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convinced of a BT

I am a 19 yo female and For the past 7 months I have been experiencing very strange and disturbing symptoms that at this point I am convinced I am going to die within the year and go back and forth with these thoughts. It is important to note that  have serious anxiety, have had it all my life but after a traumatic event i felt a slight sense of derealization or brain fog back in May. I immediately attributed this to a brain tumor and went to my GP and received a neurological exam, eye exams, and blood tests which came back as normal, attributed this to GAD. An MRI was not recommended and of course I was terrified of that so I have never had one. I had a serious neck injury several years ago that never truly healed and simultaneously was experiencing neck pain again so I started seeing a chiropractor and it was determined my C1 and C2 and lower spine as well were severely and moderately subluxated. Within 4 hours after the first adjustment, I felt a strange sensation in my inner cheek that I would describe as fullness, not necessarily numb. I continued going 2x a week all summer and eventually this same feel spread throughout the same side of my face. Not numb, more of a "pulling" "pressurized sensation. Concurrently, my anxiety has been getting much worse since and I have panic attacks fairly regularly and was recently prescribed xanax which is the only way I can stop thinking Im dying.Unfortnately, I attribute these attacks as being pre-seizures. Every day I think today will be the day of diagnosis, but I am too afraid to actually get an MRI because I'd rather live in ignorance as long as possible before my life is ruined and given an expiration date. Current symptoms still allow me to live my life, I'm in college, doing well, have friends, energy etc but this fear never leaves. Are my fears based in reality or can anxiety or possible nerve damage from these chiro sessions be the explanation? PLEASE someone help/ reassure/ guide me. The only hope I have is that its extremely strange all these symptoms began after I started seeing this chiro. All of these physical symptoms are worsened when I smoke weed, but it calms the thoughts down

* pressureized/ tingling on left side of face, cheek under eye. (intermittent, helped by xanax)

*tighter muscles when closing that side's eye

*left leg will feel "weird" but works completely functional, have had weakness measured, not weaker than the other but was measured and is shorter than the right leg

*occasional very inner ear pain on that side

*still have neck pain, reverse curve was shown on X-ray

*currently (recently terrified) cluster tension/ burning like head scalp pain on the right side. not necessarily a headache or migraine. I have not been to the chiro in weeks.

* both eyes will intermittently just feel weird, pressure behind them

* panic attacks, been obsessed with brain cancer since a girl i saw on the news died at 17 a few years ago.

*alternating head pressure on right side

please someone help me and respond. sometimes i can convince myself that I am experiencing nerve damage/ peripheral neuropathy or even psychosomatic symptoms. however it has been 7 months. i really don't want to die and every day I envision sitting in a doctors office being told I have stage 3/4 GBM or DIPG.
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Avatar universal
Oh honey, you poor thing. Anxiety is dreadful isn't it. It can mimic all sorts of things and the symptoms you describe can certainly be attributed to anxiety. The fact the pressure symptoms are relieved by Xanax shows that you are likely clenching your teeth and tensing your muscles all the time. You are probably shallow breathing too.

I'm pleased to hear you are still functioning with friends and studies but life it no fun with this ongoing fixation on your mind. I have been there. For me anti-depressants were the best treatment. Just a short course. Then ongoing my best advice is exercise, exercise, exercise. Listen to uplifting music, accept every social invitation you get, do things for other people, eat well, never sleep during the day, try to get up when you first wake up. Depression is poorly named, anxiety is a better description for most of us. You are young and have a wonderful life ahead of you. This worrying time will pass I promise but you do need to find a doctor who recognises what you're going through.
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