Brain tumour?

[Perid0t]

I know they’re very rare and it’s always deemed unlikely but the Christmas period is being ruined by my anxiety over this.

I have gone from someone who loves a clean house to not caring, and no energy to do anything about it. I saw this as a positive thing t be more relaxed but now I’m worried it’s a personality change.

I have had headaches for years, every day. I don’t take medication for it because I’m not into taking any kind of drug and they don’t stop me doing things.

I saw a doctor a couple of months ago for pins and needles in both hands and feet and bloods showed high calcium. I am being investigated for hyperparathyroidism which can have symptoms similar to a brain tumour. I won’t have more tests until the new year.

Since Monday night I have had a new headache which won’t resolve with pain killers. It feels like my forehead is burning, my temples feel like someone has put a balloon in there. The weight of my glasses is too much. Paracetamol and ibuprofen don’t do anything for it. I have also felt light headed at times with mild nausea (improved with eating). No temperature, no cold symptoms.

I saw my GP yesterday who sent me for urgent bloods on my calcium but just said to try codeine for the headache.

This morning I’ve woken up and the pain is also in the back of my head.

I am so scared and my husband keeps telling me I’m being silly but I can’t stop crying. I don’t know what to do.

Any comfort, support or advice gratefully received.

Go to A&E.

That is very unfair @FineWordsForAPorcupine.

Saying that she’s not on the pill or any other drugs is simply a statement of fact, not saying that anyone else is wrong.

Lots of people don’t like to take painkillers.

I would say if asked that I don’t take any medication at all, because on a day to day basis I don’t.

@FineWordsForAPorcupine it’s not because I think I am too good for medication. It’s because my health anxiety means I panic about every little side effect. I don’t get on well with antibiotics (usually make me very nauseous) and I don’t take pain killers for my usual headaches because I know that taking them too frequently can cause rebound headaches. I’m not on the pill because it doesn’t agree with me. I take medication only when it’s necessary, such as when I am in pain that’s unmanageable, I have an infection requiring them or I’m told I need to by my doctor (I.e the vitamin D I was told to take and did until this headache started when I ceased taking them in case they were the cause).

Just to add - saying ‘i don’t take anything at all’ is just to answer any silent questions people may have when trying to help - such as am I on the pill / taking a multi vitamin / on antibiotics etc.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor thank you. I have googled sinus headache and it says it always has blocked nose / green snot etc which I don’t have and no recent cold / flu? X

No that isn't true at all,I rarely have a blocked nose or snot with sinus just all the symptoms.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor very interesting! Do pain killers help you at all? I have tried paracetamol and ibuprofen and it’s having none of it. Walking helps, lying on my back it gets bad. I will try the steaming x

Nope,I don't even bother. Only thing that helps is steaming and walking in the fresh air.

OP, if you have health anxiety then it’s almost a given that you are going to draw the worst possible conclusion from any kind of symptom you’re having.

Yes a headache could be a brain tumour, but it could also be lots of other things including stress.

If it is a sinus headache then normal painkillers won’t help - you need a decongestant. I bought a nasal spray recently in the chemist which contains no medication at all but which clears out all the upper tracts etc and cleared my sinus headache almost within minutes. Did have to re-use a couple of times but it was very effective.

I’ve made the point deliberately that it doesn’t contain any medication since I am on very powerful meds for a serious heart condition which are contra-indicated with certain other medications so I avoid anything but my prescribed meds wherever possible.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor
@AlternativePerspective

Thank you both. I will give the decongestant methods a go. Anything is worth trying at this point!

What is your diet like, OP?

People need to stop saying things like “it sounds nothing like/a brain tumour wouldn’t start with headaches etc” when none of us on here are medically qualified.

A family member had a brain tumour. The first symptom was severe headaches, she was referred to a specialist and referred for an urgent MRI which was eight weeks away. Even when she went into a&e with a severe headache and lost consciousness it was a CT scan which identified the mass on the back of her brain and only then was she sent to another hospital.

Not all hospitals have MRI scanners. And a hospital isn’t going to order an immediate MRI based on a headache. They’d be inundated if they did that.

I had hyperarathyroidism - had surgery a few years back for it.

I can honestly say I felt dreadful for years and had a permanent sinus- type headache. I felt as though I’d been punched in the face. There was no snot involved OP.

Go back to your GP - if they suspect hyperparathyroid problems then you must have had high calcium and Parathyroid hormone blood results already and push for a referral to an endocrinologist.

I was diagnosed with a brain tumour in June 2018. I had no symptoms (not even headaches) whatsoever until I lost the sight in my left eye overnight. At first it was suspected that I had an inflammation of my left optic nerve but one Doctor put me on the waiting list for an MRI when I mentioned my Dad has MS (visual impairment being an early symptom). I waited 2 weeks for the MRI - scan took place on a Friday and I was phoned the next day and asked to report to hospital immediately. Surgery to remove the tumour took place 2 weeks later. I have since made a good recovery. God bless the NHS! While in hospital very few of the patients I met had reported headaches as being their main symptom. I hope this puts your mind at rest slightly OP and that a reason for your health problems is found soon. If a brain tumour is diagnosed I am living testimony that much can be done to deal with the condition.

Of course get it investigated OP but the likelihood of headaches being caused by a brain tumour is incredibly low. Most of your symptoms could very easily be resulting from anxiety and or depression.

How do you know what your blood pressure was last night?

Oh heavens OP, your path to improvement has nothing whatsoever to do with anything related to your physical health.

I had a subdural haematoma (bleed on the brain) earlier this year. The main symptom was a very bad headache which persisted for a couple of weeks, until I finally went to the GP and got referred for tests / scans. My DH was getting very worried about me as I would fall into a very heavy sleep early evening and would be very hard to wake. Eventually he took me to local A&E for a scan, rather than wait another ten days for the appointment. The scan showed the bleed and I was admitted to hospital in London that night, operated on early next morning. Don't want to scare you but please go to your GP and ask for a scan appointment.

I've had many kinds of headache over the years. Hell, I've had at least 3 kinds over the last week. So.

That sort of positional headache sounds like nerve impingement to me - try putting a heat pad round your neck, and see if grabbing handfuls of your hair and pulling straight out feels nice.

Sinus I would expect you to notice that bending forwards feels like your face will explode?

If there's a chance it's migraine, and they don't always follow the same pattern, then aspirin is your friend - 2 or 3.

Otherwise, google facial massage and see if you can help yourself relieve muscle tension and/ or sinus pressure. Anything you can do to relieve the headache should make everything else a bit easier to cope with

@ShiveringCoyote have you tried sumatriptan medication. It works very well. I get cluster migraines. Absolutely horrible and sumatriptan is great.

I couldn’t read and run - sadly I lost my Dad to a brain tumour 2 years ago and my husband suffered a bleed on the brain last month - both presented very different symptoms- in fact my husband was a very difficult case to diagnose - without hesitation please get to A&E - they did a CT scan for my husband saw something but weren’t sure so they did another CT but with dye and from there he was taken to a specialist hospital and had the right treatment- I’ve never been so scared in my life with my husband as I had a bit of knowledge from when my Dad was so ill and weirdly my husband was under the same consultant as my Dad and the NHS have done a complete belts and braces approach and couldn’t fault any of the care we received - if it’s serious they’ll quickly let you know and you can start getting answers

Not sleeping well will probably make everything feel worse, so see if you can sleep in a more upright fashion than lying down - maybe in semi-sitting position supported with lots of pillows.

Seeing a dentist if you've not seen one recently wouldn't be a bad idea, in case you're doing stuff like grinding your teeth and not noticing.

Then think about how best to distract yourself from the pain - a film, a physical activity, a thing you have to concentrate on etc.

@ChristmasCroissant not too bad. Too many treats I’m sure. Today I had one slice of toast with butter and banana, a jacket potato with tuna, pepper, cucumber and onion, and a couple of chipolatas with green beans and gravy. Haven’t been very hungry today.

@BestIsWest my calcium is 2.86, PTH 6.9 and vitamin d 41. I have an appointment with endocrinology on the 8th - had a DexA, got 24 hour urine next week and more extensive bloods with urine. I’m on a support group but nobody has been able to help with the headache as their symptom. I have lots of others - fatigue, dry eyes, insomnia, thirst

@Mrsjrewing3 thank you for your reply. I really appreciate that. I hope you’re doing well xx

@ragged sorry I typed that wrong, it was yesterday afternoon when it was checked by the GP.

@DameFanny thank you for your advice. I will try it all!

@piercy I’m very sorry to hear about your dad and your DH’s situation sounds horrendous! Thank you for sharing your story xx

Similar symptoms to my son - they first diagnosed as “psychosis” - 18 months of unnecessary treatments. Then he collapsed with head pain
It was a brain tumour that surgeon reckons was there since child hood
Emergency op - tumour benign and removed
No headaches since

Meant to say insist on a scan
Wish Id had 3 years ago !

@Perid0t - I had all those symptoms too plus headaches. Sounds like a clear cut case to me. I don’t know which support group you’re on but I found these good
www.hyperparathyroiduk.com/
Facebook here www.facebook.com/groups/HyperparathyroidUKAction4Change/