Is it possible to have a brain tumor that a CT scan doesn't pick up?

[freefallin]

I've been progressively developing neurological symptoms over the course of the past ~nine years. There's a spot on the back, right side of my head (about two inches behind my right ear) that hurts excrutiatingly bad pretty much 24/7 (it does let up occasionally, though) and has for the past five years. Other issues that I have include feeling like I can't balance all of the time (I have to fidget around because if I stand still for more than a few seconds, I feel like I'm going to stumble), difficulty recalling words, writing the wrong word when writing something (like, I'll mean to type "minute" and wind up typing "clinic." Weird stuff like that), smelling a burning smell that no one else can smell, involuntarily biting my tongue when I'm drifting off to sleep, hallucination-like episodes when either really tired or about to fall asleep, vivid dreams that I don't think really are dreams because they occur within like 2 minutes of falling asleep (I've fallen asleep at 10 pm, had a really frightening vivid dream, and then woken up to see that it was only 10:08 pm), really poor concentration, a sensation of liquid in my head, episodes where my skin goes numb all over (more of a rubbery feeling than a complete lack of sensation), times when a random part of my body will go numb, and trouble processing new information. It's very difficult for me to read books or watch films because I forget which character is which and what has happened so far in the plot line. I just feel very cognitively deficient all of the time, and I wasn't always like this. I used to be so sharp, and now I find myself forgetting what I was doing in the middle of things.

My neurologist didn't detect any tumors or lesions on my CT scan, so he's basically concluded that I'm just making it all up because he thinks I'm too young (23) to have as many issues as I claim. He did say that he saw volume shrinkage on my scan and asked if I have a history of heavy drug or alcohol use. I told him that I have neither (I've never been drunk a day in my life even and have had maybe a total of 5 glasses of wine in my life), and he just said "Well that's okay, though. Some people just have that," and that was that. Personally, I think that, if I have brain atrophy, something has to be causing that and it didn't just happen on its own, but he doesn't seem to think it's anything to be alarmed about. He also completely shrugged off my concern that some of my issues may be related to a seizure disorder. I've also been to two GPs, an internist, a psychologist, a cardiologist, and an acupuncturist; with the exception of the acupuncturist who gave me herbs to try, they've all just kind of nodded their heads at me and then sent me home. It's remarkably similar to talking to a brick wall.

I'm so frustrated and don't know what there's left for me to do. I'm not convinced that there isn't something going on in my brain, but apparently trying to convince doctors of that is like trying to convince Rush Limbaugh to vote Democrat.

[CoachDana]

I'm not sure if you found an answer but if not, have your neurologist do a spinal tap looking for antibodies. This sounds just like autoimmune encephalopathy.

Not many neurologists know about it. They used to think it was very rare, but they believe people are misdiagnosed far too often. There is a lot of teasearch coming out of Mayo Clinic. Left untreated it can progress to seizures, coma and death. Sometimes very quickly.

Many who answered might need to be tested as well.

How I know-I was diagnosed in March 2016.

[behealthy10]

I had a pain on the right side of my head for about 5 month. My GP requested a CT scan, and it came back with a high density on the same side of the head that I was feeling pain. I don't know what "high density" on CT scan means, but GP requested a MRI for me. I had a MRI one month after the CT scan and it came back normal.

[Sharebear53]

Well I have some very concerning symtoms..and I had a CT scan ..my doctor has ordered a MRI of not 9nly my head but neck ..He feels it will be more conclusive than CT

[Temari09]

Your story does give me hope as well as her i am sure. I just had my brain tumor removed in september but all of the symptoms and more are beginnig to pop up again. My doctors dont believe me believe because my MRI and CT came back normal. However , i think they forget how fast mine grew but that is besides the point. At least I know I am not going crazy

[Temari09]

hey I am only 19 yrs. old  and I had an acoustic neuroma (abrain tumor that only older people get)  removed this past September but the only reason why they caught was because they decided to do my MRI with contrast ( when they didn't use the contrast nothing showed up). As for what you are going through, I am actually going through something similar to that. I am having changes in my vision, forgetfulness, my mouth and brain do not correlate, i try to write one thing and something else comes out, balance problems, fast onset headaches, etc. and my doctors are saying the same thing because my MRI or CTs have not shown anything so they believe i am perfectly fine and i am making it up.I know Im not because I have no reason to. I too have never been drunk in my life or even been around drugs. So You are not going crazy! There's probably more people out there that are going through this too. If i figure anything out ill let you know

[that1personcauseallelsetaken]

I felt like I should also say that not ALL doctors are terrible. I just read over my posts & there's a lot of doctor bashing in there! I feel bad because I did FINALLY find wonderful KIND, & CARING doctors. They ARE out there so hang in there! :)