusing of the surrounding nerves can lead to intense pain.

My migraines in the past have led to temporary blindness, hearing loss, loss of the use of my legs..,

But yes their approach to the b12 deficiency is well out of order!!

I had a feeling like electricity zapping me from anxiety before, just to reassure you. But the gp should be able to help and get you referred for a scan.

8 week period?! They should give you a cervical smear anyway. I had one last week.

Migraine seems highly possible. Could even be an ear infection...

what about ringing 111.
your strange symptoms have been going on for a while and they are worrying you. nothing to lose.
i have heard most GPs have stopped doing B12 injections.
could you afford to pay for it privately. good luck.

Agree with others, sounds like (very possibly) stress causing migraines to me.

Symptoms can be weird like that. I went almost blind for a week or so because of a migraine attack once. No pain, just vision gone (all white/bright, not all dark!)

There could be underlying physical factors, of course. But brain tumor sounds way down the list in term of likely cause (it happens, but they're comparatively much rarer than other, milder causes)

Anyway, good luck with all this! Hope you get better soon.

I have regular migraines but I had one episode like you describe esp with the pins and needles, it was my blood pressure. How is yours do you know? Op

Not sure how high it is but it's always on the low side whenever I have it checked but that could have changed.

The thing that puzzles me is it happened so suddenly, this zap feeling and then ringing ears/dizziness/ unwell ever since. I was fine before the zap.

I have panic attacks which sound not dissimilar. I had years of anxiety without anything so when these happened last year I asssumed it must be physical and also thought brain tumour so you are not alone.

I saw 3 different Drs and all were happy they were panic attacks - I lost a parent so my anxiety and stress levels were very different. Also starting peri menopause and I did recall a couple of weird feeling similar attacks when I was a teen so dr viewed them as partly hormone driven.

I get huge pressure/ringing in my ears and weird brain feelings. Whilst the attack is short, the weird off feeling goes on a long time. I also have sinus/ear issues.

But GP obviously.

Have you been on your phone a lot op? I had an awful period of dizziness after I did a lot of copy-editing on my desk computer. The brain "zap" sounds familiar too. You may have an inner ear issue. Look up symptoms of BPPD.

Yes been on phone a lot more than normal but it doesn't seem like BPPV causes tinnitus? The ringing in the ears is the most common symptom and it hasn't gone away once in two weeks.

In that case maybe it's Menières?

Meant to say, constant tinnitus sounds really awful btw . Hope GP can help.

Oh dear I have just looked at the symptoms of Menieres and it sounds exactly like what is happening with me . Particuarly the anixety it causes/rapid heartbeat etc.

excuse the typos!

I get the electrical brain thing - it happens when I am severely startled ie half asleep and there's a loud noise. I once had it with a muscle spasm on my head. I think it's a shock thing and nothing to worry about. When you get medical anxiety you start to think you have all sorts of things. Honestly I am sure you are fine - I wouldn't even bother with the GP unless you want to set your mind at rest. Brain tumours are ringing in one ear not both. It all sounds like anxiety to me

You might have migrainous vertigo. Horrible. But fixable.

It could simply be your B12.

I discovered I needed B12 loading then B12 every 3months.
My useless GP didnt give me any loading and my shots were missed for 9months (so, 3 lots).
I ended up fainting, fuzzy head, pains, falling down the lot.
I also have low BP and v low vit D which may have contributed too.

I hope you get some answers

I agree, try not to Google xxx

I was going to suggest vertigo. I had it when I was pregnant and thought my time had come. I noticed a PP had ringing in their ears with it.

Have you by any chance come off or reduced the dose of any antidepressants recently? Or started any actually. When you adjust doses of some ADs they can give you brain zaps. Usually you just backtrack a little and make the adjustment more slowly and they stop but its a very common side effect.

It could simply be your B12.

I discovered I needed B12 loading then B12 every 3months.
My useless GP didnt give me any loading and my shots were missed for 9months (so, 3 lots).
I ended up fainting, fuzzy head, pains, falling down the lot.
I also have low BP and v low vit D which may have contributed too.

I hope you get some answers

I agree, try not to Google xxx