In tears and think I'm going to die

[Stardustlady]

I know no one can tell me it's going to be ok but have got myself in such a state.

I am absolutely convinced I have a brain tumour and am going to see my GP next week.

In the past 6 months I've been having regular headaches and seeing floaters in my vision. My once amazing memory has suddenly disintegrated and I can't remember the names of people I worked with six months ago. When I speak the wrong words come out. Things like, it's time to go to the bank instead of its time to go to bed. Or I pronounce words wrong. All so unlike me. Finally I have weakness and tingling in my legs and arms.

It's actually worrying me so much I can't think of anything else. I just can't see any other reason why I would be having all of these symptoms. I am utterly terrified.

I am 40 for context.

Sorry just needed to write it all down.

[Expellibramus]

All these symptoms could also be thyroid related, lots of things that it could be that aren't the end of the world.

[Expellibramus]

Or gluten intolerance or anaemia etc..

[CafeCremeMerci]

As others have said, many of those symptoms are indicative of other things far less worrying than a brain tumor. I had the same symptoms as you and it turned out to be diabetes. No walk in the park, but not a brain tumor either. It's a shame you are going away & can't see your GP sooner, but do try not to worry.

[SvalbardianPenguin]

I'm not medical but it sounds like a combination of anxiety and vitamin deficiency.

[LineyReborn]

I also have had this, when I was pregnant, and it turned out to be migraines. It was very scary at the time. I presume it was hormone related?

[MackerelOfFact]

Oh OP. I know we can't tell you with any certainty that you'll be OK, but those symptoms ring true for a lot of conditions. My mum had similar symptoms recently (with a recent history of cancer and family history of Alzheimer's) but it turned out to be a bad vitamin deficiency.

Anxiety would produce a lot of those symptoms too, so getting yourself worked up is likely to make it worse, so it's a vicious cycle.

I completely lost my sense of smell for a couple of days the other week - I convinced myself I had a brain tumour too and got myself totally worked up, so I do understand, it's only natural for your mind to drift to the worst possible scenario.

[toadgirl]

Sounds a lot like stress to me.

I get some of these symptoms too and I have an autoimmune disease, which of course can be exacerbated by stress.

Try to stay calm and wait for the doctor's opinion. Easier said than done, I know.

[SecretMongoose]

Was also going to say b12 - lack of it causes you to lose words, get tingling/numbness in fingers/hands/feet/toes. It can also cause exhaustion, clumsiness, sore tongue, palpitations, breathlessness. It basically prevents your nervous system from functioning properly so has a very wide range of worrying symptoms.

[ppeatfruit]

It could be allergies ( i know someone who got migraines she realised it was always after she'd eaten chicken or pork) so she stopped and now has none!

Yes to gluten intolerance too. Check these out Good luck.

[EllenRipley]

I can't really add to all the lovely & helpful comments, only to say I agree! Stress, hormones, low ferritin, vitD, B12... All these things and more can produce the symptoms you describe. I get health anxiety on and off and even if you wouldn't class yourself as someone who has this, worrying about your health is a vicious circle which can add to and worsen your symptoms. I'm pretty sure a brain tumour is the last on a very long list of more benign things that could be ailing you. Good luck at the docs, make sure they do bloods to check your levels of ferritin etc.x

[almondpudding]

It could be one of very many things, including anxiety. I have had a family member who has similar and it was anxiety, and another family member who had similar (including headaches) and it was a cist. They had an operation and were fine.

[Buunychops]

Stress
Anxiety
Migraines
Thyroid issues
Hyper/hypotension
Hormone levels
Low Vit Levels
(Floaters are pretty normal for most people)


That's 8 things off the top of my head that can cause the same symptoms.

Is hard not to worry; and you do need to get checked out, but it's more likely to be something simple or a combination of 2 or 3 simple things

[Adifferentrationality]

I'm so sorry you aren't feeling well. Please try not to worry! I know that's much easier to type than to do, but the anxiety you are placing yourself under is not going to be doing you any good!

None of us can tell you that you definitely don't have a brain tumour. What we can say is that it's highly unlikely, and that there are many more likely reasons for your symptoms, most of which are easily treatable. And that, until you know that you have reason to worry, it is pointless to catastrophize the situation into the worst case scenario.

You're doing the right thing in getting it checked out. Maybe try to take a bit of time out for yourself in the meantime. Can you grab a day of annual leave, to do something that relaxes you - whether that's taking a long bath, going for a walk in the sunshine, doing some craft activities or some reading, or whatever. I think a bit of time out away from the worry will be really beneficial.

for you.

[wasonthelist]

OP I really don't want to sound flippant or make light of it - I honestly sympathise, but if these are symptoms of a brain tumour I think I need to go to the doc asap as I've had them for about the last 25 years off and on. ALl the best - I am sure it's nothing serious :)

[PandoNoPants]

Just repeating what people have said above, it really could be anything.

I scared myself silly when DD was born in 2012. I had repeated episodes of numbness, tingling, weird sensations in various parts of my body, loss of vision, memory loss, not being able to speak (what I wanted to say didn't come out, it was garbled and made no sense!), blurred vision, floaters, flashing lights, paralysis, not being able to control my eyes - they would cross on their own!

Sometimes these things could last a few days, sometimes a few minutes. Never longer than a few days.

I got referred to neurology and had MRI's and was tested for MS (my Mum has it). After excluding everything else, turns out I had "acephalgic migraine or silent migraine as it's better known". At that particular stage it was brought on my pregnancy hormones. I did go on to develop the migraine headache part 2 years after and tiredness, stress, the weather (!) and hormones are my biggest triggers for the whole thing.

Like you, I had convinced myself it was a tumour or MS. Best thing is to let your Dr check you out. I also wrote everything down that was happening to me, when it started and how long it lasted to give the Dr a clear picture.

Try and stay calm which is easier said than done I know. xx

[3littlefrogs]

You can go to any high street optician today and have your eyes checked, and they will look carefully at the back of your eyes and ring your GP if they see anything unusual.

That might help to calm you a little until you see your GP.

[blamethecat]

I do hope it is nothing serious, have you had an eye test since noticing the floaters ? it is defiantly getting one booked as soon as you can so at least you can be reassured about one of your symptoms. But as many other have said stress can cause a lot of strange symptoms

[timelytess]

and hugs.
Menopause?
UTI?

[BeyondLovesSweetDee]

Are you away in the uk? If you are having vision problems, an optician may be able to put your mind at rest for now - they can sometimes be able to spot brain tumours during an eye exam. Plus it can rule out that headaches are due to a change in short/long sightedness, which you can tell the dr when you see them :)

FWIW, I have all of your symptoms due to a nice combo of an autoimmune problem, a genetic condition and anxiety. There are many many things it can be that aren't a tumour

[OllyBJolly]

Dsis is living with brain tumours and doesn't have any of the symptoms you describe. She was diagnosed following seizures.

[Olives106]

I hope you're finding these messages reassuring, OP, and can now have a nice weekend with your DH xx

[ItShouldHaveBeenJess]

OP, I have periods of crippling anxiety and am convinced I am going to die. It's utterly terrifying, and I actually think turning 40 can exacerbate it - thoughts of mortality, etc. As other PPs have said, there are many other reasons for these symptons. Try to stay calm (meditation is great for relaxation) and stay the hell away from Google.

[toadgirl]

Was also going to say b12 - lack of it causes you to lose words, get tingling/numbness in fingers/hands/feet/toes. It can also cause exhaustion, clumsiness, sore tongue, palpitations, breathlessness. It basically prevents your nervous system from functioning properly so has a very wide range of worrying symptoms

Gosh, yes. This too!!!

I have B12 deficiency caused, my GP tells me, by the meds I take for my autoimmune disease . I get a lot of these symptoms too.

It could be something like that and you just need a few B12 jabs.

[Dogsmom]

I could've written your post a couple of years ago, my Mom had a tia and a scan revealed a brain tumour, they said some people have benign tumours and never know about them until they have to have a scan for some reason (tia wasn't caused by her tumour).
Not long after I started with symptoms like yours and so after a few months of worry I finally went to the doctors in a panic and he sent me for an mri which came back clear, within days my symptoms had gone, it must've been stress.

You've definitely done the right thing going to get it investigated, as you say nobody can diagnose you on here but the odds are hugely in your favour of it not being anything serious.

[MetalMidget]

As people have said, a lot of those symptoms could be caused by various non-tumour related conditions. However, even a brain tumour doesn't mean instant death - my dad had one that caused occasional seizures (four in ten years) that didn't need chemo or radiotherapy for over a decade.