miztiki

I just joined this newsgroup to see if there are any brain tumor patients
here and came across this old message.

Although it is likely that the original poster does NOT have a brain tumor,
it is slightly possible and shouldn't be so easily dismissed.

I had a sudden feeling of dizziness one day for five minutes. A couple of
months later it happened again, but for an hour or so. This happened two
more times - all within a 6 month period.

I went to my doctor who said it was probably panic attacks or some other
unimportant thing. I insisted on a scan and they found a small "lesion" in
my fourth ventricle but said it had probably been there my whole life and
had nothing to do with my symptoms. I insisted on seeing a neurologist who
found nothing out of the ordinary in my neurological exam. He ordered so
many tests, including tons of bloodwork, EEG, EKG, doppler of my carotid
arteries, spinal tap, evoked potentials, and even had me put out so they
could insert a thing down my throat to look at my heart from the inside. All
was normal. I was told that there was nothing wrong with me, go home, I'm
fine.

Six months later I got my first ever headache and it lasted for a total of
16 days. I went to my doctor 3 or 4 times during this time and was told I
had anything but a brain tumor. I had to insist on another scan. After that
I was told that the "lesion" in my head was the same.

The headache finally passed and I continued on with my normal life for
another year. I went and got copies of all of my records (had to send them
in to SS) and read the MRI report from when I had the headache the year
before. The "lesion" in my head had doubled in size. Oversight on the part
of the cracker jack neurologist I guess.

I had a suboccipital craniectomy where they (different hospital and doctors)
removed the tumor (oligodendroglioma) from my brainstem. The surgeon told me
it was a really good thing we had the surgery when we did or I probably
wouldn't have been around much longer.

Headaches do not automatically come with a brain tumor, nor do other obvious
signs and symptoms. Tests may reveal nothing. The only sure way to find out
is to have a CT or MRI done (and have a doctor who actually reads the damn
report).

To the original poster: You most likely do NOT have a brain tumor. That
said, it might be a good idea for you to see a neurologist who has plenty of
experience with brain tumors. Your dizziness, pressure and ringing of the
ears (tinnitus) could be caused by an inner ear problem. An ENT (ear, nose
and throat doctor) could help you determine if that is the cause. It could
be any number of things much less serious than a brain tumor.

Another thing you can do is research, research, research. I have spent
hundreds of hours researching brain tumors and learning the function of
where my "lesion" is. I knew I had a brain tumor because I was armed with
alot of facts, some from the internet, some from books at the library and
some from medical libraries at the hospital.

For the first time since my surgery 3 years ago, I'm concerned that the
tumor may be active again. I'm awaiting results from the MRI. Like you
(sorta), I'm not sure if my subtle symptoms can be attributed to (recurrence
of the) tumor, or if I'm just having a few other little problems. Hopefully
it's nothing!

Feel free to contact me and maybe I can help you put your mind at ease. Like
I said, it doesn't sound like you have a brain tumor to me, honestly. If I
knew more details I might be able to help you rule things out and explain
things to you.

Michelle