Possible tumor or What

[willy851]

I have been having problems for the last few months. Recently it started getting worse. I went to my doctor and he did a blood test and checked my blood flow to the brain. The test came back low on B12 but to me there is more going on. I get dizzy, spaced out, feel like I am going to fall and unbelievable headaches. The headaches will coincide with the other problems. I will have pain in the back of my head along with double vision in either eye and feel like my brain is being squeezed. I feel like my IQ drops 100 points and I can't think at all. Then it will go away and I'll be left with a mild headache.
History. I had an MRI of head and neck without the dye last year. I thought I had MS because my brother has MS and I was having symptoms. The doctor said there was no signs of it on MRI but he found that I have cervical stenosis. I don't know if this can cause the problems I am having. My family doctor says that I don't need to worry about a tumor because they would have seen it on the MRI done a year ago.
I don't want to be a hypochondriac but I know something is wrong. My wife says it's stress, To me that's like saying you worry too much. But she's not there when I bend over and my head starts to pound and I get so dizzy that I wobble. I am an electrician and work with live circuits all the time. I know my luck will run out if I don't figure this out.
Thanks for any info.

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there. These symptoms could possibly be arising from cervical stenosis.  Headaches, neck pain, weakness and numbness in the arms, dizziness, could all be attributable to cervical canal stenosis and cord compression.  Consult your neurosurgeon and discuss this possibility.  Treatment options are physical therapy and surgery depending on the stage of the disease.
Hope this helps.

[rumpled]

Actually, low B12 can be a huge issue. Are you going to get the shots? If you lack the intrinsic factor, you can actually die from low B12. If you cannot absorb it from the food, you may need to get it from injections, patches etc. It can cause nerve, muscle and a lot of issues.

[horselip]

Cervical stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal. So pressure is put onto the spinal cord and nerve roots.

This leads to neck pain, pain in one or both arms, and an electrical sensation that shoots down the back when the head moves are common painful sensations in patients with spinal stenosis. Numbness of the arms can occur, in addition to a feeling that the arms or hands are asleep. As the condition progresses, weakness of the arms and hands can occur with loss of coordination. Also, in advanced stages of cervical stenosis, problems with bowel and bladder function can result, in addition to weakness and numbness in the legs and feet, which can cause difficulty walking.

so to me it sounds like further exploration of this condition and possible treatment might be helpful to you.

But it generally does not seem to cause headaches? So did your MRI cover your brain also or just the neck? What did they say about blood flow to the brain?
Horselip