I'm having a brain scan on Friday and I'm scared! Anyone else having any tests soon?

[MrsHuxtable]

A few weeks ago, I started having headaches in the morning and during the night so after about 10 days of it my GP referred me for a head CT as he said that morning headaches or when lying down suggest intracranial pressure that shouldn't be there. My scan appointment came through really quickly, I'm gonna have the test just 12 days after my GP visit on Friday this week.

The headaches have since disappeared but I'm still so scared. I can't help but think that there's something seriously wrong with me.

Is anyone else waiting for any scary test or their results for that matter?
Think I need some serious hand-holding...

H, I had a CT scan last Thursday, I also had a head ache (a really bad one that was resisitant to pain killers), and really high blood pressure and a low heart rate. My CT scan was fine, but I am now waiting to find out what is wrong with me, why I have really high blood pressure (still) and the heart rate of an olympic cyclist. I think not knowing is harder than knowing, I'm sure I will be philosophical when I find out.

The CT scan was very straight forward, it's just a small arch that your head goes under - the rest of your body doesn't go under.

Good luck.

fluffy, I'm sorry to hear you're going through the same thing. Did they tell you how long it would take to get the results?

I'm having MRI with contrast on Thursday I'm scared too. More worried that the contrast can cause kidney failure though they assure me that won't happen. Then read that doc wants results stat if checked when I am there which makes me think it's something really bad. Anyway, glad yours went ok fluffy, your symptoms sound unpleasant so will be good to know what is p. mrshuxtable, will be thinking about u on Friday good luck.

itshotintexas, that does sound urgent but at least you'll know what's going on pretty soon. What makes you think of kidney failure? Is that an associated risk of MRI with contrast?

Not having tests now, but I developed a rare neuro condition in December and spent January having all kinds of tests as the symptoms I had can also be caused by some cancers. It was a terrifying time, so I have an idea what you're going through and wish all of you all the best!

mrsH, the stuff they use can cause kidney failure but you have to have poor kidney function to start with - basically, your kidneys cant flush the stuff out and it crystallizes. risk factors are diabetes, over 60, and something else (cant remember!). I should be ok, none of those but still worried. Anyway, got something to take my mind off it today - DS1 is having an endoscopy (no 6) he has coeliac disease and problems in his oesophagus from his allergies and the only way to see if the meds are working is to scope. And i need to keep my wits about me to negotiate rush hour traffic on the freeways to downtown! Hope you are still going ok and keep us updated. I will let you know how Thursday goes!

Oh god, you've scared me now. I don't know if they will use any contrast stuff for my ct but my GPs surgery phoned me this morning telling me that my blood test from yesterday came back with a high glucose result and I need to come back in to do a fasting blood test. What if that means I have diabetes and because I won't know yet on Friday they will use the contrast stuff and cause me kidney failure (I only have one)?????
[just-resched-a whole-new-level-of-paranoia emoticon]

I don't think they use contrasting stuff for CT scans, I just went under as I was.

I'm sein my doctor on Thursday so may fnd out what is wrong with me, if anything, then.

Sorry mrs h, didn't mean to scare you. They use different contrast in ct than MRI. Good luck fluffy, let us know !

An hour to go. Got my list of happy places and an eye mask so I'm not tempted to look as it will freak me out. Oh, and got 20mg of valium. Hoping that will help too.

Thinking of you! Hope all goes well, Texas.

Well, eye mask and Valium worked a treat. Unfortunately I have a benign cyst in my brain so just waiting for neurologist to call back with appointment. Other than that everything else was ok.

How Did you go fluffy?

Good luck tomorrow, mrshuxtable will be thinking of you.

I feel for you, I've had to have brain scans in the past because of weird symptoms including numbness.

I hope all will turn out ok for you op and others.

itshotintexas it's lovely of you to think of others when you've had such news. I hope the neurologist can help you and soon x

Texas, I'm so sorry they found something on your scan, albeit something benign. I hope you don't have to wait too long for your next appointment.

I'll be leaving here in an hour. Dreading the whole day as getting to the hospital, having scan and getting back will be at least 5 hours, possibly more, with my baby DD in tow!

Had DD weight at the HV yesterday and told her about the scan and my worry about blood results, so she took a little peek at my file and my glucose level was 8 (within an our of eating). So while that is high, I think it's very much borderline and not high enough to categorically say that I'm diabetic. Will see what next week's bloods bring.

Just got up, its morning over here - you should be on your way home now, Mrs H. Hope it went ok and the baby was admired and played with by all. Not surprised your glucose was highish if you had only just eaten. Mine came back high and i thought it was weird - they had marked on the test that I was fasting for it. No, because when I went to the docs i didnt even know I was going to have blood tests. Hopefully you will get a much more sensible result next week.

Let me know how it went today!

Seeing neurologist week on Monday - would really like to see him today but life's not like that

I hope all went well today MrsH?

No news yet. Today was rather uneventful. I was in and out of the hospital within 20 minutes. It was just the train travel time that was adding up. DD was surprisingly happy so it was relatively stress-free.
After the scan, the scan person asked me if I already had an appointment with my doctor and (when I said no) that I should phone them and make an appointment if I hadn't heard from them in 2 weeks. Is that a standard thing to say? Or does it mean she saw something funny on my scan that she thought I needed to talk to my GP about?

I also bought a blood sugar monitor today and will test myself tomorrow morning. I know it's a fairly minor worry compared to the CT thing but I honestly can't take another week of worry about being diabetic.

Texas, it sucks you have to wait that long for the neurologist appoinment. Did they tell you about the cyst straight away at your scan? Or give you any indication of what that result means? Feel free to ignore my questions if I'm being to personal btw!!!

I've had 3 CT scans and an MRI this year and each time I've needed to see consultant for results about 2 weeks after so pretty standard - must take that long to get the scan report done - hope all ok for you x

Hi Mrs H, glad it went smoothly for you. I think your doc would call you if there was something urgent - they were on the phone to me within 4 hours, although I am pretty sure its not life threatening. They didn't tell me about the cyst at the scan although when I asked how long the results would take they said 24 to 48 hours but you might get a phone call in the morning. I was too doped on valium to realise what that meant!

No indication of what it might mean and Dr Google not very helpful - could be in any location and need watchful waiting or removal or something inbetween.

I am just carrying on as normal - but everytime I have a headache or feel funny I wonder if it is because of the cyst. I am just relieved that its not malignant and I don't have an anyeurism.

Good luck with the blood sugar monitor and let me know what is says - if thats not too personal either

Hi, I know exactly how you are feeling. I had horrible headaches, numbness down the right side of my face together with sadness and not coping with my life. My scans showed a large meningioma pressing on the front right lobe of my brain.

I had surgery 11 days ago to remove it and I have only got positive things to report!! In just do happy now and my surgeons at St George's Hospital in London were amazing.

It's a scary ride but hopefully your outcome will be as good as mine. I'm one lucky, happy wife, mum and daughter.

Wow, whizkid, how scary. Glad you are ok again and everything went so well.I just got a call from the neurologist with a cancellation for tomorrow morning (afternoon UK time) so am just looking forward to finding out what is going on. Will update later on tomorrow.

Hi, the waiting is horrible. My GP called me with the diagnosis on a Friday afternoon. We'd just returned from holiday that morning and I was unaware that I missed my follow up appointment with the ENT that morning. I was then referred back to my not so good GP who called with the news :)

I then had to wait until 5 September to see my neurosurgeon. My advice is to keep onto them, find out the secretary to your consultant and become friendly with them. The individuals are great but the system can let you down.

For example, my ENT wrote the referral to the surgeon and I followed up by contacting his secretary. She never received the referral as it was sent to an old address. In the end I scanned my copy and emailed it to her directly!

I hope it all goes well for you.

Oh dear- wrong face below!

Also I waited from 3 August until 5 Sept for my appointment (but it was the holidays and the Professor I was referred to was away). That waiting was tricky and I drank a lot of wine

Ok all done. Saw neurologist and I have a large posterior fossa arachnoid cyst, probably been there since birth. My brain has squidged up round it - I was surprised to see how big it is. Wonder if i would be cleverer if my brain was all in the right place?

Should be fine - things that would warn me of changes are dizziness in particular, loss of balance and other strange things - just not the strange things I already have.

So lots of relief all round. Hope news is good for you too, MrsH.

Great news. I'm happy and relieved for you.

What have they advised re: treatment?