Paranoid About Tumor Please Help?

[DennisJerner]

Hello my names Dennis I'm 18 pretty healthy I don't drink or smoke and don't abuse any other drugs, the only medication I'm on is propanolol 10mg for my ectopic heart beat to calm down palpotations.

I'v been thinking iv had a brain tumor for about 8 months , I get sometimes small sharp pains in different parts of my head nothing that's been so painfull that I can't handel it don't know if they have even been close to mild , but I get sometimes pressures and high headedness in a way I sorta feel like iv become slightly more stupid ? I'm not sure if this is my anxiety or I actually have a problem and a tumor , ever day I wake up paranoing about having one and iv even started using the term "my tumor " o-o its rreally stressing me this had been happening on and off for 8 months in 8 months would I know if I had one ? I heard I'd be in dying pain , I don't physically worse then I did before , I sometimes get dizzy spells :( also anxiety don't help these feelings , iv tried to get a ct scan before and the doctor didn't give me one . . . .

I'v decided this saturday I'm going to go to the ER and just say iv been getting really bad headaches and even if I haven't got one on the day I'm gona say I feel reallly bad because I want to rule out that I don't have anything and even if I do its better knowing , can I have some opinions guys about what you think ? Would I know if I had a on going tumor for 8 months ? Please reply :( I never get any and it makes me worry even more

[ill13632]

I think you should try to see a neurosurgeon and get an MRI and or CT scan.  I think only neurosurgeons are able to interpret the MRI scans correctly, a GP can't do that

[horselip]

I agree with rumpled- get another GP. If you start over with a new one they won't have you labeled with anxiety and will hopefully take your symptoms seriously and believe you. I've fired many a doctor in my life. I don't like to do it, but sometimes the match is not good.

Another way to go would be to ask to be referred to pain management. Then Pain management will take over your case and try to get to the bottom of what is causing your head pain. Because the prefer to find the cause rather than throw meds at it. But then the "right" pain control might help keep you sane while they delve for the deeper cause.

It was my pain management team that recommended that I have a work up for a CSF leak and they ended up being right.

Good luck
Horselip

[rumpled]

When you are worried, it is hard to focus on anything else. Glad you were ok.

[izabella21]

I also was so scared that i had a brain tumor... for two weeks that was the only thing im my mind.. so i had a ct scan and my dr said that the only thing he found was a brain lol..  hope thats the only thing your dr finds lol..

[rumpled]

Can you find another GP?

[DennisJerner]

I'v asked before and my gp just says these pain killers should kill off the pain and they never do : / they don't take me seriously at all : ( iv started feeling weak lately to :( and always very tired : ( just dont know what to do :( if i was to even win and my gp agreed to send me to a neurolgoist i would have to wait 3-4 months to see one because im on the NHS

[Totie]

Can you ask for a referral to a neurolgoist? Tell them, look, the headaches are NOT getting any better.

[DennisJerner]

Iv been to my doctor many times telling him my symptoms and all I ever get is pain killers from him and iv asked him multiple times to send me for a CT or a MRI and he has never sent me , I don't have a full time doctor I go to a gp and am seen by different people every time so it isn't very helpful : /, I get sharp stabbing pains in the back of my head , and I notice myself not being able to pay attention to thingss around me anymore, it scares me I think I'm going crazy and the head aches get so bad :( I also get weakness down my legs and arms and constantly think I'm gona collapse I don't know if my worrying has got so bad that I'm feeling all of these things, all I can ever think about is having a tumor and I can't stop these thoughs and when I do the pain brings them all back I just want a CT or a MRI to clear my mind :( but I can't get one from my doctor iv had a ENT wich came back normal my eyes, ears and throat examined

[Totie]

My 17yr old was dealing with the headaches on a daily basis.

Make sure it is not your sinuses causing your headaches. My 17yr old just became headache free after 6-8 months of headaches which dr. diagnosed as migraines..teenage issues, (stress)

I kindly & respectfully asked our doctor just to ease my mind please do an MRI, doctor said "Not a problem, doubt we will find anything". Well that very same day our doctor calls and apologizes; the MRI showed chronic inflammed sinusitis that was pushing its way into the brain area, my son was immediately put on an antibiotic and stayed on it for 60 days, it was a high dose, & it worked!!!

Since he never drained out of his nose we did not think it was sinuses. Our doctor explained to us the dangers of ignoring the sinuses because if left untreated the infection could have reached the brain.

[rumpled]

My cousin recently got a cancerous tumor - he never got a headache. His symptoms were completely different.

Your doctor is going to look for changes in reflexes, speech, gait etc. Headaches can be a sign, but it is also a sign of migraines and sinus issues and so much more - in other words, it is a non-specific finding. Your doctor should send you to an ENT and to a neuro and get the most common things cleared before they think tumor. Dizzy is also not specific as it could be sinus, ears, circulatory etc.

Another way to check for a tumor is an eye exam - have you had one of those recently?

[tiredbuthappy]

There are many more likely causes for your symptoms. Anxiety is a common cause. It could be tension headaches, migraines, etc. Depending on where the headache is, you could just have underlying sinus problems.

Rather than go to the ER and lie about symptoms, I would try to find a new primary doctor who is willing to listen to your concerns and address them. However, you have to go in to these appointments with an open mind as well. Be willing to consider it being anxiety if the doctor suggests it. This can be hard if you are convinced you have a brain tumor. Another option would be to ask for a referral to a neurologist. A neurologist can do some very simple, noninvasive neurological tests that would help indicate whether or not you are experiencing neurological symptoms that you may not be aware of. A neurologist can also help if it is migraines or something similar.