Displaying symptoms of a brain tumor but nothing will help.

It started on Saturday when I got out of the shower. I had kaleidoscope vision in my right eye followed by a dull headache. The vision corrected itself after 30 minutes but the headache stayed and still have it. It gets worse everyday. I went to A&E on monday. Saw a triage nurse who gave me a appt card for an out of hrs appt at the hospital for 5.30. He said it's a bit of a wait. I knew what time I went down to A&E but for some reason I read my time wrong. I arrived at the out of hrs appt only to be told I was 2 hrs early. I was so shocked at myself that I didn't read the time on my phone properly and it scared me. Anyway they sent me away with imgrane pain killers which treats migraines and co-codamol. I took the medication straight away but it was not effective at all. I went to bed that night with the headache, it wakes me in the middle of the night and wakes me up in the morning. I woke up with a stiff neck one morning too. Yesterday I started having nausea with the headache by the evening I couldn't take it anyway more so I rang 111 for the third time. They got me a out of hrs app at the hospital again. And this time dispose there being more symptoms they said it may be tension headaches and gave me a pain killer amitriptyline to take before bed. Took before bed made me little drowsy but didn't take the pain away and woke up to the same headache still there. This morning I had a docs appt I had booked and told him everything since Saturday and he said he still thinks it's a migraine and gave me some mouth dissolvable tabs for the sickness and 2 nostril does of migraine painkillers. Took them straight way. The anti sickness tabs did help ease the nausea and used both the nasel pain killer sprays and they had no effect. He decided to book me for a blood test to check arteries in my head. I wanted to request for a ct scan or an mri scan as that would give a better look as what's going on as nothing is taking this pain away but everyone I see tends to pin it on something else. Stress, your too worried and that makes the headache stay. I'm also worried as I have a sister who has had 4 brain tumors and as we are so used to seeing her sympoms everytime they grow back, when this headache stayed and no pain killer is working and everyday they kept getting worse I just want a doctor to refer me to get a ct or mri scan doney to rule out anything bad. So I'm no closer to being pain free, I'm a fulltme mum of 3 so I feel guilty for resting in a dark room as I'm sensitive to light loud noises while my eldest daughter helps me take care of them, I feel I'm failing them while I'm trying everything I can do to get better. The doctor is ringing me on monday to see how I am. I guess until then I just have to put up with the pain. But feels like torture. Don't know why they don't just have me get a ct or mri done to have a look as nothing else is working. Something is going on and feel like I'm not being listened to. 

  • Hi Lydia. 
    I am sorry to hear you had these problems and they aren't nice. 
    If you don't mind me asking what were your mri results? 
    I am currently struggling with same symptoms but been putting of thinking I was just tired and stressed as my son is only 10 months old. 
    My symptoms are loosing my temper quite frequently, fatigue and severe headaches, 

    Thanks Mellissa xx

  • Hi Melissa and thanks for posting

    Hopefully you will get some replies back soon but people sometimes don't come back onto the forum.

    It's worth saying that your symptoms can often be put down to other causes and that it must be quite a stressful time in your life at the moment being busy and occupied with a 10 month old.

    Make an appointment with the GP and discuss your concerns. The websites that were posted by nurse Vanda are all very useful to read and it also may be an idea to get your eyes tested too, as eye strain is a very common cause for headaches.

    Try and not let your thoughts run away with you and hopefully, making that first step seeing a GP might make you feel less anxious and more in control.

    All the best

    Wanda

  • Hi everyone,

    I'd really appreciate it if I could get some advice please. I am only 22 and have had exactly similar symptoms to what are being described here. I have a dull ache in the top right hand side of my head which is made worse by coughing, clearing my throat or bending over. The ache is not there constantly and is not very painful, moderate at most I would say. Always seems to be worse at night but doesn't wake me up or anything.

    I have no other symptoms so was very surprised when I googled this to be told, even on the NHS website, that this type of headache is prominent with brain tumours. Well I am now a total wreck. My anxiety has gone through the roof and to top it all off, I've made an online consultation through my local GP where I type out a message describing my symptoms and somebody gets back in touch with me to discuss it. Nobody even rang me back, I got a text later that day that they had booked me in for a face to face appointment on Monday morning! This has made me overthink why they are taking this so seriously, especially given how short supply GP appointments are at the moment. Please can somebody who had these head symptoms with the coughing let me know how you are doing now and how the doctors went for you? I am absolutely petrified

  • Hello Beaver017366 and thanks for posting, 

    I am sorry that no one has got back to you and that you are so worried about these headaches. Remember that Google is no substitute for seeing a doctor and that headaches, even ones that might have features associated with brain tumours can occur for other reasons and may be nothing to worry about. And brain tumours are quite rare so a more common explanation would be more likely.

    I am glad that you will be seeing the GP this morning so you can get properly assessed and sorted out. This is what is meant to happen so I don't think you should read anything into the fact that you have a face to face appointment. It is just good practice. 

    Worry and fear can take us over sometimes, most people in the middle of a health scare are at least a bit troubled but hopefully you know more today. We always say to take things one step at a time and not anticipate what might be the matter. Our usual advice is not to spend too much time on line looking for answers either as they are seldom to be found there and doing this tends to increase worry and keep it front of mind. 

    Do be frank about what is worrying you when you see the GP and ask questions if you need to.

    Best wishes, 

    Julia