Anything other than a brain tumour?

[BrainTumourFears]

I have some weird heard symptoms on and off and am increasingly worried I have a brain tumour.

I don't have headaches, more of a feeling of fullness on one side of my head which I sometimes notice (mostly when I start getting anxious!) and sometimes don't.

I also have some fatigue, find it a bit hard to wake up some days, feeling groggy, but nothing major, and only really occasional.

Last week though I had a few days with head tingling and also a feeling of ice cold water in my head. I've also had two vertigo episodes in the last year which had me call the GP. It passed in a day though.

I go between thinking it's anxiety, to hormones, to perhaps some weird long Covid thing (I had no cold symptoms when I had Covid, just neurological - headache, sense of doom, insomnia).

But now I'm increasingly worrying about a brain tumour.

I don't think my symptoms are enough of anything though to justify any investigation so what do I do?

I forgot to mention mild dizziness also, and sometimes after a long day my head feels heavy and I just want to lie down and close my eyes. Sort of what I imagine a painless migraine to feel like, but can't be sure as I've never had a migraine.

Call your GP and explain how you feel. Chances are it's nothing but won't hurt to ask the professionals.

I'm having an MRI brain this week to rule out a pituitary tumour, been having headaches and sinus problems and my period has vanished so I assumed I was peri menopausal but bloods showed differently.

Anyway, first call GP and they can do some tests is they feel it's warranted x

@sunshineandtea I am waiting on an mri for same - headaches at back of head and a sub level FT4 (10.7) but normal TSH which apparently can indicate this. It wouldn't suprise me

@Crikeyalmighty my prolactin and another one we're slightly raised. Can't remember what the FSH was. We shall see!

AFP it was. Only marginally though so I'm surprised they referred me for MRI TBH.

I’ve had similar symptoms, definitely not a BT in my case as I had a brain scan. Was diagnosed as migrainal associated vertigo. Definitely not classic migraines but more of what you describe. I don’t get the fullness so much anymore but I do have periods of vertigo. I’ve realised that a lot of my symptoms are stress related so tight neck muscles will make me feel generally awful all over, vertigo, fullness in head, etc. I’ve had the cold feeling you note too.

Go see your GP but I highly doubt you have a BT.

Sounds like inner ear/positional vertigo. If it is, try the Epley manoevre.

I have Menieres disease which is not pleasant either, but is under control now apart from the occasional dizzy spell. Makes you feel full in the head, deafness in one ear mostly, and mad spins like you've just got off a fast merry go round.

@Crikeyalmighty @sunshineandtea sorry you are both going through this. I hope you get good results.
What you wrote gave me food for thought, I had thought my symptoms were hormonal as my period has also been out of sync and I've recently had phases of bad anxiety and depression which just last a few days and then go away. I've not had this before.

@WeekendInTheBoondocks and @Atishoos I do relate to your description and its good to know there are other things outside brain tumours, though unpleasant too.

In any case you convinced me there is probably enough there to discuss with a GP so I will give them a call in the morning. I have just been woken up by DD after I'd been asleep for 30 mins and my head is quite achy, I have the cold feeling around my forehead and felt pretty sick when I first got up. Somethings just off.

Could be all sorts - including muscle tension/spasms - get it checked out, but try not to worry too much - chances are it’s nothing major

Go to your Dr. But there are lots of other things that are far more likely than a brain tumour.
A friend had a non cancerous brain tumour that was successfully removed. Her symptoms were very dramatic.

Could definitely be all due to anxiety. It then becomes a vicious circle. More anxiety, more symptoms, more anxiety...

It happened to me, doctor agreed to do head MRI. Cane back normal, I relaxed, symptoms gradually disappeared.

If it's any consolation OP- and I can't of course diagnose- the neurologist asked me what I thought I had - which basically came down to ALS, MS or a brain tumour. She then told me why all these were unlikely after 8 months of symptoms - I do remember with a brain tumour she said that symptoms were most often quite dramatic- seizures, vomiting, severe weakness, speech, doing odd things similar to dementia (shoes in fridge etc) major eye issues. Rarely (although she hesitated to say never) was it mainly headaches or dizziness as a primary condition - there were usually other issues

Thank you @Crikeyalmighty this did reassure me somewhat.

4 days later though, I'm still no better and I couldn't a GP appointment until tomorrow and I'm really wondering what it could be.

On top of it I have been feeling quite nauseous now, I just don't feel right at all. Urgh, hate being unwell and all the speculating that happens in my head.

Though hopefully as PP said its just anxiety.

I’ve worked on neurosurgerical ward, none of that sounds like brain tumour behaviour. Patients that have brain tumours are constantly dizzy and this is not a symptom in everybody.

Try getting an eye test at Boots and pay the extra for a picture of the eyeballs. Too much fluid can be an issue and it's picked up often with this eye test. It's a condition called intracranial hypertension. They can sometimes spot other things too with an eye test though.

Thank you @Museya15 that's reassuring. I just don't have another explanation which is why I'm still worrying.

The GP did end up calling after I posted and told me to go in. They did a check of eyes and ears, nothing to report, so I was told to make an appointment for a blood test to check for any deficienciesas a starting point. Unfortunately the earliest available appointment was next week. Not ecstatic about staying like this for another week but hopefully symptoms will disappear before then.

@Stabee yes good idea I did think about getting an eye test in the meantime to cover all bases, I'm due one anyway.

My friend has a brain tumour. First sign was waking up with double vision and then later on a seizure.

It could be congestion in your middle ear. This can make you feel really weird.

My dh had a pituitary tumour. The only symptoms he had was sight loss. The tumour was growing into his optic nerves. He had it successfully removed a week before the first Covid announcement. He came home from hospital 4 days early so Covid patients could be admitted. He was in intensive care for the first 2 days. His specialist told him if he did not get it removed when he did he would have been blind within the year and after that it might have been too late to restore sight. He was so lucky to get it done when he did.

I saw my GP last year worrying about a brain tumour. I had similar symptoms to you, lots of dizziness, spaced out feelings, and I actually had double vision too (the double vision has turned out to be a rare complication of a squint I've had since birth, nothing to do with my brain!)

The GP was not concerned. He did a few basic neurological tests, but judged that if I could walk around normally without any balance/mobility issues, could touch my nose with the end of my finger, touch his finger as he moved it around, and have usual levels of strength in my arms and legs, then I'm fine. He also said brain tumours are often associated with things like drastic change in behaviour or personality, sudden changes in vision, speech, or other senses, suddenly being unable to walk or move a limb, having seizures, vomiting especially in the mornings.

I also saw multiple opticians who were quite confident I didn't have anything neurological. They can check the back of your eyes for intracranial pressure which can indicate a tumour. Might be worth getting your eyes tested for reassurance?

I'm sure you're absolutely fine. It's so unlikely to be a brain tumour. Even with double vision, I didn't have a brain tumour or anything neurological.