Anxiety or Brain Tumor?!

[Lozzy33]

Hi there I am new and am suffering what I think is some pretty intense anxiety. I have just moved home to Aus from the UK and ever since I got back I have started getting all these strange symptoms such as tension headaches (tightness around my head), heart palpitations, numb arm, tiredness and just feeling 'off' and not myself. I knew a girl my age who recently died of a brain tumour and now I am convinced all these symptoms are possibly a brain tumour. I am so scared and I am freaking myself out thinking about it 24/7. I visit the doctor who performed some tests but thinks I am fine and referred me to a psychiatrist. As well as this I have started to feel a bit out of it, not thinking straight, sometimes confused. And I have had 2 panic attacks this week. Is anyone else experiencing anything like this? Or should I seriously be forcing my doctor to send me for an MRI? Help I'm really frightened and obsessing about it.

[BlueGrass]

Hi Lozzy

Well, doc may well be right, and you are okay, but no matter what, you are not "feeling" okay.

I'd say the same as if one has a funny lump or mole, get a second opinion, if you really want an MRI, then ask for one. It is far better to be safe than sorry, and if nothing wrong, then it will give peace of mind. That alone is what you need right now.

Some time back I specifically requested a stress test, as symptoms, the way I saw it, said heart issues. Turned out was a bit of anxiety, but I felt less anxious once I knew.

Could your stress be related to returning home, and losing all the contacts you had in the UK? That might be part of it, too.

Take care 🙂

[blondguy]

Hi Lozzy33

Good on you for having the courage to post. BlueGrass has made a good point with the recent stress you have been through....this is major life event to have moved such a long way.

Many people with anxiety do think they have heart problems or something wrong in the brain. Anxiety symptoms are many...Your doctor would of have to have been very careful with his diagnosis saying you are fine.

Anxiety is also a huge sign of a tired mind or an exhausted one that is thinking too much. The tightness around your head is often a classic sign of stress. The shoulders and neck are often very tense and rock hard thus making our head feel pressure too.

You have had 2 anxiety attacks this week including cloudy thinking and confusion. This is perfectly normal with anxiety. There is so much adrenaline being pumped around I dont blame you for feeling overwhelmed

I understand your post as I have had chronic anxiety for 13 years followed by 20 years of depression

The anxiety does dissipate over time with super frequent visits to your GP though.

Has your doc tried to help you with the anxiety as yet? There are many gentle people on the forums that can be here for you Lozzy..no worries at all

you are not alone here with your feelings/symptoms....they are very common

my kind thoughts

Paul

[eth93]

Hi Lozzy!

I am what I would call well versed with the brain tumor fear. I have had two bouts, the first lasting close to two years and the second twelve months. All the symptoms you mention I had. Constant daily headaches etc etc etc.

I'm not a Doctor. So I can't say if you should have an MRI or not.

But what I can say is that having an MRI means diddly squat to your mind/thoughts/feelings/symptoms. I had one CT scan, and three MRI's with contrast. And I still didn't believe I wasn't dying. Because obviously they had missed the tumor each and every time.

Just know that yes anxiety can and will cause all the symptoms you have listed.

[Lozzy33]

Hi BlueGrass,

Thank you for the reply. Everyone on here is so lovely and it's nice to hear others in the same boat in some way or another. I think you're right, I think just knowing I'm ok will help put my mind at ease. And yes I think moving back home from the UK may have more to do with the way I'm feeling than I've let on. Everyone keeps saying 'your still adjusting' which I didn't believe but now I think maybe it playing a big role without me even knowing. It's crazy how the body works!

[Lozzy33]

Hi Paul,

Its actually really comforting to talk to people on here and to know I'm not alone, so thank you!

I think as both you and BlueGrass have said, the move home was a huge lifestyle change, and probably at a time when I wasn't exactly ready to go (I had to leave due to my visa running out) so I do feel quite sad about it all. I'm glad the confusion and cloudy thinking, along with tension headaches and other symptoms is all normal for anxiety, as I've been non stop obbessing that it's something much worse. I am going back to my doctor this week though and will hopefully go to talk to someone about it.

thank you for your advice.

[J17]

Hi.

I believe what you are experiencing could very well be anxiety/stress. I am going through something so similar. I have had bad migraines and headaches for the last week, that just won't go away. My arms at times have been feeling weak. Very strange and I have been extremely fatigued. I am waiting on blood test results to see if I have low iron. But am also sitting here thinking I have a brain tumour or am having a small brain bleed or maybe it is my heart.

Logically I know it is most likely from stress and/or I might have picked up a bit of a virus. But I can't help feel what if it isn't. I haven't been feeling overly anxious about it either. Just worried. The reason I think it is a sickness is because I haven't gotten much of an appetite and am feeling a little nausea as well.

Last year around this time I thought I had heart problems and in the end it turned out that I was reacting to MSG that was added to foods. My heart rate would double, I would get hot flushes, felt giddy and anxious. They were real symptoms and I was really reacting. But the added symptoms from the anxiety over the initially symptoms were just as scary. I would go hot and cold, shake all over. I ended up at the emergency in the middle of the night twice thinking I was having a heart attack.

I guess what I am trying to say is that maybe you are having some real symptoms, but it might not be something terrible. Stress can affect the body in different ways. Migraines can actually cause all kinds of scary symptoms as well.

If you are really not happy with the doctor then seek a second opinion.

[Croix]

Dear Lozzy33~

Welcome back, I'm answering your post in your other thread

Forums / Anxiety / Health Anxiety - Help am I'm a hypochondriac!?

Where you set out your very hard to live wiht problems relating to your health anxiety.

The last time you spoke you said you were going to go back to the doctor, which you have now done, Also that he/she says physically your health is OK, even if you have worries about records being mixed up.

In August he referred you to a psychiatrist. Have you had a chance to have an appointment as yet? While I don't think your anxiety is something that is going to be quickly fixed I do believe that starting with a psychiatrist is the way to go. I have a different type of anxiety, and it only got worse until I had proper treatment. Now it is mainly pretty good.

You mentioned earlier on that the upheaval of moving back here from the UK may have played a big part in your increased anxiety levels. Are things starting to settle down or do you have further hassles in your life that may account for this recent heightening?

I would imaging given time effective medical support will do a lot to give you a more comfortable and enjoyable life

Croix