Can a brain tumour cause anxiety or can anxiety make you think you have one?

[Blaine26]

I will begin by admitting how terrified I am that I have a brain tumour! I have had a continuous dull headache for two weeks now and no amount of medication seems to shift it. It seems to be worse in the morning, and I have a really stiff neck. Its there all day and worse when I do exercise or bend over. Im also pretty sure my vision is getting worse, although I went to the opticians who seem to think my eye sight is virtually perfect. The pain is tight around my head, and occasionally its tight accross the nose. Please help im terrified!!!! I have been to the doctors twice who say it is anxiety (which it may be) but at 13, im 24 now I fractured my skull so any headache worries me but this is different to my usual headaches. Now im not sure whether my anxiety is the "change in personality" symptom of a tumour or if anxiety is causing me to believe I have one? PLEASE HELP IM SO SCARED! .

[elisamatt1]

Blaine there is a condition that causes headaches that is as bad as having a brain tumour its called Arnold Chiari malformation, get it checked out, it can be very serious.

[dancemommy]

sorry, hafta finish n a new comment, lol, anyways the zoloft was really hard on me, so i told my doctor after about a month that i wanted my dose lowered, then i started just taking half of those, and eventually was down 2 only one fourth of the pill, then i stopped, so it has just now gotten better this week, so it lasted about 3 months, i had 2 start pushing it out of my head when those thoughts would creep n, i would say 2 myself that im fine, and i have been fine all day till now, and it would go away!

[dancemommy]

it started n september of this year, and it started with my eyes, they seemed like they didnt focus right, and then one night it was really bad, and i started 2 get dizzy, i started hyperventalating and began 2 get these burning sensations through my head, and my body started shakin bad. after that night my body was like stuck n panic mode thinkin i had a brain tumor, i went 2 the e.r. after about 2 weeks of feeling like that, they gave me an ativan and it knocked me out, lol, thats when i got the zoloft

[Blaine26]

Thanks so much for the advice.

last month i was terrified about a brain tumor also, i was sure i had one, and no one was gna tell me any different, lol, u will only make your symptoms worse the more u think of it, trust me!! if your dr says u r ok, then u need 2 trust him or her, and brain tumors r a worry among alot of anxiety filled people! so try 2 relax, it will get better, i promise!!! and if your vision was worse, it would show n an eye test, anxiety messes with vision,, big time!!

dancemommy - how long did your fear last for and how did you eventually get over the fear?

[dancemommy]

last month i was terrified about a brain tumor also, i was sure i had one, and no one was gna tell me any different, lol, u will only make your symptoms worse the more u think of it, trust me!! if your dr says u r ok, then u need 2 trust him or her, and brain tumors r a worry among alot of anxiety filled people! so try 2 relax, it will get better, i promise!!! and if your vision was worse, it would show n an eye test, anxiety messes with vision,, big time!!

[cj29]

When you went to the doctors I assume that they checked your symptoms out, correct?  Did they explain to you why the believe it is anxiety?  In my opinion, we do not seek an explanation from our docs to help us understand a diagnosis.

Health anxiety can cause all sorts of symptoms in my opinion.  In my experience with it, we can take every little symptom and link it too the worst possible outcome no matter how minute the possibility.  For example, I have headaches whenever I don't get enough sleep, go to long without a cup of coffee in the morning, under stress, etc...it doesn't bother me because I don't tend to think the worst anymore.  I realize aches and pains are a part of life and that we all experience them.  

I say this now, but when I initially went through this, I thought everything was wrong with me and thought the worst.  I believe we are so hyper-sensitive that we feel EVERYTHING that we assume is linked to what we are afraid of.  I also tend to believe that we often misinterpret our symptoms.

Have you had counseling in the past for your anxiety?  For me, it will give you some knowledge on why you are thinking the way you are and how you can confront your fears...keep us posted!

[mammo]

Whether you have anxiety or not you should have these headaches checked out.  This will also put your mind at ease and help with any worry you have.  Best wishes.