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Dizziness, fatigue, insomina - brain cancer?
I have been experiencing some scary symptoms for several weeks now. I've seen two different doctors, the first one twice a week apart. The first gave me Ativan for managing anxiety. The second has gone along with that original diagnosis and also said that my symptoms could be from allergies, recommending Claritin in the morning and Zantac and Benadryl at night to deal with my sleeping disturbances. In addition, if these didn't work, he gave me Lexapro to deal with anxiety.
On to the symptoms:
It all started with a feeling of dizziness, almost lightheadedness. It wasn't the kind of dizziness that would make me fall; it was maybe more like disorientation.
Anyway, it has progressed. This original symptoms continued when I tried to sleep. I would have a hard time falling asleep and then would wake up several times in the night, sometimes panicked. Also, sometimes as I was falling asleep, I would jerk and wake myself up; I would also be scared because this seemed like something that shouldn't happen. It would take me a long time to get back to sleep when I woke up in the middle of the night.
New symptoms include feeling drowsy during the day, like the feeling one gets when just waking up except for a long time. This was sometimes accompanied by some big amounts of yawning. Also, this drowsiness combined with/caused a kind of brain fog, a feeling of detachment from everything around me that made it hard to focus.
Sometimes it feels like there's pressure in my sinuses, sometimes in the top of my head; sometimes the pressure is on the left or right side of my head, sort of a headache.
Finally, sometimes I shake, sometimes different muscles scattered around my body twitch a little (fasciculations).
I must add that there have been days when I have felt almost normal, and some days where I have felt pretty good most of the time.
I started taking the Lexapro yesterday, 5 mg a day. Oddly enough, I have started to feel hopeless and emotionally blunted over about that same period of time.
This is affecting my ability to do my work properly; I'm 20 years old, living with my parents for the summer. My parents are unmoved by my symptoms and tell me to try to overcome it, but it's hard when I am worried I might have a brain tumor. I haven't wanted to go to work, and I just don't feel like myself.
Also, I get an extremely tired feeling but unable to sleep due to dizziness. Another bad symptom; I haven't gotten a good night of sleep in a long time.
Finally, I just have a general feeling of ill health.
I'm worried that this could be a brain tumor, though everyone around me insists it's just anxiety (mixed with allergies?) I'm scared and I don't feel good at all. What should I do?
On to the symptoms:
It all started with a feeling of dizziness, almost lightheadedness. It wasn't the kind of dizziness that would make me fall; it was maybe more like disorientation.
Anyway, it has progressed. This original symptoms continued when I tried to sleep. I would have a hard time falling asleep and then would wake up several times in the night, sometimes panicked. Also, sometimes as I was falling asleep, I would jerk and wake myself up; I would also be scared because this seemed like something that shouldn't happen. It would take me a long time to get back to sleep when I woke up in the middle of the night.
New symptoms include feeling drowsy during the day, like the feeling one gets when just waking up except for a long time. This was sometimes accompanied by some big amounts of yawning. Also, this drowsiness combined with/caused a kind of brain fog, a feeling of detachment from everything around me that made it hard to focus.
Sometimes it feels like there's pressure in my sinuses, sometimes in the top of my head; sometimes the pressure is on the left or right side of my head, sort of a headache.
Finally, sometimes I shake, sometimes different muscles scattered around my body twitch a little (fasciculations).
I must add that there have been days when I have felt almost normal, and some days where I have felt pretty good most of the time.
I started taking the Lexapro yesterday, 5 mg a day. Oddly enough, I have started to feel hopeless and emotionally blunted over about that same period of time.
This is affecting my ability to do my work properly; I'm 20 years old, living with my parents for the summer. My parents are unmoved by my symptoms and tell me to try to overcome it, but it's hard when I am worried I might have a brain tumor. I haven't wanted to go to work, and I just don't feel like myself.
Also, I get an extremely tired feeling but unable to sleep due to dizziness. Another bad symptom; I haven't gotten a good night of sleep in a long time.
Finally, I just have a general feeling of ill health.
I'm worried that this could be a brain tumor, though everyone around me insists it's just anxiety (mixed with allergies?) I'm scared and I don't feel good at all. What should I do?
I found alot of hard lumps in my boob area and my armpits they dont hurt so idk if I should be scared or just stay calm till I find out I've been cancer free for almost 6 years its scary to find lumps on me I'm very scared because breast cancer runs in my moms side of the family
1 Comments
I got cancer when I was 19 treatments stopped when I was 20 I'm now 26
I have had the symptoms you describe for 2 years now. it was mild when it started out and got progressively worse. The "fog" or "like walking in a dream",similar to what you describe became stronger and was with me all the time when I stood or walked. Sitting or lying in bed was my refuge as I did not feel these sensations when sitting or laying out flat. Nor was I affected by turning in bed or any one position that I might lay in. Like you, I felt that I was sleepy yet found no success in trying to take a nap and even had trouble falling asleep at night. Started using Ambien and that med has served me fine in falling asleep and continuing to do so thru the night. It was suggested that I try PT after seeing two neurologists, having a ENT, a VNG and a MRI brain scan.
Had about 6 weeks of PT and another about 3 weeks. They came to the conclusion that what was causing the dizziness could not be treated with PT. It was suggested that I try PT after seeing two neurologists, having a ENT, a VNG and a MRI brain scan.
Finally got appt at John Hopkins and was diagnosed with PPPD. Look it up as there is too much to say about it to describe the condition here.
Was suggested that I try Ty Chi, or something similar to it, a counselor or someone to talk it out with, going to PT for help in retraining my balance as i was not the most steady person on my feet and to take a anti depression med. Took the path of least resistance and tried several that only aggravated the condition until I was prescribed Cymbalta. No side effects are apparent except that after a week I found the condition back to mild level that it was at in the beginning.
I have a friend that has a bad back and has been taking it for several years now. He told me not to expect instant results and that it took two to three week to kick in.
I am not back to normal but now but it took two years to get to this level of discomfort and am hoping that more weeks or maybe even months of taking this med plus any other suggestion that was made, I will feel better - who knows - maybe even feeling completely normal again! I am attempting to do and doing things that a week ago I could not approach without much effort.
Everything you wrote seemed as if I was writing it. I don't know if you have PPPD but I would ask the doctor if trying Cymbalta, Celexa, starting at 5mg daily at first, Prozac, Gabapentin or Effexor would be O.K. and not cause any bad effects with any other condition that you may have.
Hope this helps you and that you will soon get back to normal.
My name is Jim and if you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact me thru this site. Good Luck, Jim
Had about 6 weeks of PT and another about 3 weeks. They came to the conclusion that what was causing the dizziness could not be treated with PT. It was suggested that I try PT after seeing two neurologists, having a ENT, a VNG and a MRI brain scan.
Finally got appt at John Hopkins and was diagnosed with PPPD. Look it up as there is too much to say about it to describe the condition here.
Was suggested that I try Ty Chi, or something similar to it, a counselor or someone to talk it out with, going to PT for help in retraining my balance as i was not the most steady person on my feet and to take a anti depression med. Took the path of least resistance and tried several that only aggravated the condition until I was prescribed Cymbalta. No side effects are apparent except that after a week I found the condition back to mild level that it was at in the beginning.
I have a friend that has a bad back and has been taking it for several years now. He told me not to expect instant results and that it took two to three week to kick in.
I am not back to normal but now but it took two years to get to this level of discomfort and am hoping that more weeks or maybe even months of taking this med plus any other suggestion that was made, I will feel better - who knows - maybe even feeling completely normal again! I am attempting to do and doing things that a week ago I could not approach without much effort.
Everything you wrote seemed as if I was writing it. I don't know if you have PPPD but I would ask the doctor if trying Cymbalta, Celexa, starting at 5mg daily at first, Prozac, Gabapentin or Effexor would be O.K. and not cause any bad effects with any other condition that you may have.
Hope this helps you and that you will soon get back to normal.
My name is Jim and if you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact me thru this site. Good Luck, Jim
have you had your blood sugar checked for diabetes? Sounds similar to what I am going through and was diagnosed with diabetes.
I think its what I get and I think its called a head spin. Like you're falling to one side. Its pretty scary but its nothing to really worry about. Its a type of vertigo. Its good to go check it. ENT and neurologist just to be sure. But I get it too. A lot actually. But I also have constant dizziness. Its been a year and its ruined my life...
I also feel shaky, but not visibly. I could hold out my hand but you wouldn't be able to tell I was shaking.
I also have been feeling the same symptoms of light headed, dizzy, tired, headache, and also have a earache, but not like any earache the side of my face hurts too. My headache is only on the side where my ear is that hurts. But unlike any of the comments above I don't have any problems sleeping or falling asleep. I also have normal days and feel great, and my symptoms don't last all day. My biggest thought was I have anemia because I feel cold, tired, and have no energy but I don't feel this way all the time. so I am at a complete loss as to what is wrong with me. if anyone has any helpful thoughts please do post them thank you!
Now I am afraid. Last year my wife and I were having lunch at a restaurant, and while waiting for out food to arrive it was as if someone had begun to lift my chair from the right side, causing me to "compensate" by leaning to my left. Since we reside in California I just assumed that it was yet another weird earthquake. After about 5 seconds everything was normal. i asked my wife if she felt that. She said, "felt what?". It was like some... unseen force had shifted all of my weight to my left side. However, a few days ago I was walking to my apartment complex, and right after I turned the corner to enter, I got the same sensation again, but this time it was strong enough to cause me to simply... lie down on the ground! I couldn't stand up! It was like something was pulling me down and to the left. I felt... heavy! After about 20 seconds I felt better, got up, and went inside.
I am a 48-year-old male, and nothing... NOTHING like this has EVER happened to me before, and although I have read articles about Syncope, Vertigo, and Inner-Ear Infections it doesn't quite seem like these conditions would be a good fit for what I have experienced. Before I make an appointment with my Doctor, I just wanted to know if anyone else out there has experiences anything like this before?
I am a 48-year-old male, and nothing... NOTHING like this has EVER happened to me before, and although I have read articles about Syncope, Vertigo, and Inner-Ear Infections it doesn't quite seem like these conditions would be a good fit for what I have experienced. Before I make an appointment with my Doctor, I just wanted to know if anyone else out there has experiences anything like this before?
Very similar to most of these. My top of my head will hurt from time to time. Sinus pressure without the discomfort. Yawning in business meeting during the day. Feel so sleepy I want to lay down. At night or in the morning I have dry mouth. I have a pain in the left side of my chest that is near the surface not deep in my chest. The doctors thought it was a pulled muscle but it has lasted for 6 months. I have been eating healthier and sometimes, when I don't feel well, if I eat something crappy I feel better. I have been to the doctors and they aren't sure what is going on. Today I was so dizzy I had to sit down. like some of the other posts, I have good days and bad, I can sometimes do physical activity and it feels good and other times I think I shouldn't move or I will collapse. I live in a basement apartment. When I vacationed upstate NY for 2 weeks it seems to subside.
I have vertigo. I don't have dizzy spells. I can be laying down flat in bed and things start spinning and moving. I also have internal tremors.RLS is painful. I don't sleep well at night because the tremors wake me up. I cannot make any commetments because I am so fatigued. I was a very active perdon now I have no srenght to do anything. I hope somebody knows whats wrong.
I just read your post and recognize some of your symptoms as my own. For almost four weeks I have experienced dizziness; however, it's not to the point that I can't walk. I've also had a slight headache but OTC meds took care of it. The ear pressure you mentioned has been my consistent complaint. I saw my ENT (I am a chronic sinusitis sufferer) who said there's no fluid in my ears nor any sign of infection. My next step is to see my primary care doctor. I am wondering what were the results of your scans and/or MRI. Thanks for sharing and I hope all is well with your health.
I have the exact same thing! I have a vision test( I cannot see things up close anymore) and an mri scheduled next month. It feels like I am drunk but I don't drink. I hope all works out for you.
Did you find out what the issue was? I have the a similar experience and see flashes of black dots with occasional flash of white light. And feel really dizzy when I yawn. Desperately looing for an answer to this!!
I have almost the same symptoms. I started out with lightheadedness about 8 yrs ago all kunds of test for heart and eveything else they started to get worse and on my last mri it showed i had stenosis in my neck and my dr told me that it can cause all my symptoms. So i am now in pt to see if it helps. It kind of does make sence cuz if i move my head a certian way i start to get a little light headed but 2 times now when a sleep if u sleep with my head in a strange way i get dizzy and after moving a bit it seems to get better.
i am having alot of the same symptoms have went to the doctor and she ordered an mri but i am getting a second opinion. i also have a horrible headache localized on my left side, dizzyish all day long, just feel out if it like I drank a lot of alcohol the night before and I have what feels like an involuntary head twitch, my vision sometimes shakes and am finding it hard to focus, neck aches and pain if you push hard in some spots, lightheaded-ness, sometimes ears feel clogged and sometimes have ringing and slight pain in left ear.
hi got about same thing ive been feelig dizzy for like 2yrs someday is better but somedays is pretty bad ears plugup pressure in my head like a freezer burn it scares me like do i have a brain tumor or what ive been to many doctors blood works comes back normal ive had like 3 ct test done comes back normal can it be anxiety
wonder if all the medications you are on are interacting with each other? have you checked with your pharmacist? if more than one doc is prescribing they don't always check with each other so your pharmacist can tell you about any possible interactions or you could check it yourself on line at something like medications.com
I have been having similar problems as well. Pressure behind my face and all over my head. Dizziness, but not like I am going to pass out. It screws up my vision for a second and it makes me feel "funny". The headaches all over and are constant. I do have constant GI issues and I had to see a Cardiologist because my heart would randomly go tachycardic and my blood pressure would go to dangerous levels. I hit a new high score a little over a month ago with 210/140. It was not fun. Here is the kicker. I am 27 and I have had the Brain MRI, Neck MRI, cardiogram, more blood work than you can shake a stick at, a urine test to see if I have an Adrenal tumor and my doctors cannot find out what is wrong. My liver does screw up randomly also. While with my heart problems I can admit anxioudy can be involved from time to time the dizziness, fatigue, headaches, pressure, and so on cannot seem to be controlled with meds or discipline. Clearatine does not help it. My beta blocker for my heart does keep my heart in much better check but does nothing to help. Anti anxiody meds do not seem to help I am going to keep plucking away at this until they figure it out. Has anyone else been having a problem where you are just laying there watching a movie not really thinking of much but you get short of breath and you feel like your body is forgetting to breath so you take in that large breath? That has been happening a lot over the last two weeks. About when the headaches and all of that came back with a vengeance.
previously i said i have had the symptoms for over a month - i remember now that i had them since several months ago but they were not as severe and didn't last as long
just today i am noticing something new - very sharp fast electrical feeling type pain on the right side of my neck - it only happened about 5 times but it is like nothing i have ever felt before - not like a cramp - it feels like electric or burning shock that is very fast
just today i am noticing something new - very sharp fast electrical feeling type pain on the right side of my neck - it only happened about 5 times but it is like nothing i have ever felt before - not like a cramp - it feels like electric or burning shock that is very fast
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