Brain Tumor? Hypocrondria? So Afraid!

[Buck Compton]

Sometimes my anxiety get so bad that i start to feel this kind of pressure in my head, I often wonder if its a brain tumor or something, and I am so scared that even the thought of getting an MRI is scary. Often i will get dizzy, my hands will sweat, my ears ring, and i feel like i am going to fall over, sometimes i am not even standing :< sometimes i am falling asleep when these sensations occur.

In the past i would worry that i was having a heart attack, or that i have cancer, or any number of physical ailments that deep in my heart i know i do not have, truth is, i am a relatively healthy young man

but there are those times when i feel so old and worn out, i feel like this will never go away. Anxiety and panic attacks are definatly the worst thing i have ever had to endure, and trust me, i have had to endure a lot..

I really hope this feeling goes away someday, i constantly live in fear of the next time i will be struck with these sensations..

 

[TLight]

I have had that sensation too for several years. It gets really horrible when I'm triggered. For a long time I thought, "There is something definately wrong in an area of my brain!"

I finally went to see a neurologist to have it checked out. There was an 'abnormality.' It was an area that had been damaged by a high blood pressure event, sort of a small stroke thing. He said what I'm experiencing could be termed a migraine. He also said that these areas show up as we age and may be a natural effect of aging. I'm 45.

All in all, I sort of put up with it, since I don't want to add yet another medication.

When I'm not stressed, it get some relief. But there where many many years when it felt like it was 'there' constantly. Very disturbing.

I know, deep in my soul, that it was damaged by a severe flashback event, or a combination of several over the years. High blood pressure to my brain from the intensity of the flashbacks.

Permanent PTSD damage. Sorry to say.

Get stable, get all stress out of your life, and start to focus on the beauty of nature, painting, photography. It will take many years and a ton of support, but you will start to feel a bit better. At least life will be more tolerable.

ps. should probably get your brain checked out too. Hope not, of course, but it might be something more. Better safe than sorry.

 

[OKRADLAK]

I had so many physical sensations that the Dr actually DID order an MRI. They were sure they would find something. She said, "I am sorry, but you have a beautiful brain...." She was very funny and I appreciated that she tried SOO hard to find out why I was having so many symptoms.

I have also had irregular heart beats, neuropahty, and even my blood counts go down . I am the healthiest damn sick person ever!!!!

Anyway, try not to fear an MRI if you can. They are safest we have now. Yes it is SCARY if you have PTSD to be shoved into a tube. BUT DO NOT LOOK! Whatever you do, do not peek. I peeked the first time and the flood of panic that hit was unreal. You can get meds if you need them.

Ask for a wash cloth and hearing protection.

And you can ask him to talk to you throughout. I have had them talk and not talk - I prefer them NOT to talk so I can try to zone out. I like to conjugate verbs whilst in there to distract.

I hope you can get answers. After all, even people with PTSD can also have brain tumors, too!!