This can’t be a brain tumour?

[DoggyPaulAnka]

My Dad has been suffering with a mild headache for a few months, he says it’s not even bad enough for painkillers most of the time. It never goes away but switches location frequently (from forehead, to temple, to bridge of nose).

He went to his Doctor who has referred him on to hospital and according to my mum there was talk of MRI scans and brain tumours.

AIBU to think this is unlikely due to the fact he has no other symptoms other than a fairly mild pressure headache and surely a brain tumour headache wouldn’t change location?

I’m hoping either my mum or dad has got confused with what the GP was telling them.

Good that it's not being ignored by the doctor

Hi there, I'm a GP. Headaches, in particular the kind you describe your Dad has, very very rarely are presenting symptoms of brain tumours and as a previous poster said it is usually seizures, disturbance of sensation, vision and cognition which make a sinister cause more likely. Much more likely your Dad has tension type headaches which are very common or chronic sinusitis. He has a vigilant doctor!

Putkettleonlove thank you that is reassuring. Can sinusitis cause pain that switch from one temple to the other throughout the day?

It’s great that they’re taking action. My father died of a brain tumour. There’s no harm in them ruling it out.

I should add, in this case it’s unlikely, but it’s still good to check out every possibility.

Don't panic, that's standard when you complain of headaches. They are just checking he hasn't got one. Then they can get on with fobbing him off because they know f all about headaches.

DoggyPaulAnka I wouldn't think sinusitis would necessarily change locations to be honest, tension type more likely. You mentioned he has had an eye test which would be one of the first things I would suggest. If there was anything to indicate an underlying problem such as pressure behind or within the eyes they would contact his GP and possibly refer to ophthalmology urgently.

My grandad has a brain tumour which was caught because the staff at the gym he goes to noticed he was forgetting things. However, it doesn’t seem to be growing and is causing no other symptoms. It was diagnosed 3 years ago and it hasn’t changed.

Pituitary tumours often present in this way, they're non-cancerous and usually respond very well to treatment

RealMermaid..

I've got one of they!, had it for years its scanned around 2 year intervals it has more shrunk with time the only real treament is to have it removed but it can stay there!

Some people have them and never know they have one. Mine was found by accident!. They are sometimes known as a Rathke's Cyst sounds less troublesome they usually expand and cause eyesight problems which i'd know it when i'd see it as it were!.

So brain tumours even in older people that cause some symptoms can still be benign? My mum has been on the phone in tears because she’s convinced my dad is going to die.
They both seem quite panicky and I’m wondering if there is something they aren’t telling me as it seems an extreme reaction to what they say they’ve been told.

DoggyPaulAnka

Its not surprising no one like this sort of thing hanging over them espically when older, when you are more likeky to get bad things happening with increasing age, and things like cancerous tumours are a bit, no a bloody lot! on the fear inducing side!

Even for younger people its no better. I've had a few test and wait for results in the past one, had me in real fear of meeting the grim reaper!!

Really surprised that the doctor mentioned brain tumours without context. Are they sure he didn’t just run off a long list of possibilities and they’re concentrating on the brain tumour? I spent 2 years working with patients who had been referred to a neurosurgeon with brain tumours, and honestly, there seemed to be no age component to it. That may be because of that particular doctor or.. something else, it’s not a formal study, but truly, we saw very few “old” people with brian tumours. I don’t remember a single one who just had the symptoms you describe. There were always other significant symptoms. But as I said, that’s only about 150 patients. HTHs though!

There is a bit more to the story as it turns out. Dad told me this morning for a while he’s had a really grainy film over his vision and lots of floaters. He didn’t tell GP or optician because he didn’t want to worry anyone. I’ve told him to call GP this afternoon and let them know so they can have a fuller picture of what’s going on. I’m going to try and visit this weekend to help take their mind of everything.

I will admit I’m a bit more concerned myself now.

What you describe there could be the sign of a detached retina - my friend had the same symptoms. It’s definitely should be mentioned to the GP ASAP.

It’s better to be safe than sorry. My late nan had headaches (amongst other symptoms) and was told it was nothing. She died 4 months later due to two brain tumours.
I’m sure it’s nothing serious in your dad’s case, no other symptoms makes it quite unlikely; he was probably told of all the things it could be and sadly latched on to the last, most scary (and probably most unlikely) outcome.

As above, this could be a detached retina and he needs to be seen urgently.

what ended up happening with your dad?